Lajes (Azores) (LPLA/TER) 2008

[sentinel]

12 A-10s left Sigonella very early this morning destination Al-Udeid. These A-10s should have transited through Lajes before making it to the Med. Any idea from which unit these A-10s are coming from or any serial confirmations from the folks in Lajes?

[sentinel]

There should be a big deployment of Vipers going eastbound soon. Normally the F-16s transit via Moron. Any ideas where these guys are going?

[J.J.]

These "Hogs" are A-10Cs from the 75th FS, 23rd Wg, Moody AFB, Georgia. They are deployed as 75th EFS for USAF´s AEF 5/6 (Cycle 7) rotation (September - December 2008). At Bagram AB, Afghanistan, the 75th EFS will replace the A-10 ANG "Rainbow Team" (ID, KC, PA), which was deployed for the AEF 3/4 rotation.

Source: http://www.moody.af.mil/news/story_medi ... =123114390" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[J.J.]

Special thanks to falcon and raameagle for spotting the 391st FS Strike Eagles! But as Maurizio already wrote, 90-0224 is not an F-15E serial number. It looks simply like a typo. And because 90-0244 is also listed with this fighter package, it must be really 90-0234.

The 391st EFS is deployed to Bagram AB, Afghanistan, also for the AEF 5/6 rotation. I´m only big surprised that CENTCOM requested eighteen OEF Strike Eagles for this rotation!!! That must be related to the current offensive Taliban presence... In comparison: For OIF´s main combat phase in early 2003, USAF deployed two F-15E EFSs with 48 jets altogether…

BTW: At Bagram AB, the 391st EFS will replace the 494th EFS from RAF Lakenheath which was deployed for the AEF 3/4 rotation.

So far, by released USAF photos the following eleven 494th FS jets are identified/verified as currently deployed: 91-0313, 91-0314, 91-0315, 91-0317, 91-0326, 91-0334, 91-0335, 91-0602, 91-0604, 00-3000, 01-2004 (marked 48 FW). For all the pictures and some more info please check my topic "F-15E Strike Eagles at Bagram AB" on http://www.f-15estrikeeagle.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stopover point for the returning 494th EFS will be at least Al Udeid AB, Qatar. But it could be also possibly that they make a second stopover in the Mediterranean. I would be very grateful to any spotter who can/will provide me the remaining twelfth serial number!

[sentinel]

Hello JJ

As far as I can follow matters from this part of the Med, the LN Eagles have already returned to the UK save for a couple of stragglers. We worked the cells going westbound earlier this week.

Hope this helps.

Special thanks to falcon and raameagle for spotting the 391st FS Strike Eagles! But as Maurizio already wrote, 90-0224 is not an F-15E serial number. It looks simply like a typo. And because 90-0244 is also listed with this fighter package, it must be really 90-0234.

The 391st EFS is deployed to Bagram AB, Afghanistan, also for the AEF 5/6 rotation. I´m only big surprised that CENTCOM requested eighteen OEF Strike Eagles for this rotation!!! That must be related to the current offensive Taliban presence... In comparison: For OIF´s main combat phase in early 2003, USAF deployed two F-15E EFSs with 48 jets altogether…

BTW: At Bagram AB, the 391st EFS will replace the 494th EFS from RAF Lakenheath which was deployed for the AEF 3/4 rotation.

So far, by released USAF photos the following eleven 494th FS jets are identified/verified as currently deployed: 91-0313, 91-0314, 91-0315, 91-0317, 91-0326, 91-0334, 91-0335, 91-0602, 91-0604, 00-3000, 01-2004 (marked 48 FW). For all the pictures and some more info please check my topic "F-15E Strike Eagles at Bagram AB" on http://www.f-15estrikeeagle.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stopover point for the returning 494th EFS will be at least Al Udeid AB, Qatar. But it could be also possibly that they make a second stopover in the Mediterranean. I would be very grateful to any spotter who can/will provide me the remaining twelfth serial number!

[J.J.]

There should be a big deployment of Vipers going eastbound soon. Normally the F-16s transit via Moron. Any ideas where these guys are going?

They are bound for OIF to the 332nd AEW at Balad AB, Iraq, sentinel! Tomorrow I will post some more related details.

[raameagle]

JJ,

I saw the following at Kandahar in early August which would make the total deployed equal 14, not 12 if your other serials are correct!

01-2001 LN multi '48OG'
01-2003 LN red
00-3000 LN red
00-3004 LN red

Regards

Mark

[J.J.]

Thanks, sentinel! If the 494th EFS is really already back home, anybody from RAF Lakenheath who can/will provide me the remaining twelfth serial number!

[J.J.]

JJ,

I saw the following at Kandahar in early August which would make the total deployed equal 14, not 12 if your other serials are correct!

01-2001 LN multi '48OG'
01-2003 LN red
00-3000 LN red
00-3004 LN red

Regards

Mark

Thanks for your reply, Mark! At first: All of my archived serials are 100% correct! But please understand: Any landings of Strike Eagles at Kandahar (If correct probably divertings) are unknown to me. Most of my info is related to Bagram AB PAO.

It would be very interesting if they were deployed with more than 12 jets! But if yes, please give me the input and some proofs!

[raameagle]

JJ,

They were indeed weather diverts from Bagram so it would appear that there were 14 deployed.

Regards

Mark

[J.J.]

Hmmm...

[raameagle]

JJ,

The only proof I can give you regarding my theory of 14 aircraft deployed is that I read off the four Strikes at Kandahar myself and know they were weather diverts from Bagram.

Regards

Mark

[joost]

JJ,

The only proof I can give you regarding my theory of 14 aircraft deployed is that I read off the four Strikes at Kandahar myself and know they were weather diverts from Bagram.

Regards

Mark

I heard 14 while they were enroute to Afghanistan back in April: Mazda 11-15, Mazda 21-25 and Mazda 31-34. None of them seemed to be a Airspare.

Grtz

[J.J.]

O.K.! To my listing posted above I added 00-3004, 01-2001 and 01-2003, all three additionally spotted at Kandahar. According to Jet48 online, the 494th EFS jets returned back home on September 8, 2008. Source: http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/news/jet48online/index.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sentinel]

I can also confirm from my archives that 14 Strike Eagles deployed to Bagram as per call-signs given by grtz. It seems that there are a couple of stragglers which have not yet made it to Lakenheath. I'll be able to confirm this early next week.

JJ,

The only proof I can give you regarding my theory of 14 aircraft deployed is that I read off the four Strikes at Kandahar myself and know they were weather diverts from Bagram.

Regards

Mark

I heard 14 while they were enroute to Afghanistan back in April: Mazda 11-15, Mazda 21-25 and Mazda 31-34. None of them seemed to be a Airspare.

Grtz