Why would four military cargo plans have fighter jets escorting them?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

They just flew over my house. They were all flying in a straight line with a fighter jet in front and one in the rear.

My neighbor said they were some kind of transport plans. (DC somethings, maybe? I can ask him again if need be).

Is this just normal everyday procedures? He seemed to think it wasn't and made me curious.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Which direction were they heading?

They could be Bush's advance team and vehicles, etc. either coming from or going to somewhere. He was out of Texas today.

:shrug:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. Coming from the SSW heading NNE

It didn't freak me out but he about wet his pants he was so excited. :shrug:

[GOPisEvil]

5. Interesting.

My bet is something Bush-related, because even cargo planes with nukes on them don't usually get an escort. I have a friend with first hand knowledge. ;)

Edit - C-5s are based in San Antonio, it could be a drill.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

7. My neighbor felt sure it was something to do with **.

They don't escort planes carrying nukes? ACK!

[GOPisEvil]

8. Well...tactical nukes, no.

Strategic nukes travel by rail or truck. :D

[Richard Steele]

2. Possibly just PRACTICE escorting transport jets...

Or it might have been carrying something valuable.

Hard to say.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. I thought it might just have been maneuvers

But he pointed out that we don't see them fly over our area since the closed down Bergstrom AFB.

[Catch22Dem]

6. We don't use anything with a DC designation anymore

Most likely a C-141, C-5, or C-17. If it had 4 propellers then it was most likely a C-130. That's just about it as far as big cargo planes go. It could have been anything. There are hundreds of things it could have been, and it's very unlikely it's anything malicious.

ON EDIT: You know, it could easily have been evacuated aircraft from any one of the gulf states returning home.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. It could have been

I have to be honest and admit when he went off into talk about when he was in the service I got confused very fast. I was trying to be attentive, but all those abbreviations are hard to follow. :)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. I called my neighbor to find out for sure

He said it was a C-130 for sure.

I think considering the direction they were flying from and to that your idea of it being evacuated aircraft returning home is quite likely. I mentioned that to him when I spoke with him.

Thanks! :hi:

[Catch22Dem]

17. Yeah, to me, that's the most logical explanation

It explains why they'd be flying together like that. Take Tyndall AFB, or Eglin AFB in the Florida panhandle for example, they have F-15s at both bases and likely have C-130s as well (if not Hurlbert Field has several different C-130 models) And believe me, flying together in a neat little formation like that, turns heads. Kids (like I did a long time ago) will look up and want to someday be a part of that. You think I'm joking. I ended up spending eight years in the Air Force based largely on my childhood experiences at air shows and stuff. HAHAHA. I loved every minute of it though. No regrets.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. They were also flying way below regular air traffic

All the better to put on a show I would think. ;)

My neighbor is retired AF and his heart still goes pitter patter when he gets a show like tonights.

[shance]

15. With Fighter Jets?

That's quite an escort.

Remind me to give the AF a call when Im making my next move.

[Catch22Dem]

18. Check out my above post

It's just my theory, but I think it's a good one.

[KerryOn]

10. Sounds like C-130's

I see them fly over are house every now and then from Write Patterson Air Force Base. Probably just a routine drill.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. I called him and he said that was it.

Poor dear, he puts up with me so well.

[shance]

12. Remember the cargo planes carrying all the money to Baghdad?

Interesting.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

16. Maybe bush is moving out of the country!

:P

[MetaTrope]

14. Could be on their way to an air show, too?

[MissB]

20. I noticed a large plane (passenger jet size)

flying with 5 fighter escorts on Sunday. This was over Portland, Oregon. They were flying in a "V" formation, with the big jet at the tip of the V. I'd never seen anything like it.

[hack89]

21. It could have been a KC-10 tanker...

escorting the fighter on a long flight. When we fly fighters to the ME, they are "dragged" by tankers - fueling four or five times. The KC-10 is
based on the DC10 airliner.

[Ready4Change]

22. Possibly a refueling tanker?

Or possibly training on interception procedures?

Both of those are activities that would have fighters flying closely to a cargo looking aircraft. Interception practice might explain the single fighter ahead of the cargo plane.

[lpbk2713]

23. The Blue Angels travel with one or two C-130's

and they are based in Pensacola. Possibly could have been them going back home after seeking refuge in Texas from the storm.