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Old 25th February 2026 | 11:56
  #2781 (permalink)  
ORAC
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Pending Movements / Overnight Developments #FreeIran
--- "Operation LION & SUN" ---

Following on from yesterday, we are now aware of or expecting the following tanker movements with known/unknown receivers:

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Coronet East 051

6x F-22A "Raptor" jets have arrived at RAF Lakenheath (EGUL) as "TABOR31" to "TABOR36" overnight. Coming into the UK with them was RAF Mildenhall tankers "GOLD54" and "GOLD55", while the rest of the "GOLD5#" flight have returned to the US:

KC-135T "GOLD54" 60-0353 #AE062B
KC-135R "GOLD55" 59-1470 #AE04C3
F-22A (x6) "TABOR31" to "TABOR36"

We are also anticipating 6 more jets from Langley later today, callsigns TBC, accompanied by possibly another 5 tankers, of which we know one:

KC-135R "GOLD64" 57-2605 #AE04FB

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Coronet East 033

We have the one lone F-22A from yesterday's Lakenheath -> Israel move that had to abort due to a fuel leak. Hopefully once repairs are completed that jet will continue onwards too, maybe with the CE 051 group:

F-22A "TREND66" ?

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Coronet East 044

As yet unidentified aircraft are expected to be brought over from the US with the help of up to 12 tankers (TBC), of which the following have been identified:

KC-46A "GOLD71" 17-46031 #AE5E0C
KC-135R "GOLD75" 63-7996 #AE038F (arriving into RAF Mildenhall this morning)
KC-46A "GOLD81" 17-46038 #AE5E13
KC-135R "GOLD86" 61-0324 #AE0263 (arrived into RAF Mildenhall yesterday)

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Coronet East 045

Another as yet unidentified group of aircraft expected to come from the US with a suspected 6 tankers supporting (all of whom have moved to Bangor (KBGR)), the following identified:

KC-46A "GOLD01" 19-46067 #AE5FAE
KC-46A "GOLD02" 21-46088 #AE63C4
KC-46A "GOLD11" 20-46075 #AE63B7
KC-46A "GOLD12" 16-46016 #AE5BC1
KC-135R "GOLD13" 60-0364 #AE0663

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Coronet East 047
​​​​​​​
A new appearance on our systems this morning is CE 047, again no identified jets to support for now, but 2 tankers identified with implication of 6 suspected. Notably one of these tankers is already assigned to CE 044 as well as "GOLD81" so unclear if an airframe swap has happened:

KC-46A "CLEAN43" 17-46038 #AE5E13
KC-46A "CLEAN53" 18-46039 #AE5F92
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