Tag Archives: idaho

Cascadia Rising: Prep for 2022, “…extraordinary levels of mass casualties…”!

“….plan, organize, equip, train, exercise for responding to and recovering from a catastrophic incident resulting in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, morale and/or government functions.”-Major General Bret D. Daugherty, Washington National Guard

Since a massive tsunami would render all the sea ports useless, on 05JUN 2016 they practiced using a Heavy Ground Mobility System (HGMS) truck to deploy a temporary modular roadway. This is known as a Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) operation. Washington Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Michael Tietjen.

Video of Modular Roadway deployment:

Video of JLOTS operation:

Video report explaining why JLOTS would be needed after a Cascadia Event, Washington Army National Guard’s 331st Transportation Company boasts that it is the only U.S. unit with this specific Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) configuration:

 

Navy Region North West (NRNW) Operations Center, in Washington state, will serve as a command & control after a CSZ event. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Jeffry Willadsen, 08JUN2016.

Cascadia Rising 2016 was directed from Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, in coordination with FEMA. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Third Class Jessica Maue.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as Oregon and Washington National Guards, conducted a training event called Cascadia Rising.  They are preparing for a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, resulting from an overdue jolt along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) off the Pacific Northwest coast of the United States.

07JUN2016, U.S. Coast Guard tested their Deployable Contingency Communications System near Ellensburg, Washington. U.S. Coast Guard District 13 photo.

07JUN2016, Oregon Air National Guard practiced emergency supply operations using TACPs and C-130s. Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Emily Thompson.

Mass casualty training on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 08JUN2016. Washington Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Michael Tietjen.

The Idaho, Oregon and Washington National Guards are prepping for another Cascadia Rising training event, to be held in June 2022, called Cascadia Rising 2022 (aka CR22).  FEMA is calling the CR22 training National Level Exercise 2022 (NLE 2022).   Supposedly, the CR22/NLE 2022 is a scenario that is placed four days after the CSZ event, an event that is expected to affect at least three U.S. states, with an expected 70-thousand plus casualties.  Idaho could become a ‘refugee’ center for survivors from Washington and Oregon.    (Canada’s British Columbia is also going to be affected)

Washington Air National Guard joined with Pierce County Corrections to prevent any breakouts at the Pierce County Jail, 08JUN2016. Washington Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Paul Rider.

While Washington’s Air National Guard tried to prevent a jail break, Washington’s Army National Guard help prisoners ‘escape’ the Hoquiam Jail due to approaching tsunami, 09JUN2016. Washington National Guard photo by Captain Colette Muller.

The first Cascadia Rising event was in 2016, and was considered to be the largest ever disaster response training in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Cascadia Rising 2016 revealed to authorities that everybody, and every local government operation, needed to be self-supplied for a minimum of two weeks to survive such a catastrophe: “The Cascadia Rising 2016 exercise highlighted a number of critical areas that we, the emergency management community, should improve before this fault ruptures, which will impact large portions of our residents and infrastructure. …..The exercise highlighted a number of infrastructure interdependencies our residents have come to rely on, such as electricity, communications, fuel, water and our roads.  Most of these sectors would be heavily disrupted after a CSZ event and plans are being developed and exercised that focus on the efficient recovery of these essential services.”-Sharon Loper, FEMA Region 10

Kentucky and Oregon National Guard conducted mass casualty training at Camp Rilea. Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant John Hughel.

It is also expected that the CSZ event will create toxic environments. Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant John Hughel.

To show you how seriously the DoD and FEMA are taking the overdue CSZ jolt, Cascadia Rising 2016 involved almost 20-thousand personnel from the U.S. Air Force Reserve, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Kentucky National Guard, Oregon and Washington National Guards, Tribes, and civilian emergency response agencies.

Wearing contamination protective gear, Kentucky National Guard conducted rescues of people ‘swept’ into the forest. Kentucky National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Michael Reinersman.

