US F-22 deployments

clear thinking

First 4 F-22s went to Germany last month:
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/28/politics/f-22-raptors-europe-nato-russia/index.html?iref=obinsite

May be possible that the US radar plane circling Dublin Cork and Shannon was in a operation that followed?
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/eyebrows-raised-as-us-spy-plane-makes-several-passes-over-ireland-31535234.html

I wonder would the Russians even ask permission to enter airspace like this?

Negative_G

Not sure what the problem is, if any.

They're countless military flights that go over European airspace from various different countries, including US aircraft, almost every day.

As long as the relevant country is granted diplomatic clearance by the Dept of Foreign Affairs then why should it matter?

The Russian incursion through Irish controlled airspace, not sovereign airspace was well documented some months ago.

The aircraft was on a filed flight plan and complied with ATC. As to speculating what it was at, well, its anyone's guess.

aindriu80

Those USAF jets are 'needed' over Europe to counter improving Russian missiles

http://www.janes.com/article/54311/afa-2015-russia-has-closed-air-power-gap-with-nato-us-warns?utm_campaign=%5bPMP%5d_PC5308_J360%2016.09.15_KV_Deployment&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

clear thinking

I was just inviting speclation. not saying there is a problem.

I thought it curious that there was a holding pattern of 8 circuits and guessed it was connected to an operation involving the new deployment.

In principle then the Russians could ask for similar permission for their war games too.

Negative_G

clear thinking wrote: »

I was just inviting speclation. not saying there is a problem.

I thought it curious that there was a holding pattern of 8 circuits and guessed it was connected to an operation involving the new deployment.

In principle then the Russians could ask for similar permission for their war games too.

Fair enough. I'm sure they could and with our policy of 'non alignment' it would be in the interest of the Dept to grant such a flight to at least appear to not favour any side.

I have absolutely no doubt that this type of thing happens on a regular basis.

If it weren't spotted by some anoraks whose hobby it is to watch FR24, I doubt it would have made the news. Military authorities have the ability to make their aircraft invisible to these apps. Either someone dropped the ball on this one or perhaps it was a case of hiding in plane sight. Who knows.