“Soviet mission markings” on a U.S. RC-135U spyplane used to monitor the Ukrainian crisis

[SvenSvensonov]

Some interesting markings were noticed on the fuselage of a U.S. surveillance plane at RAF Mildenhall, in the UK. The reason behind them, is (somehow) unknown.

Traditionally, fighter jets that scored an air-to-air kill sport special markings (that may have the shape of stars, crosses, roundels, downed aircraft’s profile or silhouette, etc) painted on the sides. Similar markings (bombs, missiles, type of target etc) are also worn by fighter bombers to show the amount of ordnance spent by that specific aircraft against ground targets.

During “peacetime” operations, similar markings are sometimes applied to those aircraft that have scored simulated kills during mock air combat training, have dropped a new kind of weapon (on the range, for testing purposes), or have flown a specific mission. Needless to say, the markings which celebrate virtual kills are less significant than those earned during a conflict…..

However, not only tactical planes and fast jets wear these markings, as the image on this post, taken last month at RAF Mildenhall by photographer Gary Chadwick proves.

The photo shows the “mission markings” applied above the crew entry hatch, on the left hand side of the RC-135U Combat Sent 64-14849 “OF” with the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron/55th Wing of the U.S. Air Force: five hammer and sickle symbols along with the silhouettes of four aircraft carriers (outline reminds that of U.S. flattops rather than Russian Navy Admiral Kuznetsov).

The RC-135U is believed to be involved in missions to monitor the Ukrainian crisis since August 2014.

The Combat Sent is one of the most secretive U.S. surveillance planes that can simultaneously locate, identify, and analyze multiple electronic signals. It provides strategic electronic reconnaissance information, performing signal analysis by means of a wide variety of commercial off-the-shelf and proprietary hardware and software, including the Automatic Electronic Emitter Locating System.

On Apr. 23, a U.S. RC-135U Combat Sent performing a routine surveillance mission in international airspace over the Sea of Okhotsk, was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 Flanker in one of the most dangerous close encounters since the Cold War.

From The Aviationist » “Soviet mission markings” on a U.S. RC-135U spyplane used to monitor the Ukrainian crisis

@AMDR @gambit @C130 - anyone have a guess?

 

[AMDR]

Some interesting markings were noticed on the fuselage of a U.S. surveillance plane at RAF Mildenhall, in the UK. The reason behind them, is (somehow) unknown.

Traditionally, fighter jets that scored an air-to-air kill sport special markings (that may have the shape of stars, crosses, roundels, downed aircraft’s profile or silhouette, etc) painted on the sides. Similar markings (bombs, missiles, type of target etc) are also worn by fighter bombers to show the amount of ordnance spent by that specific aircraft against ground targets.

During “peacetime” operations, similar markings are sometimes applied to those aircraft that have scored simulated kills during mock air combat training, have dropped a new kind of weapon (on the range, for testing purposes), or have flown a specific mission. Needless to say, the markings which celebrate virtual kills are less significant than those earned during a conflict…..

However, not only tactical planes and fast jets wear these markings, as the image on this post, taken last month at RAF Mildenhall by photographer Gary Chadwick proves.

The photo shows the “mission markings” applied above the crew entry hatch, on the left hand side of the RC-135U Combat Sent 64-14849 “OF” with the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron/55th Wing of the U.S. Air Force: five hammer and sickle symbols along with the silhouettes of four aircraft carriers (outline reminds that of U.S. flattops rather than Russian Navy Admiral Kuznetsov).

The RC-135U is believed to be involved in missions to monitor the Ukrainian crisis since August 2014.

The Combat Sent is one of the most secretive U.S. surveillance planes that can simultaneously locate, identify, and analyze multiple electronic signals. It provides strategic electronic reconnaissance information, performing signal analysis by means of a wide variety of commercial off-the-shelf and proprietary hardware and software, including the Automatic Electronic Emitter Locating System.

On Apr. 23, a U.S. RC-135U Combat Sent performing a routine surveillance mission in international airspace over the Sea of Okhotsk, was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 Flanker in one of the most dangerous close encounters since the Cold War.

From The Aviationist » “Soviet mission markings” on a U.S. RC-135U spyplane used to monitor the Ukrainian crisis

@AMDR @gambit @C130 - anyone have a guess?

Maybe the aircraft carrier outlines have something to do with naval exercises in which the RC-135 was involved in, where it got a fix on a carrier? Honestly I have no idea.

 

[Penguin]

Mission marking adorn the nose of RC-135W 62-4131 during the Gulf War. Black scimitars represent prewar Desert Shield missions; red scimitars, Desert Storm combat missions. All such markings were later removed at order of higher authorities. RC-135s also conducted search-and-rescue missions, (Copyright Robert S. Hopkins III, 1991)
Ears of the Storm

 

[Penguin]

The Aviationist » “Soviet mission markings” on a U.S. RC-135U spyplane used to monitor the Ukrainian crisis
Oct 23 2014
RC-135 U Combat Sent

TooCats - Original Thoughts • RC-135U Combat Sent “Mission Markings” RC-135Us...
Undated

RC 135U THRU 56H. • FighterControl • Home to the Military Aviation Enthusiast
Post date Sun Aug 31, 2014
Same plane earlier. Note that there are just 3 carrier and 4 hammer-and-sikkel mission markers.

Same plane April 2010 > no mission markings.

Photo Search Results | Airliners.net
From photo dates, it seems markings were added between 2 and 8 september.


Nato was excercising in the Baltic last months Markings may be related to these excercises (carriers) as well as listening patrol related to Ukraine (hammer-sikkel). See also

Related The Aviationist » “U.S. spyplane violated Swedish airspace to escape interception by Russian jets”

 

[gambit]

From The Aviationist » “Soviet mission markings” on a U.S. RC-135U spyplane used to monitor the Ukrainian crisis

@AMDR @gambit @C130 - anyone have a guess?

The 'carrier' markings are from whenever the RC was targeting a fleet/ship for SIGINT. The hammer-and-sickle markings are obvious enough as to the target. I was at RAF Upper Heyford 84-87. RAFs Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Alconbury often hosted recon units on TDYs from the states. Lakenheath and Mildenhall are literally next door neighbors and I had friends at both bases. The SR-71 flew out out of Mildenhall and I knew a few guys on that jet. These guys, if they cannot mark their targets on their jets, they will mark them in the squadrons' break rooms. Does not matter if their targets are friendlies or adversaries, sea or shore. That was a less politically correct era and I seen shit on walls that would shock the sensitivities of today. For close knit units and if all guys, there could even be Hustler mag posters on those walls. A major concern is that those are valuable intelligence clues as to where and when a unit does what. May be that is why some crews were ordered later to remove those markings.