Image of the Week: Kadena Raptors

OKINAWA RAPTORS

The image above depicts six F-22As from the 27th FS, 1st FW at Langley AFB, Virginia. The Raptors were deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa for a 120-day theater security deployment over the first quarter of 2010. The Raptors imaged above are seen prior to departure from Kadena, as evidenced by the presence of external fuel tanks carried for long-range travel. The external fuel tanks are often used to support deployments. They have also been noted underwing of Alaska-based F-22s performing intercept missions against Russian strategic bombers, likely providing an additional fuel reserve for overwater sorties.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION

Feel free to discuss the current Image of the Week at the IMINT & Analysis Forum Image of the Week discussion thread found here.

SOURCES

-Satellite imagery provided courtesy of Google Earth

Image of the Week: Rafales

LANDIVISIAU RAFALES

The image above depicts the ramp space at Landivisiau AB in northwestern France, occupied by two Rafale M multirole fighters. Landivisiau is located close to Brest, home to one of the French Navy's major port facilities (and France's SSBN base). Landivisiau serves as the land-based home to the French Navy's carrier-based combat aviation units, with three squadrons of fighter aircraft in residence. Two of these units operate the Super Etendard Modernise, with the third operating the Rafale M. The Rafale series, including variants operated by the French Air Force, represents one of the more advanced 4+ generation combat aircraft currently in service. Current plans call for the replacement of the Super Etendard with further examples of the Rafale in the 2015 timeframe. At sea, the French Navy's Rafale M sqaudron operates from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) Charles de Gaulle, and the aircraft have seen operational service as part of the NATO mission over Afghanistan.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION

Feel free to discuss the current Image of the Week at the IMINT & Analysis Forum Image of the Week discussion thread found here.

SOURCES

-Satellite imagery provided courtesy of Google Earth

Schedule Changes

A few minor scheduling details. First off, the Image of the Week will now be posted on Wednesdays. This will work better with my upcoming fall schedule. Also, this week's feature has been changed. Instead of doing a comparison of FalconView with Google Earth, something that is going to take a lot more time and is probably better suited as an uploaded PDF document, I'll be posting a feature about using Google Earth as a law enforcement tool. This is something I've been asked to produce and assist with, and is turning out to be an interesting exercise.

China's LPAR Revealed

GOOGLE EARTH SHOWS COMPLETED RADAR

Google Earth's latest imagery update now provides a high-resolution view of the completed LPAR facility in western China. This facility was previously illustrated as an Image of the Week while in an incomplete state using then-available Google Earth imagery, and identified as an LPAR facility using Terra Server imagery. Google Earth's newly-uploaded imagery from 2009 displaying the operational radar facility can be seen below:


There is still no information regarding this facility, although its positioning and orientation suggests a BMEW function. An alternative, given the relative proximity to the Xinjiang possible HEL site, could be a space tracking role providing early warning data to the ASAT network.

SOURCES

-Satellite imagery provided courtesy of Google Earth