Video interviews, by Staff Sergeant Amy Elker, concerning the nine Tribes in Oregon, in relation to the coming CSZ event:

Wearing contamination protective gear, Kentucky National Guard approach a collapsed building on Camp Rilea, Oregon, 08JUN2016. Kentucky National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Michael Reinersman.

Searching trough collapsed buildings, 09JUN2016. Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant John Hughel.

U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Medical Ship during Cascadia Rising exercise at Naval Magazine Station Indian Island, Washington, 09JUN2016. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Third Class Andrea Anderson.

Cascadia Rising preparations also include crowd control. Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant John Hughel, 10JUN2016.

On 15JUN2016, personnel from the Japan Self Defense Forces toured Port Tacoma, Washington, and gave advice on how to respond to a tsunami. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Eliverto V Larios.

Washington Emergency Management Division: Cascadia Rising 2022

Pacific Ring of Fire, May 2021: WARNINGS FOR ALASKA, HAWAII & WASHINGTON

Pacific Ring of Fire, January 2020: “THAT CASCADIAN EVENT’S GOING TO HAPPEN!”

January 2018: GET READY FOR CASCADIA!

Cold Creek Fire Near American Falls, Idaho, 20210614

©Satoita 2021

A fire began today on June 14th, 2021, this afternoon around 15:30, according to Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center. Deputies are asking residents to evacuate.

View from Chubbuck, Idaho. ©Satoita 2021

View from Chubbuck Road, with Simplot in the distant left. ©Satoita 2021

Heading towards American Falls. ©Satoita 2021

View SSE from Interstate 84 ©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

The smoke was screening the valley along Sunbeam Road. ©Satoita 2021

It seems that there were two fires when visiting the area, this is confirmed by other news reports.

©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

This is as far as anyone was allowed to drive, the Sho-Ban Fire Department was asking everyone to turn around. They were also visiting residences. Below is some footage of the fire as we drove away. About halfway in you can see the Fire Department vehicles. (Which oddly smelled like gasoline…)

2017: IDAHO CONDUCTS MASSIVE MAFFS TRAINING, IN PREPS FOR HOT WILDFIRE SEASON!

2012: POCATELLO BURNING! EVACUATIONS! SOUTHEAST IDAHO BURNING! BANNOCK COUNTY BANS FIREWORKS, DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY!

FEMA Regions prep for disaster & spend your money like it’s water, May 2021

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has ten areas of responsibility.  The U.S. Department of Defense, state militias, and local emergency responders, work closely with FEMA to prepare for disasters.

Disney Institute Joins FEMA on Whole-of-America Response to CoViD-19

FEMA Issues Public Notice under disaster declaration DR-4595-KY

FEMA Updates State-Specific CoViD Funeral Assistance Information

FEMA Announces Operational Guidance for Disaster Response and Recovery in Pandemic Environment

On 06MAY2021, FEMA mass-vaccination sites in Region 4 & 7 claim to have administered 1-million doses of CoViD-19 drugs.  FEMA mass-vax sites are actually run by U.S. Army Northern Command and utilize personnel from the different branches of the military.  Slideshow by Technical Sergeant Megan Floyd:

Region 1: Vermont’s Emergency Feeding Program Receives Grant for More Than $1.9 Million

Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut Seeks more FEMA Reimbursement

FEMA Reimburses Bridgeport Hospital $8 Million for CoViD-19 

Department of Housing and Community Development Receives Nearly $7 Million FEMA Grant

More Than $41 Million Grant Provided to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for CoViD-19

Massachusetts Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Sara Kolinski.

Army and Air National Guard personnel, and local emergency responders, took part in a ‘downed aircraft’ emergency on Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, 13MAY2021.

Region 2:

Pennsylvania Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Brandy Fowler.

New Jersey and New York National Guard personnel traveled to Pennsylvania’s (Region 3) Fort Indiantown Gap to conduct Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response training, 19MAY2021.

Puerto Rico Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Marimar Rivera Medina.

Puerto Rico National Guard fought real wildfires near Cayey, on 22MAY2021.

