US Military Over and Back to India Through Shannon
Over a five day period, Omni Air aircraft registration number N342AX made three refuelling stops at Shannon Airport. On 20th September it landed at about 11.20am at Shannon, coming from Baltimore in the US. It took off again about 14.15 and flew on to Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. From there it also flew on to an airport in north-west India near the border with Pakistan and the disputed Kashmir region.
On its return journey it landed at Kuwait and Sofia (Bulgaria) and landed again at Shannon Airport at about 01.35am on 23 September. It took off again at about 05.18am. and flew on to Bangor Maine in US and from there to an airbase at Fairbanks in Alaska.
On 24th September it flew from Fairbanks Alaska to Shannon landing at about 11.20am. It took off again at about 14.15am and flew on towards the Middle East (last seen over the Greek Islands) and probably en route to India.
These US military associated flights are likely associated with India-USA Joint Military Exercise YUDH ABHYAS-2024 in Rajasthan north-west India. The exercise was scheduled to be conducted from 9th to 22nd September 2024.
Given the US active involvement or supporting conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa, and given the military and political tensions between nuclear armed India and Pakistan the Irish Government should not be allowing such US military associated flights to refuel at Shannon airport.