US Navy P-8A Poseidon lands in Bahrain after B-52 transponder miscode

A US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has landed at Isa Air Base in Bahrain, according to i24NEWS and confirmed by flight data. The aircraft had been miscoded on FlightRadar24 as a B-52H strategic bomber, a misidentification analysts had flagged as probable. The landing comes amid heavy US air deployments and ongoing Iranian missile strikes on Bahrain.

The landing at Isa Air Base was initially flagged by multiple channels as a B-52H Stratofortress landing in Bahrain. The ‎thebrew-language channel reported at 18:59 UTC that 'the transmitter was deliberately on the whole way,' while a later message at 19:00 UTC corrected the identification, noting that a P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft was 'miscoded on FlightRadar24 as a B-52H.' As The Zioneer reported at 19:01 UTC, the same transponder miscoding had been flagged by analysts earlier, at 18:34 UTC, who suggested the aircraft was likely a P-8A. The desk's 18:34 bulletin noted that 'analysts and alternative reports suggest it may be a US Navy P-8A Poseidon,' and that 'the identification remains unverified' — a judgment that the 19:00 UTC correction from the source now resolves. The landing is the latest movement in a major US air deployment to the Gulf, occurring as Iranian ballistic missile strikes continue to target Bahrain. The P-8A, a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, is a distinct platform from the B-52 strategic bomber, and its arrival at Isa Air Base adds a maritime surveillance capability to the US posture in the theater. The source's final headline at 19:10, 'Getting ready for an attack? The American B-52 bomber lands in Bahrain,' has not been independently corrected by that source, but the underlying message at 19:00 explicitly identifies the aircraft as a P-8A.

4 developments

1. 2 days ago · 22:12 · 10 JunLatest

   Reports persist of a B-52 landing despite earlier transponder miscoding claims.

2. 22:01 · 10 Jun

   Aircraft identified as P-8A Poseidon following transponder error previously reporting B-52

3. 22:00 · 10 Jun

   The aircraft landed with its transponder deliberately left active throughout the flight.

• Strong2 days ago · 22:37 · 10 JunUS B-52 Bomber Reported Entering Saudi Airspace, Suggests Imminent Strikes on Iran
• Developing3 days ago · 21:46 · 10 JunIranian missile approaching landing in Bahrain, reporter says
• Developing2 days ago · 21:54 · 10 JunStrategic bomber lands in Qatar, according to a report
• Confirmed3 days ago · 21:29 · 10 JunMultiple B-52 bombers take off from Diego Garcia toward Iran, reports say

Source and signal

• Internal intake