Military Mobilization into Washington DC?
 

Reports of numerous C-17s and C-130s bringing troops and equipment into Andrews right now.

Here's one report, there are others on, you guessed it, social media.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e141d70901.jpg

Also: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-show-of-force

I think that Trump is a frightened man. That makes him dangerous and me nervous.

Hmmm without making light of this situation - reminds me of the plot in xXx - The Next Level (Ice Cube/Samuel L Jackson / Willem DaFoe) and this made me laugh ...


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....45a52fe4d.jpeg


ok magic question how badly can it escalate, how is it gonna end ....and how coronavirus epidemic stateside has taken a step back in the media now.. Also is it worse than the anti war demos and black right demos in 60s?

cheers

A president that hides in a bunker and sends the troops in against his own people. I guess that's what he meant when he pledged to make America great again.

I always thought you couldn't use the military on the streets of the US...

Nothing good will come of this.... The man is a buffoon... When asked is that your bible?, he replied it's a bible.. in rather a it's a stage prop sort of way.

I wonder how SASless see's all of this..

One doubts the chances of that copper ever getting a fair and impartial trial as well... whatever the verdict, it will only inflame the situation.

Tear gassing the people, so you can walk down the street for a photo opportunity, one thinks his chances of holding the said bible again for the swearing in ceremony has just got a lot further away.

If they deploy, it'll likely be ONLY to protect HIM. Battalion around the Whitehouse. He is that much of a small garden bird! Surprised he didn't demand 'SEAL Team 6'.

CG

FYI:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurrection_Act_of_1807

plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose


Meanwhile, a man walks across a road to show he has a book.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rub...johns-photo-op

JAS

Why be prepared when it would be so much easier to do nothing as have so many state governors and city mayors? That way, when things go TU, you can blame the violence, destruction, and looting on your political opponents and placate the criminals so they don’t riot against you.

Great idea! Let’s go with that... because at the end of the day, maintaining political power is more important than law and order in society.

PS - George Soros is laughing his ass off at how stupid and easily manipulated the ruling elites, media, and poorly educated populace are.

The Washington DC National Guard is the only one where there is not elected governor to command it, so it reports directly to the president. The D.C. National Guard is the only U.S. military force empowered to carry out federal functions in a state or, in this case, a district. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the president or congress

That's the new urban rooftop version of the Blackhawk with the modified tail in this New York Times report.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9aab19b249.jpg

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-show-of-force

The link above shows the Blackhawk... they are missing a trick here, they need to be blasting Des O'Connor music at them..

A passing thought re the helicopter pilots ... danger close to any idiots with a hand-held laser, of which I suspect there could be many.

We have friends on the other side of the Potomac, and are on chat daily. All quiet over there.

The Blackhawk over DC doing foot selfies in P56A last night was apparently a UH60M with members of the elite FBI Hostage Rescue Team. An FBI C560 Citation N557PG was orbiting overhead.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ab774c0592.jpg

Winds aloft cause an interesting speed trace for the Citation:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...311Z/KHEF/KHEF

(No comment on the symbolic flightpath!)

Hmmm.....didn’t know Blackhawk had skids.

I've generally tried to avoid helicopters but in the Blackhawk picture above is one landing gear extended and the other one retracted?

No.....both mainwheels are down...

It's similar but different, not sure if it's worse yet but it ain't good.
That occurred in my life time.
Yeah, I am getting a bit of deja vu.
Chopper, how in the heck did you think that's a Blackhawk? Or did you? Maybe that's just the journo being an ignoramous.
The NYT picture has a small skid aircraft, maybe a version of JetRanger?
This is a Blackhawk.

It’s a Lakota; Mil version of the BK117 family.

Just a tad bigger than a JetRanger :p

Thanks. Probably just the perspective but the left gear appears to me to be showing a lot more extension.

We'll get some more pictures tonight. ;)

From photos and ADS-B data the helo in the video was apparently 08-72054, a UH-72A Lakota assigned to the D.C. Army National Guard. Most sources seem to indicate that it is a military version of an EC145, not a BK117 but I don't claim to know. It has a red cross on the sides and a small one under the nose. I presume this designates it as a non-combatant in some situations.

From Jetphotos this picture by Mike Egan:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c3b5c859a9.jpg

This will not harm trumps election hopes..this will totally activate them for better or worse.

Contradiction in terms - if it will not harm=for better
WILL harm = for worse.

His posing with bibles and in front of religious statues is nauseating.

Of course. I know lol and was taking the p*****. Did you not see my opening line “this made me laugh” above the stupid article title??

😂

My photo of both Dustoff (think Maryland ARNG on alert with 1st HS Uh-1N) atAir & Space Expo 2019 at Andrews year ago..


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....78baf1859.jpeg

So now there are riots appearing worldwide such as London, Manchester, Paris. Also lots of my mates (including military folk ) changing their fb profile photo to a black square for solidarity.

cheers

And that 1st Helo Squadron is not well known to the public but its mission is of interest in times like these:

The troops are still coming in via C-17s to ADW. One of the two spook C-32Bs (B-752s) from McGuire made two trips to Andrews to bring in operators.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b9023aad4b.jpg

Some of them look like they would collapse after jogging 100 metres.

Picture in post #27
 

That has the look of a movie to it don’t you think? Some sort of dystopian, end of civilization type deal.

BV

I agree completely.
Looks like some schmaltzy Hollywood movie.
Would be hilarious if the context wasn't so tragic...

chopper 2004,

"so now there are riots appearing worldwide such as London, Manchester, Paris..."

No riots in London or Manchester, can't speak for Paris but pretty sure that there are none there either. There ARE a few peaceful demonstrations of solidarity and support, I was actually on one in London, and it was peaceful, harmonious and there was friendly banter with the Police present, who were largely supportive and sympathetic.

An update from the Pentagon.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a9a88e2669.png

Keep that last photo in mind for the CapCom.

That's a disturbing picture for quite a few reasons. One of which is the complete anonymity of the individuals in uniform. Police officers - certainly in the UK and I suspect elsewhere - need to wear identification prominently so that in the case of allegations against officers in any situation they can be identified.

Take away the ability to identify people given those sorts of powers and they'll behave differently, that's almost a given.

No, I think the guys sitting in the starboard door have just got shorter legs.

Olympus Has Fallen springs to mind or likes of John Carpenter films Escape from New York .

or if anyone read the late Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt thriller adventure Deep Six with POTUS kidnapped and brainwashed under mind control, of a ruthless Korean shipping magnate and KGB (both of which double cross each other) , ends up with Whitehouse turned into fortress with V-22 type landing on the front lawn and depositing Marines etc .

cheers

Capitol deployment plans overseen by Margaret Atwood?

Is there a knowledgeable US citizen here who can idenitify (1) exactly what military unit those soldiers are from and (2) why they are standing on the steps of what I assume is The Lincoln Memorial?

That picture looks like they are standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I think they have to wear those masks due to Covid related stuff. (A guess there, not a sure assessment).

Hmmm... lets hope it does not turn out to be the film The Siege

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Siege