Busy busy busy at Norfolk Va

[Mrs Smith]

Aircraft activity is HEAVY as we sit here in Viginia Beach. The military jets are flying out to sea 2-3 atb a time every 45 seconds overhead. 3:21 there go two more. I don't know what kind they are but with binocs we can see the underneath of their bellies are loaded for bear. 3:23 three more just went by. This has been going on (there. Oes one more (3:24). Since we got here yesterday. They all go out but see none come back. Will report more later. Phone almost dead.

[TheSearcher]

And may I just say, from the bottom of my heart:

Holy Crap!

[mzkitty]

Thanks, Mrs. Smith.

[Flippper]

[Hognutz]

Dayum, I guess this is it........

[CTFIREBATTCHIEF]

any chance that they're practicing at the stumpy point range, and then coming back to land another way?

[Hfcomms]

Might simply be part of a carrier battle group air arm that is flying back out to the carrier.

[CTFIREBATTCHIEF]

HF, do they carry weapons when they're flying back aboard?

[TheSearcher]

What color are the payloads?

[Hfcomms]

HF, do they carry weapons when they're flying back aboard?

Wouldn't think so but I don't know. I was Army and a lot more familiar with their SOP. But the 'ordinance' could simply be drop tanks which they might use if the ship is a little further off the coast.

[CTFIREBATTCHIEF]

Wouldn't think so but I don't know. I was Army and a lot more familiar with their SOP. But the 'ordinance' could simply be drop tanks which they might use if the ship is a little further off the coast.

Thanks HF.

Thats me, the eternal optomist We're all on pins and needles here waiting for the other shoe to drop so I'm just hoping what Mrs Smith saw on their bellies were drop tanks and not war shots.

[mt4design]

Check out Tiggerfish's thread re: deployment of F-22s to Guam.

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...52#post4563852

Tic toc.

Mike

[rdg6pk]

Should this be in the bs? Wouldn't want to endanger any troops would we.

[Shea Grey]

Might simply be part of a carrier battle group air arm that is flying back out to the carrier.

Go Navy...

[Shea Grey]

Should this be in the bs? Wouldn't want to endanger any troops would we.

good idea. loose lips.

[homecanner1]

second that idea

[Butterfly]

Yes, let's not be like the WH and spill the beans! To the BS with this and similar info.

[TxGal]

It could be that they're ramping up training....we lived in VA for about 50 yrs, spent a fair amount of time in VA Beach. Those jets do fly over the beach with a good amount of frequency, low and loud. Of course, if they're ramping up training, there's a good reason.....

[Donna_in_MO]

*gulp* dot

[dawgofwar10]

Have any Carriers Deployed recently for a cruise or work-ups? What you probably saw were drop tanks, if they were armed with live ammo they are going to the target range. Carriers generally do not approve with you landing armed with the exception of missiles.

[Mrs Smith]

Mods pmlease move if you see fit. Anyone with the ability to hear can see this happening so its nothing secretive. 4 more overhead now and probably 60 others have passed since the OP. Payload on all are: directly in center of belly is a large tube same color as jet. On either side of the center barrel are two thinner tubes gray on some, black on others. Some have skinny long tubes (I won't call them missiles because I don't know what they are (2 more overhead). We went to the roof and laid down so we could get a direct view. Another over us now. They're all flying the exact same path so its possible they may be heading to a carrier, but anything is possiblr. Another one now. Wish I knew what they are.

[Echo 5]

[TheSearcher]

Thanks again Mrs. Smith.

[Lurker]

This is very common knowledge. Ali-Baba can easily sit on the beach and count, watch, count, make a call, count, take some hi-res pic's and make a call or send an email.

I'm all for keeping lips tight but I think it's a little overboard for this thread. Hard to hide multiple A/C, especially military jet engines, taking off A LOT. We're not going to help IMINADINNERJACKET at all with this thread. I would also want to verify the payload slung beneath the jets and what exercises are taking place.

Great post/observation from the OP but I don't see it as national security stuff.

Oh - if they're leaving the base (a US coastal base - think about that....) with war shots and not going to an exercise than the wolf is literally just off the coast and we're in deep, deep shiite right now. I don't think that's what's happening.

[Vegas321]

Looks like two assult ships have moved out of Norfolk. I would not doubt that one or all three carriers have left or may be on there way very soon.
Look at the Stennis, over near Japan. Does not look like it's going to the ME anytime soon. The GW is near Guam. Along with F-22's and lord knows what else.