Region 3: Greenbelt Metro Vaccination Center in Maryland will Close

FEMA halted its operations at a mass-vax site in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania ANG photo by Master Sergeant Brandy Fowler.

On 22MAY2021, Pennsylvania National Guard personnel conducted HAZMAT training, on Fort Indiantown Gap, for visiting National Guard units from other states/FEMA Regions.

Region 4:  $6.6 million for Orange Beach debris removal after Hurricane Sally

$6.5 Million Approved to Acquire 31 Flood-Prone Properties in Pender County

FEMA Approves 22 Additional Counties for Individual Assistance

Photo by Jenn DeHaan.

In Kentucky, Fort Knox fire fighters took part in an open manhole victim rescue training put on by Hardin County Water District-1.

FEMA Issues Public Notice for 29 Tennessee Counties

Tennessee Air National Guard photo Master Sergeant Mike R. Smith.

On McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, in Tennessee, a class was given on how to respond to an ‘active’ shooter (as opposed to an inactive shooter?).

U.S. Army photo by Scott C. Childress.

The U.S. Army has been experimenting with something they call a Speed Bag, on Fort Rucker, Alabama.  It is intended to allow fast delivery by helicopter of medical/emergency supplies.  I don’t know how much taxpayer money has been spent on the Speed Bag, but it looks like your usual insulated foam cooler box to me.

Town of North Topsail Beach Awarded $4.5 Million for Emergency Measures for Hurricane Florence

Town of Oak Island Awarded $1.3 Million for Debris Removal After Hurricane Isaías

FEMA Awards Indian River County $2.33 Million for Hurricane Dorian Beach Renourishment

FEMA approves $1.3 million for Gulf Breeze Hurricane Sally debris removal

FEMA Awards City of New Smyrna Beach $2.5 Million to Rebuild, Elevate Flood-Prone Homes

FEMA approves $2.27 million for Hurricane Michael recovery expenses

FEMA approves $36.3 million in Hurricane Michael Public Assistance grants

FEMA approves $11.4 million in Hurricane Michael Public Assistance grants

FEMA Awards $17.6 Million for Hurricane Irma Recovery

FEMA Awards Miami-Dade County $1.46 Million for Hurricane Irma Repairs

FEMA Awards $2.67 Million for Hurricane Irma Recovery

FEMA approves $2 million for Bay County emergency bypass pump

Photo by Sergeant First Class Carmen Fleischmann.

Florida Army National Guard learn to use the Tampa Microwave 95cm satellite antenna while training on Camp Blanding, for disaster response.  The antenna is part of the Joint Tactical Expeditionary Kit that allows phone communications for emergency responders during natural disasters.

The U.S. Air Force conducted Ready Eagle disaster response training on Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, 21MAY2021. Video report by Paul Wenzel:

Region 5: FEMA Awards $1.5 Million to Jefferson County, Wisconsin

FEMA Awards $4.1 Million for Community Safe Rooms

FEMA Provides $3.7 Million to City of Alton, Illinois

FEMA Provides $17.9 Million to NorthShore University Health System

FEMA Provides $1.3 Million to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Second Class Brigitte Johnston.

U.S. Naval Station Great Lakes Police, Fire, and Emergency Services training during Citadel Gale 2021.  It is a disaster exercise held in Illinois every year.

FEMA Provides $16.3 Million to Michigan for CoViD-19

FEMA Provides $4 Million to Northwood University

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Charles T. Fultz.

U.S. Air Force personnel practiced large scale medical transfer of disaster victims on Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan, 24MAY2021, during Mobility Guardian 2021.  The training involved transferring victims from C-17 cargo aircraft to busses.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Matthew Porter.

Mobility Guardian 2021 also tested the use of robots (semi-autonomous quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicle).

New York National Guard Photo by Sergeant Sebastian Rothwyn.

National Guard/Army Reserve’s Guardian Response 2021 disaster response exercise was held April 12th to May 8th at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, in Indiana.  4-thousand-2-hundred personnel from U.S. Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard units from across the U.S. took part.

