DefenceGeek 🇬🇧

Bomber Mission XXIV - Bones Back At it! #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- Early today (19th March 2026) the US bomber fleet at RAF Fairford (EGVA) launched 2x B-1B "Lancer" bombers to Iran with the route through France's airspace resuming. I'm releasing my map early on this one as the bombers are actively pinging on FR24/ADSB so OPSEC concerns are obviously not a thing now. The aircraft involved in this mission are: Mission XXIV B-1B "DRYER74" 86-0107 #AE6BEF "Dragon Slayer" B-1B "DRYER75" 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (Nickname unconfirmed - possibly "Sombrero Skeleton" or "Phoenix") KC-135R "FIST08" 61-0315 #AE0237 (From RAF Mildenhall) KC-135T "FIST09" 59-1464 #AE0659 (From RAF Mildenhall) KC-135R "FIST10" 63-8878 #AE05B1 (From RAF Mildenhall) KC-135R "FIST15" 58-0073 #AE047A (From Bucharest) KC-135R "FIST16" 58-0106 #AE04BE (From Bucharest) KC-135R "FIST17" 58-0004 #AE04B7 (From Bucharest) @MATA_osint @Osinttechnical @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @AUX_OSINT

@CorvusFlies Starmer has spent the entire time trying not to have anything to do with the "wasps nest"... so not sure what you're on about

@DefenceGeek This is what happens when you kick a wasps nest.

Yikes

🚨 Two suspected Iranian spies have been arrested after attempting to enter HMNB Clyde, Britain's nuclear submarine base yesterday (19 Mar, 2026). Armed police swooped on 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman. Their car was searched by sniffer dogs for explosives.

Moment a Ukrainian FPV drone catches a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter. The drone flies into the weapons mounted on the wing, likely causing a detonation.

#USAF United States Air Force - Iran War Global Strike Command Operations / RAF Fairford 20 March - 1114z There has been a steady run of bomber sorties from RAF Fairford this week, with numerous supporting tankers flying from RAF Mildenhall to refuel them before they head South. There has been a lot of talk around overflight during these missions. Currently, two B-52s loaded with cruise missiles are overflying France. Two B-52s yesterday departed and avoided European airspace but returned through France. As far as I can tell, France is behaving no differently than normal when it comes to foreign military overflight. The other surprising thing about these missions has been the number of them now flying Mode-S and showing on sites such as FlightRadar24. The U.S. Air Force no longer are trying to conceal flights from Fairford. Most of them have been pinging just a few hundred miles from Iran. 20 March - ACTIVE Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 2x #AE5875 60-0012 - ARNIE 24 #AE5895 60-0060 - ARNIE 25 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 3x #AE04C3 59-1470 - WOODEN 21 #AE0659 59-1464 - WOODEN 22 #AE0237 61-0315 - WOODEN 23 This morning, ARNIE 24/25 flt 2x B-62Hs departed RAF Fairford and are currently headed South through France, fully visible on ADS-B/@FlightRadar24. These were spotted earlier in the morning with cruise missiles seen mounted on the wing pylons. Additionally, three KC-135 tankers from RAF Mildenhall departed as WOODEN 21-23 most likely to refuel another flight of bombers from Fairford. 19 March Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 2x #AE58AF 61-0035 - ROME 84 #AE5871 60-0007 - ROME 85 Rockwell B-1B Lancer 2x #AE6BEF 86-0107 - DRYER 74 #AE6BE1 85-0088 - DRYER 75 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 3x #AE0267 61-0315 - FIST 08 #AE0659 59-1464 - FIST 09 #AE05B1 63-8878 - FIST 10 The 18th saw no bomber activity from Fairford. The 19th however saw two flights of B-1Bs and B-52Hs. Two B-1Bs departed Fairford in the morning and were supported by FIST 08-10 flight from RAF Mildenhall. Two B-52s then departed late-afternoon on their own without tanker support before flying down the Atlantic coast of Europe - they returned overflying France. 17 March Rockwell B-1B Lancer 4x #AE6C09 86-0138 - RESIN 97 #AE6BFA 86-0120 - MARCO 87 #AE6BEB 86-0102 - MARCO 88 The 17th saw a single complete B-1B sortie, which as MARCO 87/88 potentially attacked Iranian targets storing anti-ship cruise missiles along coast in the Strait of Hormuz. The second sortie of the day, RESIN 97, returned to RAF Fairford after about 6 hours due to an unknown reason. 16 March Rockwell B-1B Lancer 4x #AE6C0B 86-0140 - CONGA 26 #AE6C02 86-0129 - CONGA 27 #AE6BE1 85-0088 - FEMUR 16 #AE6BFB 86-0121 - FEMUR 17 On the 16th of March, two B-1B sorties flew from RAF Fairford. FEMUR 16/17 departed early morning, and CONGA 26/27 in the afternoon. There was no Mildenhall-based tanker support for these two missions. 📸 @havoc_aviation @MATA_osint @DefenceGeek @sipjack1776 @TheIntelFrog @Andyyyyrrrr @vcdgf555 @sentdefender @Osinttechnical @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks @Andyyyyrrrr @haynesdeborah

@Avilandere @MATA_osint @Andyyyyrrrr @ArmchairAdml @TallGlenn85 @AUX_OSINT Yeah it seems like it was only for 48hrs... perhaps they had something going on they didn't want the US getting in the way of but who knows honestly...

