This afternoon, we are tracking two US Navy aircraft: a Lockheed EP-3E (reg. 161410) and a Boeing P-8A, both engaged in operations over the eastern Mediterranean.
The US Navy planes are flying over a highly strategic area. The EP-3E, a variant of the famous Orion patrol aircraft, specializes in electronic surveillance missions (SIGINT), indicating information-gathering operations. At the same time, the Boeing P-8A Poseidon is an anti-submarine aircraft, widely used for maritime patrol missions but also capable of conducting SIGINT missions.
The Poseidon, which took off from NAS Sigonella, has been conducting a mission off the coasts of the Middle East, linked to tensions in the area and the presence of Russian Navy units in Syria.
The Aries is heading towards the same area, though the position you see in the image is the last known one (16:00 CEST), after which the aircraft disappeared from tracking sites.
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