Rivet Joint over Norfolk tonight?

[Vendee]

At about 18.30 this evening I saw three, 4 engined aircraft flying line astern near Thetford, Norfolk. They were at about 10-15,000 ft spaced maybe a mile apart heading north. After they passed overhead, they turned to a more north easterly heading. Were these likely to be the RAF's three RC135W Rivet Joint aircraft?

[Harley Quinn]

Could be (more likely was) tankers out of Mildenhall

[Vendee]

Could be (more likely was) tankers out of Mildenhall

Possibly but you can usually see the boom from the rear of the aircraft.They also seemed too high for something just departed from Mildenhall.

[Speedywheels]

Could be (more likely was) tankers out of Mildenhall

Three KC-135s are airborne at 2041, one is flying a racetrack over the North Sea off Newcastle, the other two are further south in the Wash

[Vendee]

Three KC-135s are airborne at 2041, one is flying a racetrack over the North Sea off Newcastle, the other two are further south in the Wash

Maybe it was them then and I just didn't see their refuelling booms.

[thunderbird7]

Maybe it was a formation of RJs, secretly spying on the people of norfolk to find out what's going on with Brexit...

[Vendee]

Maybe it was a formation of RJs, secretly spying on the people of norfolk to find out what's going on with Brexit...

Maybe you are right Thunderbird but I think it would take more than 3 RJ's to figure out the people of Norfolk.... or even Brexit.

[Parson]

Easy on the good folk of Norfolk please.....

[goofer3]

USAF exercise;
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/night-flying-raf-lakenheath-raf-mildenhall-1-5987984