Photo by Staff Sergeant Eric W. Jones.

Military veterinarians also took part in Guardian Response, training with animal simulators (robots) to learn how to care for pets and farm animals: “We were clipping goat hooves and testing for parasites when we got a call from the decontamination line that a dog needed treatment for potential exposure to toxic chemicals. The dog had a temperature of 106 degrees [F] and was breathing heavily, and had a fast pulse. We started cooling measures by putting water on his paw pads and gave him room temperature fluids, reducing his temperature and then moved him to the veterinarian for treatment.”-Specialist Emily Zygarowski

FEMA Provides $4.7 Million to the Minnesota Department of Health

FEMA Provides $8.5 Million to the Minnesota Department of Health for Vaccine Distribution

Region 6: Oklahoma Air National Guard joined with local emergency responders to conduct a 72 hours training event, responding to natural and human made disasters. Video report by Leanna Maschino:

Region 7: FEMA Awards $50 million to Nebraska for Spencer Dam Project

Region 8: FEMA Supported Community Vaccination Site in Pueblo Will Close

FEMA Provides an Additional $1.8 Million to Thornton for CoViD-19

FEMA Sponsored Art Installation Opens in Denver

FEMA Provides an Additional $3.1 Million to Montana for COVID-19 Response

FEMA Provides Nearly $1.9 Million in Additional Funding to Montana for CoViD-19

FEMA Provides an Additional $3.4 Million to North Dakota for COVID-19 Response

FEMA Provides $1.6 Million to Stutsman County for Flood Recovery

South Dakota Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Taylor Solberg.

South Dakota’s Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing tested its Disaster Relief Mobile Kitchen Trailer (DRMKT) by having militia personnel eat their meals from the DRMKT, 27MAY2021.

South Dakota ANG photo by Senior Airman Taylor Solberg.

The DRMKT is a customized trailer.

FEMA Provides an Additional $13.3 Million to Utah for CoViD-19 Response

Region 9:

Arizona Army National Guard photo by Specialist Thurman Snyder.

More than a year later, Arizona National Guard is still conducting food distribution operations under the guise of CoViD pandemic-panic-attack!

FEMA Fire Management Assistance Granted for the Spur Fire

It seems the California Air National Guard, and other emergency responders, have been experiencing electronic attacks/problems on its communications systems during wildfire season, as $45-thousand were awarded to ‘innovators’ who took part in the National Security Innovation Network’s Beat the Blaze competition.  The ‘hackathon’ competition revealed there are problems with disaster response communications and data sharing: “This is helping us tackle a very important operational problem of data integration and dissemination….”– Lieutenant Colonel Michael Baird, California Air National Guard

Region 10: FEMA Awards $22 Million to Idaho for CoViD-19

FEMA Awards $7.5 Million to Alaska for CoViD-19 Response

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Benjamin Wagar.

On Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, U.S. Air Force and local fire fighters conducted a week long training event, called Super Drill.  It included scenarios like responding to high-rise building fires and clearing roads of downed trees.

 

Pacific Ring of Fire, May 2021, FEMA Regions 9 & 10: WARNINGS FOR ALASKA, HAWAII & WASHINGTON

FEMA Region 3, January 2020: U.S. ARMY DEPLOYS!

July 2019: THE U.S. MILITARY TRAINS TO SAVE YOUR PET FROM DISASTER!

Warnings for Alaska, Hawaii & Washington: Pacific Ring of Fire, as of 28MAY2021

Incomplete list of links to seismic/natural disaster reports from around the Pacific Ring of Fire, as of Gregorian 28 May 2020:

CANADA: “There are volcanoes in Canada….. all on the West Coast.”

ECUADOR: Alert level raised for Sangay Volcano!

FIJI: 6.5 magnitude quake.

GUATEMALA: Video shows man running towards erupting volcano!

HONDURAS:

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sergeant Lauren Brune.

