callsign.. Navy Mako 3

[patrick woodward]

Anyone familiar with the US callsign Navy Mako 3? On Brisbane Center now... Also heard a flight of 2 US military choppers out of Holsworthy last Friday evening tracking north... anyone have any info on them??

Cheers

[Mark W]

The aircraft I am listening to is Navy Romeo Lima Zero One.

I am not sure what he is but an educated guess would be a USN C-130.

[matthew dobson]

Are they here getting ready for Obama's visit? I understand they (the US) do a lot of their own research before AF1 arrives.


(just my two cents tho')

[Paul McFarlane]

from http://home.tiscali.nl/marconop/uscalls.htm

(can't vouch for it's accuracy!)

MAKO .. F4/F16 23 TFS/52 TFW SP
MAKO .. KC135 384 BW
MAKO .. KC135 453 ARG
MAKO .. KC135 19 ARW
MAKO .. F16 93 FS/AFRES FM

[patrick woodward]

Cheers Paul... good find!

[Andi O]

Both of these were US Navy P-3's heading to Edinburgh

[patrick woodward]

Thanks Andi..

[Richard Siudak]

Two updates:

1. The callsigns Mako 3 and RL 01 were a pair of Pakistan Navy P-3C Orions on delivery. Picked up on scanner arriving Pearce 20 May at lunchtime, they headed off yesterday morning probably to Diego Garcia or Cocos on their journey. The two aircraft are serialled 86 and 87 ex Bu 159510 and 159511 respectively. Interestingly, at a formal ceremony on 30 April, both aircraft displayed Pakistan national markings - flag on tail and roundel as seen on photographs on the web, however, when I drove up to Pearce and saw them, these had been painted out with dark grey squares and a smaller than usual Star and bar painted on the fuselage, probably for convenience markings whilst on delivery which is common for US FMS sales. Delivery was likely via "the other way" with the volcanic ash issue over the Atlantic and Europe preventing a trip over the pond.

2. The US military choppers operating out of Holdsworthy are likely special ops types, ie MH-6 Little birds or MH-60 Blackhawks. I've seen both at SAS Campbell Barracks WA as well as at Pearce, they tend to use their serials as their callsigns so this may help ID the aircraft. On a close up inspection of a MH-60L it had more velcro on it than a haberdashery store and certainly can support the moniker of being a Velcrohawk!

[patrick woodward]

Thanks for the update Richard...

Cheers