US reconnaissance plane vanishes from radar over Barents Sea
An American reconnaissance aircraft, Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint, disappeared from radar after patrolling the Barents Sea near the Norwegian coast, with no further tracking data available in public services. The aircraft was last seen approximately 400 km north of Russian borders.
Consensus
- The Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint is a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft.
- The aircraft flew from RAF Mildenhall in the UK around 12:30 MSK.
- It reached the Barents Sea around 15:50 MSK.
- It flew near the Norwegian coast.
- The aircraft disappeared from radar at approximately 16:40 MSK.
- At the time of disappearance, it was located about 400 km north of the Russian border.
- The disappearance occurred after nearly an hour of patrolling in the Barents Sea.
- No further flight data was available in public tracking services after the disappearance.
- It is possible that the aircraft's geolocation system was turned off.
Points of divergence
- A U.S. military aircraft that departed from Germany on August 25 transmitted a distress signal (Squawk 7700) while flying over the Aegean Sea and returned via the Czech Republic. — vedomosti
- The incident occurred on September 2, not August 25. A U.S. E-3B Sentry aircraft sent a distress signal in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz region on August 21, with three KC-46A Pegasus tankers present in the same area. — vm
- The aircraft that sent a distress signal was a U.S. military plane that departed from Germany. — vedomosti
- The RC-135W incident occurred on September 2. — vm
Coverage (4 sources)
- American reconnaissance aircraft disappeared from radar over the Barents Sea — Ведомости
- US reconnaissance aircraft lost radar contact while patrolling near Russia's border — Вечерняя Москва
- US reconnaissance aircraft disappeared from radar after patrolling off Russian coast — Вести
- US reconnaissance plane with refueling aircraft flies over the Barents Sea — Вести