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Helicopters doing radiation detection ahead of Super Bowl

ATLANTA SUPER BOWL

https://www.11alive.com/article/spor...5-d0e2da9a423c

I saw one of these yesterday(I work Downtown) Judging by the color scheme it was a Bell 412 N412DE and flew over 3 times, above link says flying Monday and Tuesday.... it would be a brave man to be low flying in the weather here today!

I wonder how often this type of work is carried out?

Most aspects of this mission are very classified.

The information that is released to the public is very limited.

As it should be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SASless (Post 10374613)

Most aspects of this mission are very classified.

The information that is released to the public is very limited.

As it should be.

There is some information available in the public domain with regard to the systems fitted to the current DoE 412s if you dig on the web. The operation in Atlanta is receiving a fair amount of coverage in the local media outlets but it looks like that might be a peremptory move on behalf of the DoE because their machine will be low over the city. An interesting operation.

Does anyone have any info on former DoE helicopters used in the distant past for these operations? I came across this photo of a 500C kitted out with side pods and what looks like a radar altimeter fitted under the tailboom. Does anyone know if this is a former DoE/NEST helicopter used for airborne radiation detection? I think the photo dates from 1979.

See picture 3 of 8.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/4...e-mile-island/

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4e2a37805.jpeg

Thanks for any assistance anyone can offer.

500 Fan.

The joys of the internet! Mystery solved. Some more quick digging and it appears this 500 was indeed a NEST machine and responded to the Three Mile Island incident in 1979. It was based at Andrews Air Force Base. It looks like it might have a further box of tricks fitted under the nose. NEST also had a BO105CBS in their fleet at that time.

Reflections on the TMI accident

500 Fan.

Indeed, the laws of physics are not secret. Also, the US is lousy with rad detectors. They hang on the walls of train and bus stations in an around big cities. They are present in every airport, major harbor, and border crossing. Many state and local police forces carry detectors in their vehicles. The latter have been responsible for a number of apocryphal stories involving innocent folks detained because they were slightly radioactive subsequent to having nuclear medical procedures (e.g. certain cancer treatments and radiological procedures).

Still better to try to find radiation source than to not track them at all.

There's heaps of information about this work (and this aircraft) out in the public domain, unclassified.

NYSERDA (PDF)
https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCL...4/45114800.pdf
https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovc...ay/hopkins.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/812387

This is not a secret.

MikeNYC,

Thanks for that info, my original post included a link published by local media.. so obviously very much in the public domain... I didn’t respond to SASless’s post fearing inciting his wrath if I pointed this out😳

Of course it is in the public domain.....the unclassified bits that have been gleaned by various sources over the years.

It is no secret this kind of operation exists.

But as in every sensitive intelligence gathering operation....there is much that is not in the public domain.

You of course must be assuming the media knows all re this type of operation.....which just is not accurate.

The capability of the detection equipment is a very closely held body of data as is the successes or failures of that equipment over the years.

Do you think the media has a correct inventory on the aircraft being used....and from where they operate and who all is engaged in this work?

SASless,

Maybe the attached link answers some of your questions, this was part of the media's story and states where the aircraft operate from and other information.

Regarding the aircraft I saw it was a Bell 412 in the exact color scheme used on N411DE or N412DE so on this occasion the media were fairly accurate.... at least they didn't show a library picture showing an R22 flying in another country!