 On 20MAY2021, it was revealed that U.S. taxpayers helped fund a new helicopter landing pad in Tegucigalpa, it is intended for disaster response use.

INDONESIA:  Mount Sinabung’s recent volcanic eruption, why it happened and who are at risk.

JAPAN: 5.1 mag quake.

5.4 magnitude earthquake.

Scientists just dug the deepest ocean hole in history.

Portable lighting system, USMC photo by Lance Corporal Malik Lewis.

U.S. Marine Corps personnel with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct disaster relief (humanitarian assistance) training on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, 19-21MAY2021.

MEXICO: Tallest volcano in the world.

5 mag quake.

NEW ZEALAND:  Triple Tsunami recorded!

PERU: 5.3 mag quake.

TONGA: 5 magnitude quake.

5.7 mag quake.

UNITED STATES:  A Volcanic Eruption In The Southwest U.S. Could Surprise Us Soon.

Alaska; USGS issues ‘Red’ warning for Great Sitkin Volcano.

“…the largest chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear exercise held in Alaska.”-Colonel Anthony Mortrud, Alaska National Guard

National Guard units from several states (Alaska, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Idaho, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin) conducted a massive disaster response exercise between 17th and 20th of May.  At least 250 people took part in what was called Exercise ORCA 2021:

California; Rare tsunami danger threatens San Diego coast, experts warn it could destroy businesses (no duh).

Lake Tahoe continues to shake.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Austin Fraley.

U.S. Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, conduct a simulated earthquake/disaster Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) 16MAY2021, on Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, California.

Hawaii; “I think we would expect signs of repressurization…”

Kilauea Stops Erupting.

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Northern Mariana Islands; 5 mag quake.
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Utah; 

U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sergeant First Class Brent C. Powell.

Utah Army National Guard’s Camp Williams was the site of the U.S. Army Reserve’s Exercise Vibrant Response 21.  The training was meant to test the ability of headquarters (administration) units to respond to natural disasters.

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Pacific Ring of Fire, 08-14 March 2020:  THE PERFECT FEAR

Hawgsmoke 2021: Idaho Air-Militia brings home the Bacon!

Idaho Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 17APR2021.

Pilots with Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing, 190th Fighter Squadron, accepted top honors at the Hawgsmoke 2021 competition, and it’s not about Barbeque…..

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Rachel Perkinson, 14APR2021.

…or was it?  Notice all the broken shot-glasses.  Part of the opening ceremonies, remembering fallen warriors with booze.

Hawgsmoke 2021 was held at Moody Air Force Base (AFB) in Georgia, from April 14th to the 17th.  More than 150 personnel from 13 A-10C units took part in the secretive competition: “You don’t know what the events are until about 10 minutes before takeoff. They might give you general idea of what to prepare for, but you never know until you are sitting in the cockpit.”-Lieutenant Colonel Jason Cobb, 190th Fighter Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard

And the winners are (Idaho in bold).

USAF photo by Airman Rachel Perkinson, 16APR2021

 Top Overall Flying Team: Skull Flight, 190th Fighter Squadron (FS).

 Top Tactical Team: Skull Flight, 190th FS.

 Top Basic Surface Attack: Skull Flight, 190th FS.

Individual Top Gun Overall: Captain Taylor ‘Pistol’ Price, 104th FS.

Individual Top Gun Dive Bomb: Lieutenant Colonel Aaron ‘Puff’ Palan, 358th FS.

 Individual Top Gun Low Bomb: Captain Taylor ‘Pistol’ Price, 104th FS.

 Individual Top Gun Strafe: Captain Taylor ‘Petrie’ Bye, 75th FS.

Weapons Load Competition: Staff Sergenat Riley McIrvin, Airman First Class Maria Bermudez and Senior Airman Najee King, 354th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

Marshalling Award: 354th AMU, Airman First Class Derek Delosh.

 Overall Maintenance Award: 104th AMU.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jasmine M. Barnes, 06APR2021.

In the above photo you can see the trophies being made, these are for Best Maintenance Team.  Hey, I have the same skull cap!

