The Russian invasion tactics of Ukraine were understood, because of this "jewel in the crown"
RAF sources say they can use boeing RC-135W "Rivet Joint" electronic reconnaissance aircraft to try to intercept Russian military communications about hundreds of kilometers away, report back to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DI) of the British Ministry of Defence, and combine other information to speculate about Russian President Putin's next move. The U.S. Air Force also has such reconnaissance aircraft.
The RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft uses sensors to obtain communications and locate signal sources to assist in mapping the ground situation. In theory, the group could intercept radio transmissions from convoys of troops about a few hundred kilometers away, the sources said. A RAF source added that they could rely on signal transmitters to gather conversations from further afield. Russian-speaking people intercept the content and relay the latest intelligence back to analysts in London.
Public aviation tracking sources show that the RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft has been operating intensively near Ukraine in recent months. An RAF RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft only flew over Poland on March 11.
A RAF source said that the US side also uses such reconnaissance aircraft, believing that the RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft is a "jewel in the crown" in collecting intelligence information. "Assets such as the RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft are just one of many assets in the collection of intelligence," the source said. ”
A team of British Defence Military Officers analyzes all RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft to collect data, and they work around the clock to check russian combat plans. The team, which has sensitive commercial satellite data, can intercept communications and is supported by artificial intelligence, and they operate in "crisis" mode around the clock.
The Defense Intelligence Service is a rarely mentioned department with a staff of 5,000 people, two-thirds of whom are military personnel and one-third of whom are other staff. The expert group includes linguists, citizen scientists, psychologists, geographers and data specialists.