[Racing22]

Can anyone local actually confirm that the Lincoln, Truman and Bush are "actually" in port? If one has recently left, these "fly-outs" could be the air wing joining the carrier.

Also, Mrs. Smith, do you know which model these jets are? That might help determine if they are a carrier air wing or ground based fighters.

[CTFIREBATTCHIEF]

60 plus aircraft, man that is a LOT of winged victory heading out somewhere. Plus out of the 11 fleet carriers, nine are either underway, or in port and probably can get moving pretty quick, plus all except one of the amphibs. Better get the extra large popcorn, with extra butter for this one.

[MR1]

Should this be in the bs? Wouldn't want to endanger any troops would we.

Please keep it out of there so the rest of us newbies can keep up with what's going on.

MR1

[Vegas321]

60 plus aircraft, man that is a LOT of winged victory heading out somewhere. Plus out of the 11 fleet carriers, nine are either underway, or in port and probably can get moving pretty quick, plus all except one of the amphibs. Better get the extra large popcorn, with extra butter for this one.

Even with two assult ships underway. I don't think they can both handle 60 aircraft, even Harriers. The GWB might have left port this AM.
We do need "boots on the ground" or for Mrs. Smith, "toes on the beach" to confirm. There may even be a local news source that has info.

[Lurker]

60 plus aircraft, man that is a LOT of winged victory heading out somewhere. Plus out of the 11 fleet carriers, nine are either underway, or in port and probably can get moving pretty quick, plus all except one of the amphibs. Better get the extra large popcorn, with extra butter for this one.

60, assuming they're different A/C, is about the full compliment on a carrier give or take a few. According to gxxgle maybe even 70 - 80 A/C, so 60, again - if they're not all the same, is no biggie IF theirs a carrier heading back out to sea for workups/deployment.

[toxic avenger]

Norfolk is also home to Langley AFB, home of F-22's and F-15's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langley_Air_Force_Base
Could be rotating with other 22's in the gulf. Langley is usually involved pretty deeply with deploying forward units.

[Hansa44]

Here goes the penis wag again. Mine is bigger than your'n

[TurtleSpeed]

Oh nevermind.

[Mrs Smith]

After searching photos these jets most resemble F18 Super Hornets. They may be a similar jet but this is close.

[Vegas321]

After searching photos these jets most resemble F18 Super Hornets. They may be a similar jet but this is close.

That would be Navy/Aircraft carrier. Sounds like a mass launch for a link-up OTS with a carrier.

[Racing22]

That would be Navy/Aircraft carrier. Sounds like a mass launch for a link-up OTS with a carrier.

Sounds like it.... we need some "boots on the ground" to see if all three carriers are in port or if one "slipped out"....

[Quark]

Sorry if too OT...

But hey, I would like to know how the planes could be flying out to a carrier if the carrier already has planes??

Do the carriers unload / launch all of their planes before entering port??

Do pilots who are rotating out take their planes with them??

(they have their names on them , right?? "hey, get out of my jet!?")

Thanks,

Q

[dawgofwar10]

Airwings depart the carrier usually 1 day before arrival into port, opposite when departing for a deployment. The only time a plane is loaded prior to departure is when the aircraft is in-op, then they crane it on..which is rare though. Airwings are attached to each carrier, when I was in we were attached to Airwing 6 originally on the USS America then our wing was transferred over to the Indy. The NAVY has what are called Black Shoes (ship personnel) and Brown Shoes (Airwing) when a carrier comes off a cruise the entire airwing and personnel are sent back to their respected Airfield, Mine was Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Fl. durng th 70's. Flew in the back seat of a S3-A Viking ASW bird harassing the pinko commies and assorted other miscreants of the day.

[TheDoberman]

After searching photos these jets most resemble F18 Super Hornets. They may be a similar jet but this is close.

Those are the war machines of the military. Things might just be heating up...

[Guns-N-Moses]

Something to consider....

Per the various posts, it appears that military aircraft is flying out to sea, but no one sees them return.

Thus we might speculate that the departing aircraft is probably joining up with a carrier out at sea.

If we are expecting the middle east to go 'hot' at any moment, it would be very difficult for a carrier group (that might still be off our east coast) to get these assets over to the Mediterranean area in less than a week and much longer to get to the gulf.

The point I am making is that these aircraft are probably not being sent to the gulf and are just (hopefully) being relocated for strategic purposes to protect the CONUS; (As I would hope that we would not leave the US unprotected, which as we know they've done before).