Anybody in the metro LA area picked up on this? Interesting videos of H-60s and OH-6s buzzing around downtown LA, making drops/pickups, hovering, high-speed flight through the concrete canyons. If this is training for use in an overseas location, which major built-up city could they be looking at? I'm trying to figure out which city in the Middle East or in Africa has a downtown area similar to LA's; cities in Saudi or the oil sultanates come to mind. I've not seen a photo of downtown Tehran recently. Either they're practicing for eventualities in the ME or Horn of Africa, or the DNC slated for later this year.
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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
SOF/LAPD exercises in downtown LA
- Thread starter SSI01
- Start date
Roadburner440
Charter Member 2010
Going to just go on ahead and put this out there. Take it for what you will. These type of training exercises are not intended as training for overseas operations... It is to test the militaries ability to collaborate with the local PD/Sheriff for use on our own soil.
Well, guys, you've each made my point for me - if they tell you this is training for use in an urban environment, it's useless to train in an environment like this for an overseas contingency, since any country with even one city as large as LA, or with its configuration (i.e., high-rises) will be able to afford its own SOF and helos, and can take care of things like that by itself - they won't need our help. That reduces this activity very quickly to a drill for eventual use in a CONUS city, probably during civil disorder, a terrorist attack or a sophisticated attempt on POTUS's life. This training has been noted occurring in other built-up areas recently. Therefore in my estimation this represents training for something considered a proximate threat, since training doesn't occur unless you expect to be in a "for-real" situation just like it in the near future. One possibility involves the conventions of the major political parties, set to occur later this year. Hook this up with the recent drills involving the civil defense major disaster warning net on radio, TV, etc and you can see where this could also be headed.
PS Daveroo - SOF is gov-speak for "Special Operations Forces." This would include, but not be limited to, US Army Special Forces (Green Berets), US Army Delta Force, in some cases US Army Rangers, US Air Force Special Operations (PJs, CCTs, and similar types), and US Navy SEALs and their associated elements.:salute:
PS Daveroo - SOF is gov-speak for "Special Operations Forces." This would include, but not be limited to, US Army Special Forces (Green Berets), US Army Delta Force, in some cases US Army Rangers, US Air Force Special Operations (PJs, CCTs, and similar types), and US Navy SEALs and their associated elements.:salute:
Drills like this take place everywhere, every year. I have taken part in many drills (and even helped to organize a few) including drills for nuclear war, nuclear power station melt-downs and natural or man-made disaster scenarios.
Drills are needed to hone skills and find glaring errors in the planning.
You will be returned to your regularly scheduled programs shortly.
Drills are needed to hone skills and find glaring errors in the planning.
You will be returned to your regularly scheduled programs shortly.
Toastmaker
Charter Member 2016
I'm a former LAPD Sgt. These are emergency response training exercises, often executed with LAPD/LASD and various federal and military agencies and units.
Practice makes perfect. . .
Enjoy the show -
Practice makes perfect. . .
Enjoy the show -
I spent 23 years in Federal law enforcement, and also planned and took part in drills and tabletop exercises and hot- and cold-wash reviews. This has all the earmarks of a drill or skills-sharpening exercise, no question about that. It couldn't be a conspiracy, because to have a conspiracy implies keeping secrets very well indeed, and as we all know, the government, in particular the Federal government, is positively incapable of doing that (a la Bradley Manning & Mr. Assange)!
Re: keeping secrets - Khruschev shared a joke w/JFK once wherein an individual was supposed to have run down the halls of the Kremlin screaming "Khruschev is a fool! Khruschev is a fool!" He was arrested and drew 30 years in prison - five years for disturbing the peace and 25 years for divulging a state secret.:mixedsmi:
Re: keeping secrets - Khruschev shared a joke w/JFK once wherein an individual was supposed to have run down the halls of the Kremlin screaming "Khruschev is a fool! Khruschev is a fool!" He was arrested and drew 30 years in prison - five years for disturbing the peace and 25 years for divulging a state secret.:mixedsmi:
Well said - at that point it becomes a conspiracy, which, of course, can't be maintained in the gov. Only one outfit I know of can maintain pretty good internal security regarding a conspiracy, and even their system isn't foolproof - but it's pretty good - and it ain't F-B-I or C-I-A - it's M-O-B!