RAF Reconnaissance Aircraft Completes Latest Surveillance Mission

The Image Above: The latest reconnaissance mission carried out by an RAF Boeing RC-135W Airseeker R1. 

You may often see on RadarBox that military reconnaissance aircraft such as the Boeing RC-135W Airseeker R1 with the Royal Air Force is often the most tracked. Why is that, do you ask?

RRR7226, the flight in question, has been the most tracked aircraft all day today (June 26) and has headed back to the UK following its mission beginning in Romania. 

Upon its departure from Constanta, Romania, the aircraft flew a route close to the Ukrainian border and then continued its surveillance via authorized holds over Lithuania towards the Belarus border. 

Why Are These Aircraft The Most Tracked?

The Image Above: A RAF Boeing RC-135W Airseeker R1. Photo Credit: Alan Wilson via Wikimedia Commons.

These flights are most likely to be the most tracked by our users because of the ongoing war that is continuing within Ukraine. 

Whilst NATO forces are not directly involved with the war, these aircraft will be utilized to monitor the ongoing situations and to ensure that NATO sovereignty is not broken by opposing forces. 

Within this, there have been times that aircraft in Russia have broken through airspace belonging to NATO, which has resulted in Quick Response Actions (QRAs) being launched to ensure the aircraft are not doing anything untoward in that airspace.

The Image Above: RAF Typhoons scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft. Photo Credit: Royal Air Force.

Earlier this month, the Royal Air Force Typhoons were scrambled at least three times to intercept Russian aircraft infringing on airspace within NATO boundaries.

These images were posted on Twitter by the official Royal Air Force in the UK, with the following statement put out:

“RAF Typhoons from 140 EAW and Swedish Air Force Gripens scrambled this afternoon, for a third time in 48hrs, to intercept 2x Russian Tu-22M Backfire and 2x Su-30SM Flanker H flying close to NATO airspace. 140 EAW are deployed on NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission.”

What remains clear is that aircraft like this will continue to be the most tracked on a daily basis, so long as these reconnaissance missions continue.