General Discussion

mahatmakanejeeves

(69,329 posts) Wed Mar 11, 2026, 05:30 AM Wednesday

Unusual helicopter activity over southwestern England.

Last edited Wed Mar 11, 2026, 06:11 AM - Edit history (1)

Probably just an exercise, and not related to what's going on in Iran. They are concentrated around Shrewsbury. Nearest RAF facility is Fairford.

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/

Hex ID Callsign Type Alt. (ft) Spd. (kt) Wind D. Wind (kt)
43c557 United Kingdom AXIS11 HAWK ▲ 2300
43c565 United Kingdom AXIS12 HAWK 1950
43c5ed United Kingdom BLNHM33 A400 5975 257 293° 31
43c964 United Kingdom JAVLN12 HAWK ▲11475 183
43c962 United Kingdom JAVLN13 HAWK ▼10475 361
43c966 United Kingdom JAVLN20 HAWK ▲10050 330
43c8d1 United Kingdom RCKT2 TEX2 ▼ 1250
43c8cf United Kingdom ROCKET1 TEX2 1400 218
43c8d0 United Kingdom SWIFT1 TEX2 ▼ 1875 230 284° 27
43c8cb United Kingdom SWIFT2 TEX2 ▼ 1900 236 282° 22
43c8ed United Kingdom SYS105 EC35 1250 69
43c8f5 United Kingdom SYS321 EC35 ▼ 1600 50
43c8e4 United Kingdom SYS325 EC35 ▼ 1900 42
43c8f4 United Kingdom SYS329 EC35 ▲ 2625 82
43c8e8 United Kingdom SYS50 EC35 ▲ 1675 50
43c8df United Kingdom SYS84 EC35 475 1
43c8ea United Kingdom SYS98 EC35 ▼ 2525 104
43c8ec United Kingdom SYS99 EC35 ▲ 2650 111
43c556 United Kingdom VYT24 HAWK ▼ 925 662
43c553 United Kingdom VYT35 HAWK 2200 169
43c92d United Kingdom WWIND222 EC45 ▲ 325 36

4 replies

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Highlight:

Unusual helicopter activity over southwestern England. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday OP

Now they've got fighters in the air over York, Doncaster, Sheffield, and Ely. mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday #1

More about oprrations at RAF Fairford: mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday #2

I saw an Iranian propaganda video this morning where their lego army attacked British forces. GreenWave Wednesday #3

Shrewsbury is not "southwestern England" - it's the west (north of, for instance, Birmingham) muriel_volestrangler Wednesday #4

mahatmakanejeeves

(69,329 posts)

1. Now they've got fighters in the air over York, Doncaster, Sheffield, and Ely.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 06:11 AM

Wednesday

That's RAF Mildenhall. The planespotters must be having the time of their life.

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/

Hex ID Callsign Type Alt. (ft) Spd. (kt) Wind D. Wind (kt)
43c785 United Kingdom GUNFIG32 EUFI ▼14750 379
43c7a4 United Kingdom GUNFIG32 EUFI ▼14775 411
43c964 United Kingdom JAVLN12 HAWK 1475 274
43c965 United Kingdom JAVLN21 HAWK 1600 358
ae117b United States RCH192 C17 28000 445
43cb0b United Kingdom ROGUE031 EUFI 19650 408
43caed United Kingdom ROGUE032 EUFI 18700 434
43c6dd United Kingdom TRIPLE21 EUFI ▼ 1700 424
43c707 United Kingdom TRIPLE22 EUFI ▼ 1600 440
400ee2 United Kingdom UAT71 G115 ▼ 1400 112
43c6a7 United Kingdom WARLOR11 EUFI ▲11325 344 0° 0
43c6d8 United Kingdom WARLOR12 EUFI ▲ 9375 419
400e98 United Kingdom WIT21 G115 ▲ 5975 61
400ee4 United Kingdom WIT30 G115 ground 9
43c73d United Kingdom EUFI ▲ 4650 374
ae049a United States K35R ground

mahatmakanejeeves

(69,329 posts)

2. More about oprrations at RAF Fairford:

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 06:41 AM

Wednesday

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/mid-atlantic-and-beyond-milair-2026.495977/page-97#post-4271742

GreenWave

(12,578 posts)

3. I saw an Iranian propaganda video this morning where their lego army attacked British forces.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 08:57 AM

Wednesday

Maybe it wasn't just a foolish video.

muriel_volestrangler

(106,076 posts)

4. Shrewsbury is not "southwestern England" - it's the west (north of, for instance, Birmingham)

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 01:40 PM

Wednesday

and about 100 miles northwest of RAF Fairford (which, being in Gloucestershire, you might call SW England, but many would say just "the Midlands" - closer to Oxford than Bristol).

And when you mention "York, Doncaster, Sheffield, and Ely" - well, Ely isn't far from Mildenhall, but the others are - they're all in Yorkshire (which most would place as "the North", while Mildenhall is in East Anglia - "the East" ). You're talking about the whole of central England here, so naming particular airbases really means nothing.

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