ACARS data shows that six USAF (๐บ๐ธ) C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft are scheduled to fly to Naval Station Rota, southern Spain (๐ช๐ธ) today.
All six flights have four-digit RCH callsigns, which are used for high-priority missions.
The first C-17 is already on its way after taking off from Al Udeid AB, Qatar (๐ถ๐ฆ).
I did not mention this in the tweet above (apologies for that!), but four-digit RCH call signs are also used for diplomatic missions (fe support for VP, POTUS or other high-ranking officials).
I wanted to wait to check, but it indeed looks like RCH3259 is avoiding French airspace.
This suggests that the C-17s are delivering something as avoiding French airspace was probably to save time/effort on the required paperwork for specific (doesn't have to be special) cargo.
To avoid confusion: there is a regular flight from Erbil, Iraq (๐ฎ๐ถ) heading to Naval Station Rota as well. This flight is a regular mission and unlikely to be related to the six C-17s with four-digit RCH callsigns.
More C-17s than I expected for a visit like this one, but these flights are likely to support this visit:
โVice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will travel to Accra, Ghana; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Lusaka, Zambiaย from March 25 to April 2.โ
Today, more four-digit RCH flights arrived in southern Spain. Six C-17s were/are on their way to Ghana, which are likely support flights for Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff.
More in the thread below the tweet above, and in the quoted tweet ๐
The strategy of the United States (๐บ๐ธ) in space is changing and the Space Development Agencyโs new constellation is a perfect example.
It will consist of two components: the Transport Layer and the Tracking Layer.
More on each layer in the short thread below ๐
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The Transport Layer
This constellation will consist of 300-500 satellites to provide military data and connectivity. The satellites will be deployed in orbits ranging from 750 kilometers to 1,200 kilometers.
The full constellation willโฆ
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โฆ enable that 95% the Earthโs surface will have at least two satellites in view at any given time, while 99% of the locations on the Earth will have at least one satellite in view.
Footage of one of several explosions that struck Saky airbase in Crimea, Russian-controlled #Ukraine (๐บ๐ฆ).
The air base is home to Russian (๐ท๐บ) Su-30SM and Su-24M/MR aircraft and is 200 kilometres away from the frontline.
The air base was actively used by Russia during the last few months.
This is a significant air defence failure (if itโs true that the base got hit by long-range missiles) or they simply didnโt expect Ukraine was able to hit the base (which would be an intelligence failure).