On the night of the 14th into the morning of the 15th of May there was another exercise involving B-2A bombers transitting the Atlantic and returning to the USA following an Air to Air refuel with two KC-135Rs from Mildenhall. Also involved again was an E-6B operating out of Stuttgart
I’ve covered this type of operation previously in this blog which goes into detail how things happen, and this can be found here to recap on
There were two changes to the usual though. Firstly, the B-2 status messages (made every 15 minutes) had a slight word change, using “items” instead of “groups”; and secondly, and more significant was where the E-6 operated.
There had been the usual NOTAM in adavnce of this exercise which had the standard operating area of the E-6 out over the Atlantic, and this is where it was expected to transit to. 
However, on getting airborne it went NE from Stuttgart and settled over an area near Rostock in Germany. Whether this was some sort of show to Moscow, I guess we’ll never know but it does seem likely, especially with the Baltic Fleet homeport at Baltyisk not too far away
Anyway, on to the the log for the night.
Main Callsigns involved:
FOWL11/12 = 2 B-2A
MERCATOR = E-6B likely to be the one over Rostok
SALESMAN = E-6B Rostock E-6B, callsign change at midnight Zulu
NORMANDY = E-6B LANT/CONUS flight
CALAMINE = E-6B LANT/CONUS flight, callsign change at midnight Zulu
QUID90/91 = KC-135R flight from Mildenhall
All other calls from MainSail unless otherwise stated
11175[on Live ATC]
1647z STRATEGY with request to Mainsail
1648z ETHAN28 with radio check
8992//11175
1649z E5?A4V – 7YYN5V6ELWGTVYI5A6IOIPHN
1652z E52H7M – DMIEN43X755F6GUQG4JGRDQM
1705z E5RLUL – IID5YROAFQ5 OKGYOM7NQ7B4N
11175
1903z Diego Garcia with test count
2105z FOWL12 calls SkyMaster with 1 Msg 4 groups V3JM
2107z SkyKing BTL T07 Auth 00
2112z SkyKing 6OL T12 Auth FM
2120z FOWL11 to SkyMaster 1msg 4items 9J93
2130z MERCATOR standing by for traffic
5598 – Santa Maria Oceanic
2134z FOWL11 flight
44N30W @ 2133
Est 44N2230W @ 2208
44N22W next
2135z FOWL11 to route 44N22W after 44N2230W
2150z FOWL flight to route KOPAS 36N13W 36N18W 33N20W from Santa Maria
11175
2150z FOWL11 1msg 4items 6JPN
5598 – Santa Maria Oceanic
2154z QUID90 calls for 44N22W ALTRV clearance
2159z clearance approved
2217z FOWL11 flight
44N22W @ 2217 block 260/270
Est 44N13W @ 2325
36N18W next
2220z QUID90 flight
44N22W @2219z Block 280/290
est 44N20W @ 2321z
44N15W next
In contact with FOWL flight, req MARSA and block 260/290 for refuel
2228z Quid90 informs SM they will be off HF for 30 mins for refuel
11175
2230z MERCATOR standing by for traffic
2202z MERCATOR calls Mainsail for r/c
2205z FOWL12 1msg 4items MG52
2210z NORMANDY standing by for traffic (very weak – TACLANT)
2220z FOWL11 1msg 4items 7FR7
2230z MERCATOR standing by for traffic
2240z NORMANDY standing by for traffic (very weak – TACLANT)
5598 – Santa Maria Oceanic
2249z Quid90 flight
44N20W @ 2233
est 44N15W @ 2310
44N13W next
block 260/290
11175
2250z FOWL11 1msg 4 items VKGT
FOWL12 1msg 4items U1VO
2257z SPAR781 calls Mainsail for r/c
2300z MERCATOR standing by for traffic
2300z RCH155 calls Andrews for r/c
2305z FOWL12 1msg 4items 06T6
5598 – Santa Maria Oceanic
2305z SM is asking FOWL11 for its route after KOPAS:
44N13W
36N13W
36N18W
11175
2310z NORMANDY standing by for traffic
5598 – Santa Maria Oceanic
2313z Quid90 calls SM, refuel complete, est KOPAS 2321
SM asks Quid90 to confirm Quid91 eta for KOPAS. Has to explain to SM that they are all together and will get there at the same time!!
11175
2320z FOWL11 1msg 4items SS7U
5598 – Santa Maria Oceanic
2323z Quid90 flight
KOPAS @ 2322 FL280/290
Est TAKAS 2331
ETIKI next
SM gives reroute KOPAS dct REGHI FPL route
11175
2324z FOWL12 calls SkyMaster for any Message traffic
No message tfc at this time
2330z MERCATOR standing by for traffic
2335z FOWL12 1msg 4items 1Q4K
2346z E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
2353z E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG (possibly FOWL in background)
2359z E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0006z FOWL12 1msg 4items RFKR
0007z CALAMINE standing by for traffic
0009z SALESMAN sends E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0012z SALESMAN standing by for traffic
0027z TINHORN calls Mainsail for systems test
0030z E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0036z FOWL12 1 msg 4items E0TH
0039z Open mike from one of the E6s
0040z SALESMAN sends E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0041z SALESMAN standing by for traffic
0049z FOWL11 1msg 4items AILK
0059z E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0104z FOWL12 1msg 4items P8UE
0111z E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K
0114z SALESMAN sends E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG (lots of background noise)
0117z SALESMAN sends E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K (but on first transmission after preambles, starts at TV2H etc)
0119z FOWL11 1msg 4items OO1C
0129z E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K
0134z FOWL12 1msg 4items IUB6 – disregard – 3Y16
0140z SALESMAN sends E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K, more follows standby
E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0150z FOWL11 1msg 4items H5ZX
0159z E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K
0206z FOWL12 1msg 4items IUBI
0219z FOWL11 1msg 4items XNB1
0229z 0159z E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K
0235z FOWL12 1msg 4items K5GT
0240z SALESMAN sends E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K, more follows standby
E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0249z FOWL11 1msg 4items DABJ
0259z E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K
0304z E56OYP – D7Y5WI4F7XKJMBBCV7BNVAG6
0309z SALESMAN sends E56OYP – D7Y5WI4F7XKJMBBCV7BNVAG6, more follows standby
E56QA3 – 4IKTV2HPK44KY7O5NBJTOY7K, more follows standby
E5GSHU – IP5T2TGZKSU7LXXPS73B22LG
0326z SALESMAN standing by for traffic
0329z 0304z E56OYP – D7Y5WI4F7XKJMBBCV7BNVAG6
0339z SALESMAN sends E56OYP – D7Y5WI4F7XKJMBBCV7BNVAG6 (background calls of SKYMASTER to other station)
0353z SkyKing PFF T53 Auth DS
No further calls were received after this. Another busy night, shame there’s not more of them
All information, callsigns and data has no connection to my employers and is obtained from my own radio logs, personal knowledge and public information
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