Tag Archives: neptune

U.S.

Biden’s Borderland: Operation Neptune’s Storm, saving Florida from….?

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22 MAY 2023 (13:31-UTC-07 Tango 06) 01 Khordad 1402/02 Dhu l-Qa’da 1444/04 Ding-Si(4th month) 4721/22 май 2023 года

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Hiram Martinez, 17MAY2023.

On 17MAY2023, the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) 6th Security Forces Squadron Marine Patrol Unit led Operation Neptune’s Storm (aka Operation Neptune Storm), it was not about a natural disaster, but defending national security along the Florida coastline: “This operation demonstrated the collective strength and preparedness of our partners in safeguarding our coastlines. Operation Neptune’s Storm highlights the seamless coordination between military, state, and local agencies to protect our national interests and ensure the safety of our communities.”-Colonel Jason Parker, USAF 6th Mission Support Group

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Alexander Cook, 17MAY2023.

Neptune’s Storm also included boats and personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Police Department, Tampa Fire Rescue, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Alexander Cook, 17MAY2023.

MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) is near Tampa, and is charged with providing aerial fueling of military aircraft in that region.  The USAF even referres to MacDill AFB as “America’s premier power projection platform.”  If that is the case, then you need more than puny coastal patrol boats that are typically used to intercept illegal ‘boat people’ trying to get into the United States, unless the future threat is unprecedented waves of boat people?

USAF photo by Airman First Class Zachary Foster, 17MAY2023.

A USAF press release stated it was also about protecting the City of Tampa from a yet to be publicly identified threat: “Operation Neptune’s Storm served as a testament to the commitment and readiness of Tampa’s community, state, local, and federal partners to overcome any challenges and emerge victorious in the face of potential threats.”

USAF video by Airman First Class Zachary Foster, 17MAY2023:

Biden’s Borderland:  IDAHO DEPLOYS STATE POLICE TO TEXAS/MEXICO BORDER!

Idaho, Technology, U.S.

Smoke ’em if you got ’em!: Pocatello Airport Fire Bombers are Back!

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06 AUG 2017 (03:39 UTC-07 Tango 06)  15 Mordad 1396/13 Dhu l-Qa’da 1438/15 Wu-Shen 4715

The sky around eastern Idaho is socked in with smoke as the 2017-18 wildfire season roars up (I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so smokey around here, and I’ve been here 20 years).  The water bombing aircraft based at Pocatello Airport were busy during daylight; non-stop landings, reloading, take-offs, for hours on-end until dark.

Photos by AAron B. Hutchins. Click pics to make bigger:

April 2017: MAFFS BOMBS IDAHO!

At the end of  2016 U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense warning: WILDFIRE SEASON 2018 GOING TO BE A HOT ONE!

BOISE FIRE UPDATE: CHUBBUCK ALLSTATE ALREADY HIT WITH FIRE CLAIMS!

U.S. WILDFIRES 2016: DC-10 POCATELLO AIRPORT

2015: IDAHO WILDFIRES KILL WOMAN

IDAHO’S 13+ YEARS OF DROUGHT ADD UP TO BIG ASS WILDFIRE SEASON FOR 2014!  (didn’t happen)

2013: POCATELLO, IDAHO, CHARLOTTE FIRE 2?

POCATELLO AIRPORT, 2012 IDAHO WILDFIRES: CANADAIR CL 215

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 20 SEPTEMBER 2012: ANOTHER SMOKEY DAY, STILL LEADING THE NATION WITH MOST FIRES

IDAHO WILDFIRES, POCATELLO TANKER BASE: 13 SEPTEMBER 2012, SIKORSKY & USMC IN TOWN

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRE 2012: BUSY 30 MINUTES AT POCATELLO AIRPORT, AS FIRE FIGHTING AIRCRAFT FLY INTO ACTION

POCATELLO CHARLOTTE FIRE UPDATE: 100% CONTAINED, FIREWORKS FOR 4TH OF JULY, SEED FOR REBUILDING COMMUNITY!

June 2012: POCATELLO BURNING! EVACUATIONS!

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfires, Pocatello Tanker Base: 13 September 2012, Sikorsky & USMC in town

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Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 12 SEPTEMBER 2012: ANOTHER SMOKEY DAY, MORE AIR TANKERS ARRIVE AT POCATELLO TANKER BASE. EVACUATIONS IN EFFECT!

