Jon. Flight tracking, military news, Counter-Terror & geo-politics Founder @MATA_osint & @TheOsintBunker Podcast. All views my own. Senior Editor @UKDefJournal.
Glasgow, Scotland
Joined January 2019
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UPDATE: They're Coming Back Now... #IranWar
As of this morning, we're now at 17 tankers returned to Europe, and 3 more moved from US west coast to east coast in preparation to cross.
That's just in the last 48-72hrs.
Most of the airframes are ones that left in September...
@MATA_osint
They're Coming Back Now... #IranWar
As those of you who have been following me for a while know, one of the areas of build-up/monitoring I focus on is the USAF KC-135/KC-46 tanker fleets. Recently I noted a significant reduction in the numbers across Europe, while the number in CENTCOM remained relatively steady at ~100.
Well, following news that the Trump administration is considering new strikes at/around the midterm elections, I've noticed an increase in the number of tankers returning to Europe. In the last 36hrs alone, I've noted 11 returns specifically to European bases.
It is likely an indicator that preparations for further combat operations are indeed underway - ultimately the fast-jets and ISTAR platforms are still in place so things could start moving quite quickly!!
@MATA_osint
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
🇺🇸 The US Department of Defense has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin for the production of up to 850 F-35 for the US over the next 10 years.
Alongside the aircraft, the deal includes the initial procurement of spare parts, modification kits, and global fleet sustainment services. Lockheed Martin, for its part, will invest 7 billion USD into the program to keep up with demand.
war.gov/News/Releases/Releas…
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
Bit of a hectic November coming up.
I'm heading out to sea again onboard a warship, now, I've done a fair few embarks over the years but it's always good to do another one or two, and this should be a good chance to see some hard-to-watch warfare from the deck of a ship, which is very cool, though I can't say much more yet.
Then it's straight on to an aircraft carrier for two big events for discussions on where naval power goes next, with a lot of very senior people from across the Alliance in the room, also very cool.
Then a few days at home to relax and have a few beers, and then I'm off to Turkey for NATO Edge in Izmir. It's run by the NATO Communications and Information Agency and it's essentially where NATO sits down with industry to work out what tech it actually needs and how to get it into service faster. AI, cloud, cyber defence, command and control. Over 2,000 people and around 200 companies, and SACT Admiral Vandier is among those opening it, again, cool.
Should be a good few weeks for the UK Defence Journal. If you're going to any of these, give me a shout.
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
General Lord Sanders is right if the government is serious on defence it should be setting out a path to 3% by 2030.
Ex-Army chief tells Healey: Set out path to 3pc defence target at Budget telegraph.co.uk/politics/202…
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
Attack vectors used: a combination of USVs and OWA UAVs.
Most likely culprit: Russia, there are no buts and ifs about it. I would argue this escalation it’s no longer just a spillover and it’s intentional, while also testing just how far it can go with military provocation.
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
2/X
Casualty toll: at least 4 seafarers dead, 89 rescued (including injured), and 32 missing (most of which can be presumed dead given the situation, sadly).
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
NEW: 🇲🇩 Another drone has likely crashed in the Republic of Moldova just moments ago, near the village of Pepeni in Sîngerei district.
Moldovan authorities reported that the unidentified drone entered the country’s airspace at 13:59, crossing from Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region towards Frunzeuca, in the Transnistrian region. At 14:10, it disappeared from airspace monitoring systems near Pepeni.
Moldova’s central airspace was temporarily closed for seven minutes following the incident.
More information to follow.
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
Nothing to see here, just another Russian weapon inadvertently off course by 100 miles...
NEW: 🇲🇩 Another drone has likely crashed in the Republic of Moldova just moments ago, near the village of Pepeni in Sîngerei district.
Moldovan authorities reported that the unidentified drone entered the country’s airspace at 13:59, crossing from Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region towards Frunzeuca, in the Transnistrian region. At 14:10, it disappeared from airspace monitoring systems near Pepeni.
Moldova’s central airspace was temporarily closed for seven minutes following the incident.
More information to follow.
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
@DefenceGeek found the three aircraft that flew to France for this exercise, coming from Coningsby Royal Air Force Base.
Note they arrived at Saint Dizier on Monday, so the day before BELOTE 2026-04 was supposed to happen, giving credits to this hypothesis.
xitter.cf/DefenceGeek/status/211…
3 RAF "Typhoon" jets deployed to France on 19th October 2026 to participate in this exercise with French forces:
Typhoon FGR.4 "RFR70000" ZK373 #43C79B
Typhoon FGR.4 "RFR70001" ZK425 #43C7A2
Typhoon FGR.4 "RFR70002" ZK309 #43C740
@MATA_osint @UKDefJournal @UKForcesTracker @ArmchairAdml
UPDATE: Coronet Delivery 002 (and a +1)
A short while ago, the 4 F-35s for Europe at Lajes (LPLA) departed to begin the final leg of their delivery journey:
F-35A "RETRO61" L-026 🇩🇰
F-35A "RETRO62" FL-014 🇧🇪
F-35A "RETRO63" JF-509 🇫🇮
F-35A "RETRO64" JF-511 🇫🇮
supported by 2x KC-46A tankers from Lajes. They should arrive at their new homes in the coming hours.
@MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @LatAmMilMVMTs @AUX_OSINT @TheAzorean_ @x_diogo_01
23/10/2026 Takeoff 4x F-35 for delivery in order of departure 1 L-026🇩🇰 2 FL-014🇧🇪3 JF-509🇫🇮 4 JF-511🇫🇮 at Lajes Field @DefenceGeek @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @AUX_OSINT @LatAmMilMVMTs @jurgen142785553 @FinnishAirForce #Takeoff #F35 #F35delivery
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
🇺🇦🤝🇩🇰 Thank you, Denmark!
Denmark has delivered more than 50,000 rounds of 20 mm ammunition to Ukraine on an expedited basis for the onboard cannons of F-16 fighter jets. Ukrainian pilots are already using them to intercept jet-powered attack drones.
“We are grateful to Denmark for its quick and effective response to our request for additional ammunition. This speed matters directly for strengthening Ukraine’s air defence and protecting people from Russian air attacks,” Minister of Defence Evgeniy Khmara said.
Aviation, and the F-16 in particular, is currently one of the most effective means of countering jet-powered Shaheds. Destroying them effectively requires sufficient stocks of ammunition.
@JeppeBruus @Forsvarsmin
3 RAF "Typhoon" jets deployed to France on 19th October 2026 to participate in this exercise with French forces:
Typhoon FGR.4 "RFR70000" ZK373 #43C79B
Typhoon FGR.4 "RFR70001" ZK425 #43C7A2
Typhoon FGR.4 "RFR70002" ZK309 #43C740
@MATA_osint @UKDefJournal @UKForcesTracker @ArmchairAdml
🇫🇷🇬🇧☢️ The French Minister of the Armed Forces has just announced that British Eurofighter combat aircraft took part in a French nuclear exercise for the first time.
This is a revolution for the Strategic Air Forces (FAS), which have always operated in complete autonomy since their creation in the 1960s. It is worth noting, however, that two FAS Rafale B aircraft had already conducted a joint exercise with two German Eurofighters this summer.
This exercise puts the Northwood Declaration, signed in July 2025, into concrete effect — a declaration that specifically opened the way to operational cooperation in the field of nuclear deterrence.
The released photos show at least one British Eurofighter equipped only with short-range ASRAAM air-to-air missiles and fuel tanks.
The scope of the exercise remains unknown. It may have been exercise BELOTE 2026-04, which was scheduled for this Tuesday at night (with a reserve slot on Wednesday). BELOTE is a kind of "mini-POKER" and is likely used for the qualification of new crews so that they can then take part in the POKER operation. If this is indeed the case, it paves the way for British crews to take part in the next POKER. However, no activity was visible on @ADSBex during these two days, which is very unusual.
Edit: It seems that the name of the exercise was "RUMMY", which is also a card game, like BELOTE and POKER.
Picture : A RAF Eurofighter taking off alongside a Rafale B from the 4th wing (FAS) - Credits Ministère des Armées
French Counter-Terrorism investigators looking into a shooting in Trappes this morning - 1 dead, 4 injured
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
#RAF Royal Air Force
Boeing E-7A Wedgetail AEW.1 1x
#43C97A WT001 - BOEING 30
An RAF Wedgetail AEW.1 is conducting another test flight this morning from RAF Lossiemouth.
@MATA_osint
How did it catch fire AP?
What caused it to catch fire?
Romanian authorities said a search and rescue mission is underway in the Black Sea after a cargo ship caught fire, leaving one dead and three missing. apnews.com/article/black-sea…
More video of their departure from Lajes:
xitter.cf/x_diogo_01/status/2113…
Flyby 4x F-35 Lightning II for delivery L-026🇩🇰 FL-014🇧🇪 JF-509🇫🇮 JF-511🇫🇮 at Lajes Field @DefenceGeek @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @AUX_OSINT @LatAmMilMVMTs @jurgen142785553 @FinnishAirForce #Flyby #F35
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
Flyby 4x F-35 Lightning II for delivery L-026🇩🇰 FL-014🇧🇪 JF-509🇫🇮 JF-511🇫🇮 at Lajes Field @DefenceGeek @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @AUX_OSINT @LatAmMilMVMTs @jurgen142785553 @FinnishAirForce #Flyby #F35
DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 retweeted
23/10/2026 Takeoff 4x F-35 for delivery in order of departure 1 L-026🇩🇰 2 FL-014🇧🇪3 JF-509🇫🇮 4 JF-511🇫🇮 at Lajes Field @DefenceGeek @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @AUX_OSINT @LatAmMilMVMTs @jurgen142785553 @FinnishAirForce #Takeoff #F35 #F35delivery