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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Why is 'SPUD21' 66402 orbiting at 17,000 to 22,000 feet over Seattle |
| 2017-08-05 |
| [War Zone] A very unique USAF surveillance aircraft has been flying highly defined circles over Seattle and its various suburbs for nine days now. Nobody at the DoD seems to know who the aircraft belongs to or what exactly it is doing flying so many missions over the Seattle area. But based on its visibly exotic configuration, and information collected by open source flight tracking websites, we can get a good idea of its capabilities and guess as to what it’s up to. The aircraft, which goes by the callsign "SPUD21" and wears a nondescript flat gray paint job with the only visible markings being a USAF serial on its tail, is a CASA CN-235-300 transport aircraft that has been extensively modified for the surveillance mission. You can see more pictures of the aircraft here. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #13 You don't need an airframe that large and conspicuous to collect anymore. As a matter of fact you don't even need a plane - sUAS' are sufficient. |
| Posted by: Tennessee 2017-08-05 20:09 |
| #12 Seafair used to be big thing in Seattle when I was growing up. But then they got rid of some of the more un-PC aspects like the SeaPirates. I remember the SeaPirates raiding Alki beach and making off with some of the fair ladies there. And the hydroplane races themselves have become far too 'corporate-professional'. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2017-08-05 15:05 |
| #11 Chem trails? No. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2017-08-05 14:01 |
| #10 CASA/IPTN CN-235 From the link: CN-235-300 CASA Modification of 200/220 series, with the Honeywell International Corp. avionics suite. Other features include improved pressurization and provision for optional twin-nosewheel installation. |
| Posted by: Seeking cure for ignorance 2017-08-05 13:39 |
| #9 Chem trails? |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-08-05 12:54 |
| #8 SEafair is here now, as are the Blue Angels... |
| Posted by: 746 2017-08-05 12:48 |
| #7 Doing radiation detection? Urban area, mountains and forests nearby... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2017-08-05 09:24 |
| #6 Probably a surprise to no one, but I checked a couple of aviation serial number links (civilian and military) and 66402 does not appear to be listed. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-08-05 09:11 |
| #5 Doing radiation detection? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2017-08-05 09:08 |
| #4 ...On the other hand, they could just be orbiting up there to drive people nuts. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2017-08-05 08:54 |
| #3 It's looking for someone with a brain. |
| Posted by: gorb 2017-08-05 08:11 |
| #2 Anyone bother to call Boeing to ask about product development? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-08-05 07:32 |
| #1 So many conspiracies, so little time. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2017-08-05 07:29 |