Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4

ZK358
 United Kingdom
Fighter Jet - Positioning - Military

23 November 2021
15:02 UTC

Origin : AKT
AKT
LCRA
Akrotiri
(unassigned)
 United Kingdom
Elevation : 23m / 76ft
 

CommentThis is odd. At first it looked like one EUFI rotating out while another, ZK323, was flying in.
Standard procedure, vanilla stuff.
We've never seen ZK323 before but that's not surprising. It's flying in for the first time so no mystery.
But why haven't we seen this one, ZK358, before ? It's flying out of Akrotiri surely we should have caught a glimpse of it by now. Unless it's been just standing around at Akrotiri the whole time. So, what gives ?
It turns out that until yesterday it was in Coningsby, like ZK343.
That means it flew into Akrotiri today, just before ZK343.
But then why is it flying out again ? It isn't here to practice a touch-and-go at Akrotiri and fly back to Coningsby, right ?
@ 19:23 UTC : I'm pretty certain it did not land at Athens airport -- although it's not impossible -- but it is certain it landed in Greece -- Elefsis or Stefanovikion.
Now that is "curiouser" : the RAF has a whole base equipped and experienced to handle EUFIs, why send the new arrival to next door Greece ?
ZK323 flew into Akrotiri and stayed there. Interesting little fact : it's callsign was RRR9711. Familiar ?
Indeed, well spotted grasshopper : it is the 'Ascot' (RRR) version of the callsign used by the EUFIs flying into Iraq from Akrotiri : RFR9711.

Operations
 RRR (2107)
 
Royal Air Force. 'Ascot' callsign.

Resources
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