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jasmine M. Barnes, 15APR2021.

This A-10 is being used in the first-ever for Hawgsmoke Weapons Loading competition.

Music video by Staff Sergeant Devin Boyer of first-ever Hawgsmoke Weapons Load comp:

USAF photo by Senior Airman Hayden Legg, 16APR2021.

Here’s a really dangerous part of aircraft operations, uploading liquid oxygen for the pilot can breath. An Indiana Air National Guard Airman fills the LOX (Liquid OXygen) bottle on one of his unit’s A-10s, at Hawgsmoke 2021.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Briana Beavers, 15APR2021.

Some of the private donors (yes, Hawgsmoke is partly funded by private donations!), and other ‘distinguished visitors’, got a tour of Hawgsmoke 2021.  Hawgsmoke is a resurrection of the old Gunsmoke competition over Nellis AFB, in Nevada.  Despite military press writers, and even military personnel, constantly using the wrong word to describe when Hawgsmoke happens, it is a biennial event (not biannual, meaning twice per year), taking place every other year.  Biennial and biannual are pronounced differently, so I don’t know why personnel are constantly saying biannual for an every other year event.

“Going to Boise!” video, by Airman First Class Megan Estrada:

The Idaho Air National Guard has hosted Hawgsmoke in 2008 and 2010, and will host the Hawgsmoke competition in 2023.  It would be launched from Gowen Field, and conducted over the Orchard Combat Training Area.

April 2021: Idaho hosts .50 cal Door Gunner shoot

IDAHO HOME TO FIRST EVER NATIONAL GUARD D-A-G-I-R!

March 2021: MORALE BOOSTER A-10C GUN-RUN IN IDAHO!

Weapon I-D: Door Gunner .50 Cal

Today’s fifty-cal door gunners now use the M3 .50 caliber, a lighter weight version of the ‘old-but-gold’ M2HB (HB for Heavy Barrel), but in the door gunner configuration it’s officially called GAU-21 (GAU stands for Gun Aircraft Unit).

Via M. Pignede.

Apparently the French were the first to mount .50 caliber machine guns, on U.S. made H-34 Choctaw helicopters, during the eight years Algerian War.  The French H-34 ‘Pirate’ has M2HB .50-cals in the small windows on either side of the aircraft.  The gun in the open doorway is a 20mm.

Service Historique de l’Armée de l’Air (SHAA) photo.

This is a French experimental externally mounted .50 -cal gun turret pod, mounted on the side of an H-34.

U.S. Army photo.

The U.S. use of ‘Ma-Deuces’ as helicopter door guns began during the Viet Nam affair.  Besides the forward facing guns and rockets, this U.S. Army (USA) H-34 Choctaw has a door mounted lightweight .50-cal, as denoted by the type of barrel used.

USA photo.

Notice the unique handle/trigger on this H-34 door mount fifty.  I’m not sure if it doubles as the charging handle, or is just blocking the view of the charging handle, or the gun has the charging handle on the left side?

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Clyde R. White.

U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) CH-46s armed with .50-cals, location Arizona Territory south of Da Nang, date not given.

USMC photo.

The CH-46 could carry up to three ‘fifties’, one on the starboard side, two on the port side.  This one is armed with the M2HB.

U.S. Army photo.

UH-1D ‘Nighthawk’ Huey. For night ops, the USA tried mounting fifties to Huey’s with improvised spotlights made from C-130 landing lights.

USA photo.

This Nighthawk Huey has the standard heavy M2HB ‘ground mount’ gun.

Photo via U.S. Army Aviation Museum.