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 12 September 2012: Another smokey day, more air tankers arrive at Pocatello Tanker Base. Evacuations in effect!

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12 September 2012

“Large fires Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho made significant acreage gains over the past 24 hours. In Washington, the Barker Canyon Complex burned more than 75,000 acres, and the Apache Pass fire burned 10,000. The Dutch fire in Montana grew by nearly 16,000 acres, and the Mustang fire in Idaho burned an additional 8,400 acres. About 14,500 firefighters and support personnel are currently assigned to large fires across the country.”-National Interagency Fire Center statement

There haven’t been any new fires reported in eastern Idaho, but there are still major fires burning throughout the state, and region.  More privately run air tankers have landed at Pocatello Tanker Base (Pocatello airport), including a second BAe-146-200; tanker 40 of Montana’s Neptune Aviation (leased from Tronos in Canada).

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

There are now nine large fires burning throughout Idaho.

Halstead Fire: More than 150,000 acres (60,702.8 hectares), evacuations in effect.

McGuire Complex Fire: More than 25,000 acres (10,117.14 hectares), evacuations are in effect.

Mustang Complex Fire: More than 289,000 acres (116,954.15 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Porcupine Complex Fire: More than 17,800 acres (7,203.4 hectares).

Powell SBW Complex Fire: More than 42,000 acres (16,996.79 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Sheep Fire: More than 21,600 acres (8,741.2 hectares), evacuations are in effect.

Skull Fire: New fire 35 miles northeast of Roundup.

Trinity Ridge Fire: More than 146,500 acres (59,286.44 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Wesley Fire: More than 3,800 acres (1,537.8 hectares), residences are threatened.

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 11 SEPTEMBER 2012: MORE CANADIAN AIRCRAFT ARRIVE AT POCATELLO

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 10 September 2012: Canada joins the fight at Pocatello Tanker Base!

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10 September 2012, the smoke just won’t go away, ’cause fires just keep poppin’ up!  So far, the year to date fire retardant used by fire fighting aircraft out of Pocatello airport (aka Pocatello Tanker Base) is 261,797 gallons (991,009.4 liters).

Little “seeders” 802 Air Tractors are the backbone of airborne firefighting operations out of Pocatello airport, but Neptunes, MAFFS C-130s and now Convair CV580 operated by CONAIR of Canada, are making appearances at the tanker base.

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are new fires in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming.  There are currently 34 large wildfires burning through the United States.

Idaho has seven large fires, with 640,881 acres (259,355.3 hectares) burned! California has nine fires, but with fewer burned acres, at 151,988 (61,507.36 hectares).

The most recent fires here in eastern Idaho were the Flint Canyon Fire south of American Falls, West Menan Fire and the Pickering Fire near Rexburg.

Regarding the now notorious Mustang Complex Fire, recently officials said the fire was so hard to get to that it would probably burn until the first heavy snowfall of winter!

The Mustang Complex Fire, burning along the Idaho/Montana border, increased by 20,000 acres (8,093.7 hectares) on 09 September 2012.  Mandatory evacuations were ordered.  The fire is now the single largest in the United States, at 281,000+ acres (113,716.6 hectares)!

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 29 AUGUST 2012: BURN AREAS BECOME DUST FARMS. 

Idaho, Technology

East Idaho Wildfire 2012: Busy 30 minutes at Pocatello Airport, as fire fighting aircraft fly into action

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The following pics (which you can make bigger by clicking on them) were taken by AAron B. Hutchins, within a thirty minutes period, at the Pocatello Regional Airport (USFS Air Tanker Base), on 12JUL2012, between 11:30 hours and 12:00 hours.

Remember, these pics were taken within a 30 minute period.

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRES 2012: MORE NEW FIRES ON 11 JULY, FIRE NEAR NUKE REACTOR, CRATERS OF THE MOON

Crews preping S-64 Skycrane to join in battle against Cox’s Well Fire. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, 10JUL2012.

SIKORSKY SKYCRANE LEAVES POCATELLO AIRPORT FOR COX’S WELL FIRE

Idaho, U.S.

Pocatello burning! Evacuations! Southeast Idaho burning! Bannock County bans fireworks, declares state of emergency!

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Click on pics to make them bigger. Pics by me.