Preliminary Analysis Report on U.S. Military Aircraft Activity Data from the 1st to the 7th

Key Chapter Title List

1. Data Sources and Analytical Methodology
2. Observation Time Window and Overall Activity Overview
3. Primary Aircraft Platform Types and Identification
4. Key Takeoff/Landing Nodes and Geographic Distribution Analysis
5. Call Sign Patterns and Preliminary Unit Affiliation Inferences
6. Flight Status Classification and Activity Nature Assessment
7. Cross-Theater Maneuver and Force Projection Indicators
8. Identification of High-Density Training Activity Areas
9. Observation of Special Operations Support Platform Activities
10. Tanker and Strategic Airlift Support Network
11. Data Limitations Statement
12. Preliminary Conclusions and Directions for Subsequent Analysis

Document Introduction

This report provides a systematic review and preliminary analysis of aircraft activities belonging to the U.S. Army, Air Force, and potentially affiliated units, based on open-source Aircraft Broadcast Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and multi-source flight tracking data collected from January 6 to 7, 2026 (Coordinated Universal Time). The data covers multiple key military facilities, training airspaces within the continental United States, as well as forward deployment locations overseas (e.g., Japan). It aims to reveal the dynamics, patterns, and potential intentions of U.S. military air power during the specified period through aircraft trajectories, call signs, platform types, and status information.

The report first clarifies the composition of the dataset and the analytical methodology, highlighting its utility and inherent limitations as an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tool. The core of the analysis lies in transforming raw flight list data into actionable insights regarding military operations. During the observation window, activity records were highly dense, involving various fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, including but not limited to UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache helicopters, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J Super Hercules, and KC-135R Stratotanker. The activities of these platforms constitute a complete spectrum from tactical training to strategic maneuvers.

Geographic distribution analysis reveals several activity hotspots. Within the continental U.S., the airspace around Fort Rucker, Alabama, exhibited an extremely high density of rotary-wing activity. Combined with its role as the home of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, this indicates the area was hosting large-scale, multi-unit aviation training or exercises. Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, were also significant takeoff/landing and activity nodes, reflecting the daily readiness and training tempo of major Army bases. Furthermore, KC-135R tanker activities from locations like Altus AFB, Oklahoma (Air Force airlift training center) to multiple points in Pennsylvania outlined the operational footprint of the domestic aerial refueling support network.

Indicators of cross-theater activity warrant attention. The data recorded flights by a C-130J transport with call sign KANTO20 between Tokyo (RJTJ) and Fussa (RJTY) bases in Japan, as well as activities by call signs like MOJO17 and TREK901 within Japan, reflecting routine transport and liaison missions of U.S. forces stationed there. Simultaneously, activities involving call signs such as OILER26/27 (tankers), TRIBE31 (C-17), and ELVIS32 (C-17), associated with long-range heavy transport aircraft and tankers, suggest potential cross-regional personnel/equipment movements or long-range training missions.

Call sign analysis provides further clues. Patterned call signs like MONDO, DYNO, CHAOS, and MANDO frequently appeared on UH-60 and AH-64 platforms. These stylized call signs are typically associated with specific operational units, training squadrons, or exercise tasks. For example, the combination of CHAOS31/33 with AH-64 attack helicopters may point to coordinated training by an attack helicopter unit. The repeated appearance of call signs like BLITZ69 on UH-60s across multiple flight segments demonstrates the pace of a single aircraft executing multiple missions within a day.

This report acknowledges the limitations of open-source data, including potential incomplete coverage, selective transponder deactivation by some military aircraft, and the need to verify precise correspondences between call signs and units using other intelligence sources. However, through the aggregation and pattern analysis of available data, it remains possible to effectively depict the active landscape, training priorities, and logistical framework of U.S. military air power during a specific period.

Preliminary conclusions indicate that U.S. military air power was in a state of high-intensity training and readiness from January 6 to 7, 2026, with activities spanning core domestic training areas and key overseas deployment points. Domestic training primarily focused on tactical coordination and mobility of Army aviation, supplemented by Air Force strategic airlift and tanker support. Overseas activities demonstrated the continuity of forward presence. This dataset provides valuable raw material for further analysis of U.S. military troop rotations, exercise cycles, emergency response patterns, and the deployment status of specific units. Subsequent analysis should focus on longitudinal time comparisons, precise unit identification, and correlation with publicly announced exercises for verification.