One of three ACH-47A gunships lost in Viet Nam.  Two were lost due to freak accidents, ‘Birth Control’ was shot down and then blown up on the ground by Vietnamese mortars. The ACH-47As had as many as six light weight .50-cals in door, ramp and window positions.  Only four ACH-47As were made, the surviving Chinook gunship is at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum. (see also MH-47 Special Ops Chinook, Pocatello Airport)

Since Viet Nam, attempts were made using lighter weight, faster firing .50-cals, their designations are GAU-15, GAU-16 or GAU-18.  The light weight of the guns were problematic, the guns didn’t last long.  The M3 .50-cal GAU-21 was developed and is slowly replacing the older systems. The GAU-21 M3 is claimed to have a rate of fire of 1-thousand-1-hundred per minute, and a 10-thousand round barrel life.

Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Mercedee Wilds, 22MAR2021.

‘Spud Smoke 21’; HH-60G crews, on Gowen Field in Idaho, arm-up for .50 caliber door gunning over the Orchard Combat Training Center (OCTC, formerly Orchard Training Area), 22MAR2021.

Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Mercedee Wilds, 22MAR2021.

This mustachioed Pave Hawk is home-based on Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, but flew up to Idaho to let off some 12.7×99-mm steam.

Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Joshua C. Allmaras, 19MAR2021.

Spud Smoke 21 took place between March 8th and 28th, 2021.  It included active duty units from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and U.S. Army (USA), 11 units in total.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Ross, 19MAR2021.

Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Mercedee Wilds, 22MAR2021.

Video, by Senior Airman Blake Gonzales, showing HH-60G Pave Hawk crews uploading their GAUs and heading out over the Idaho Steppes (Orchard Combat Training Center):

More Idaho shoot ’em up video, by Senior Airman Blake Gonzales, 17MAR2021:

If you’re trying to build a helicopter model with a GAU door-gun system you’ll need photos of the specific system you’re modeling because they can differ greatly from between each service of the U.S. military, and between the type of aircraft using it.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Third Class Toni Burton, 03JUN2019.

GAU-21 equipped MH-60R Sea Hawk onboard USS Antietam (CG 54), somewhere in the South China Sea, June 2019.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Philip Steiner, 11SEP2017.

Notice the handle/trigger system on the USAF CV-22 Osprey .50-cal tail gun, somewhere over merry ole England, September 2017.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Philip Steiner, 11SEP2017.

The handle/trigger system is very different than what’s seen on USAF HH-60G Pave Hawks.

USAF photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 26JUL2017.

July 2017, Kadena Air Base, Japan, USAF personnel tear-down a GAU-18.

USAF photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 26JUL2017.

When you check out the photos, also notice slight differences in muzzle brakes.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Joshua Bryce Bruns, 20APR2017.

U.S. Navy (USN) .50-cal gunner, positioned on the rear ramp of a MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Joshua Bryce Bruns, 20APR2017.

Filling the Persian Gulf with 12.7mm ‘lead’, 20APR2017.  Take that you terrorist waters!

USMC photo by Corporal Matthew Kirk, over Hawaii, 25OCT2018.

Compare this USN/USMC .50-cal handle-trigger system to the types used by USAF crews.

Video by Lance Corporal Christopher D. Thompson, U.S. Marine Corps GAU-21 live-fire training on the Chocolate Mountain Gunnery Refinement Range, California, 01APR2016:

USAF photo by Senior Airman Betty R. Chevalier, 09JUN2015.

June 2015, tail gunner position on German CH-53GS, which was visiting Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for the Angel Thunder wargame.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Betty R. Chevalier, 09JUN2015.

It appears the Germans use a handle/trigger system that’s similar to the U.S. Marines.

USMC video, by Lance Corporal Logan Snyder, HMM-774 conducts one last .50-cal gun-run with its retiring CH-46 ‘Phrogs’, 17APR2015:

USMC video by Lance Corporal Jordan Walker, CH-53E Super Stallion making .50-cal gun-runs during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course near Yuma, Arizona, October 2014:

USMC video by Lance Corporal Jordan Walker, showing a MV-22B Osprey tail gunner using the old GAU-16 system, near Yuma, Arizona, 2014:

USMC photo by Corporal Adam Dublinske, 23OCT2018.

Here’s a look at the USN/USMC gun mount, sans gun, in a UH-1Y out of Yuma Marine Corps Air Station, 2018.