@DefenceGeek @MATA_osint @Andyyyyrrrr @ArmchairAdml @TallGlenn85 @AUX_OSINT Seems like France is not avoiding its airpace to US air force anymore, which is a good sign.

BUFFs on ADSB! #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- Very much seems the US isn't worried about OPSEC for their bomber missions anymore... 2x B-52H visible on ADSB heading into France for Bomber Mission XXVI - as always, my map will follow later either today or tomorrow! @MATA_osint

B-52s🇺🇸 ROME 84 & 85 returned to RAF Fairford 🇬🇧 this morning after a mission to Iran overnight.

On completion of dredging work, the barge carrying HMS Active has re-entered the basin at Rosyth ahead of being floated off. Via @dcullen_photo @Brian_D2016

@human0111111 @MATA_osint 🤷‍♂️

@DefenceGeek @MATA_osint France allowed this time? What changed?

Bomber Mission XXV - BUFFS go ROME-ing! #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- Yesterday afternoon (19th March 2026) the US bomber fleet at RAF Fairford (EGVA) launched 2x B-52H "Stratofortress" bombers to Iran armed with cruise missiles. The bombers have just landed back at Fairford and were actively pinging on FR24/ADSB on their way home so OPSEC concerns are obviously not a thing now. The aircraft involved in this mission are: Mission XXV B-52H "ROME84" 61-0035 #AE58AF "Witches Brew" B-52H "ROME85" 60-0007 #AE5871 "Guardians of the Upper Realm" KC-135 "FIST??" ? (Believed from Ramstein) KC-135 "FIST??" ? (Believed from Ramstein) KC-135 "FIST??" ? (Believed from Ramstein) KC-135 "FIST64" ? (From Sofia) KC-135R "FIST65" 63-8000 #AE0671 (From Sofia) KC-135 "FIST66" ? (From Sofia) @MATA_osint @Osinttechnical @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @AUX_OSINT

#USAF United States Air Force - Coronet East Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 6x #AE0509 62-3552 - GOLD 31 #AE015E 59-1512 - GOLD 32 #AE0486 59-1468 - GOLD 34 #AE0385 59-1467 - GOLD 21 #AE035E 58-0077 - GOLD 22 #AE047B 58-0117 - GOLD 24 Six, soon to be eight, KC-135s are on a Coronet East 048 tasking this morning dragging what I suspect are 12x "SJ" F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina to RAF Lakenheath. GOLD 21/22 and GOLD 31/32 appear to be collecting them from Seymour Johnson, and GOLD 24/34 have departed RAF Mildenhall this morning. We'll most likely see a GOLD 23 and GOLD 33 depart Bangor ANGB later this morning. There have been C-17s flying from Seymour Johnson AFB to Ovda Air Base in Israel in the past few days. 📸 @havoc_aviation @MATA_osint @DefenceGeek @sipjack1776 @TheIntelFrog @Andyyyyrrrr @vcdgf555 @sentdefender @Osinttechnical @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks @Andyyyyrrrr

The United Kingdom is open in principle to expanding the GCAP jet project to additional nations, Defence Secretary John Healey told the UK Defence Journal, as Poland signals interest in joining the effort. Click image for more. ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-open-to-exp…

Starmer: "War footing" Healey: "Pre-war era" Budget: *cuts £10bn more*

@Tetzaoh @BOEjets @AUX_OSINT @Osint613 Phenomenal shots!

#DRYER74 #DRYER75 Departing RAF Fairford this morning.

@cryptoedge37 @MATA_osint 🤷‍♂️

@DefenceGeek @MATA_osint After last week's denial why did France approve airspace this time without any public drama

Bomber Mission XXIV - Bones Back At it! #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- Early today (19th March 2026) the US bomber fleet at RAF Fairford (EGVA) launched 2x B-1B "Lancer" bombers to Iran with the route through France's airspace resuming. I'm releasing my map early on this one as the bombers are actively pinging on FR24/ADSB so OPSEC concerns are obviously not a thing now. The aircraft involved in this mission are: Mission XXIV B-1B "DRYER74" 86-0107 #AE6BEF "Dragon Slayer" B-1B "DRYER75" 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (Nickname unconfirmed - possibly "Sombrero Skeleton" or "Phoenix") KC-135R "FIST08" 61-0315 #AE0237 (From RAF Mildenhall) KC-135T "FIST09" 59-1464 #AE0659 (From RAF Mildenhall) KC-135R "FIST10" 63-8878 #AE05B1 (From RAF Mildenhall) KC-135R "FIST15" 58-0073 #AE047A (From Bucharest) KC-135R "FIST16" 58-0106 #AE04BE (From Bucharest) KC-135R "FIST17" 58-0004 #AE04B7 (From Bucharest) @MATA_osint @Osinttechnical @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @AUX_OSINT

Four of the Minot B-52s at RAF Fairford yesterday, there are six in this deployment.

Ouch... so much wrong with this lol No, the Avro Manchester didn't bomb the dams No, it wasn't a normal shape bomb The Lancasters that flew Op CHASTISE had to have their upper turret removed and the pump used to power the hydraulic motor that spun the bomb before release