US Navy P-8s at RAF Mildenhall

A surprising visitor to Mildenhall on April 2nd was a P-8A Poseidon. It's very infrequent that these aircraft visit, generally flying between US Navy base Sigonella in Italy and Keflavik in Iceland, occasionally operating from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. For any to operate from Mildenhall is a treat, with the last visit being by a pair that arrived for a short deployment in September 2022. 

On Tuesday, 2nd April, Flightradar24 showed that a US Navy P-8 was due to arrive in Mildenhall at 09:45. Being at Cambridge at 07:00 gave me ample time to get to Mildenhall to see the Poseidon land. The aircraft had taken off from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, late the night before. 

By 07:45, I had arrived at Mildenhall and the aircraft was showing on ADSB Exchange tracking southbound through Scotland. P-8A Poseidon 169328 VVQE328 arrived at 09:05.

The following evening, 169328 started pinging on the deck at Mildenhall, suggesting a departure would follow soon after. Knowing this, I dashed from my hotel to the mound at Mildenhall, hoping that the aircraft would use the underrun. At 19:05, VVQE328 was given engine start clearance and climb-out instructions. 169328 departed at 19:30, and, following a full loop overhead the base gaining altitude, headed southbound.

Rumours along the fence line on Thursday morning suggested that a second P-8 would be arriving from Whidbey Island that day. Although it was originally earmarked to be a morning arrival into England, the aircraft didn't depart the USA until 07:30 that morning. Poseidon number 2 finally showed on tracking sites heading south over Scotland at 15:05. By 16:35, 169331 VVQE331 was on the deck and taxying to park near to the tower. 

It departed late evening on April 5th following the route of 169328 2 days prior.

United States Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon 169331 VVQE331 - VP-47 'The Golden Swordsmen '- NAS Whidbey Island