USMC video by Corporal Rashaun X. James, a CH-53D crew chief loads her window mounted .50-cal for an upcoming mission over Afghanistan, Spring 2011:

USMC photo by Sergeant Derek Carlson, 09DEC2010.

A GAU-16 aims out the side window of a CH-53D somewhere over Afghanistan, December 2010.

USMC video of the last days of UH-1N Iroquois gunship operations in Afghanistan, 2009:

USMC photo by Corporal Seth Maggard, 29SEP2008.

Here’s a very simple .50-cal window mount (similar to what was used on the Viet Nam ACH-47A) in a CH-46 Sea Knight, over the Jazirah Desert, Iraq, September 2008.

USMC photo by Staff Sergeant John A. Lee the Second, 12DEC2007.

 

USMC UH-1Y Venom helicopters are usually armed with one GAU-21 and one GAU-17 ‘minigun’.  A UH-1Y somewhere near Yuma, Arizona, December 2007.

USMC photo by Corporal Alison L. Martinez, 11DEC2007.

Watch out Yuma, Arizona, this CH-53 Super Stallion ‘tail gunner’ could be gunning for you!  December 2007.

Weapon I-D: WYOMING AIR MILITIA 50-CAL LIVE FIRE!

Weapon I-D: MARK 82

Vehicle I-D: IRAQI HUEY

Idaho home to first ever National Guard D-A-G-I-R!

05 April 2021 (15:50-UTC-07 Tango 06) 16 Farvardin 1400/22 Sha’ban 1442/24 Ren-Chen 4719

Notice the ladder looking antenna coming off the bustle rack. Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 04MAR2021.

The vastness of the Steppes of South Western Idaho.  Back when I was ‘in’ we called it Orchard Training Area (OTA), now it’s called Orchard Combat Training Center (OCTC).  It is located on federal land (60% of land in Idaho is actually owned by the federales).

ING photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 04MAR2021.

On 04MAR2021, the Idaho National Guard revealed its new Digital Air Ground Integrated Range (DAGIR), the first to be operated by the National Guard.  It’s the second DAGIR in operation in the United States, the other DAGIR is operated by the U.S. Army (USA) on Fort Bliss, Texas/New Mexico (a second USA DAGIR is currently under construction on Fort Knox, Kentucky).

A better view of the DAGIR antenna. ING photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 04MAR2021.

USA video report by David Poe, from November 2020, explaining the Fort Bliss DAGIR (which straddles the Texas-New Mexico border):

DAGIR allows armor, infantry and helicopter units to conduct combined arms live-fire wargames, while receiving performance feedback in real-time: “This fully instrumented range will make it possible for military personnel within Idaho and the United States to coordinate and practice accomplishing missions from the ground and air simultaneously.”-Colonel Matthew Godfrey, Idaho Army National Guard

As many as 2-hundred types of targets can be used in more than 4-hundred scenarios, all recorded for posterity: “Video doesn’t lie. Soldiers and leaders will have the ability to go back and re-watch what they just executed like never before. This will help fine-tune points you can’t see on most ranges and allow units to use the recording to prepare for future gunnery cycles and use it as a training tool.”-Major Joe Doyle, OCTC range officer

The Steppes of South West Idaho are so vast that the new DAGIR is only one of 23 other military ranges on the OTA, oops, I mean OCTC.

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Idaho’s Tigers & Thunderbolts blast the skies over Florida!

Idaho’s Thunderbolts and Bold Tigers routinely take part in Checkered Flag training over Florida: “They’re able to put together a bigger airspace for us than is available in the Nellis Test and Training Range, which means you can bring together more effectively much larger numbers of aircraft.”-Lieutenant Colonel Mark Nyberg, 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’, November 2017

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Tiffany Price.

Checkered Flag is a wargame meant to ensure that U.S. Air Force and various state Air National Guard units can work together using the latest aircraft technology.

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Tiffany Price, 06NOV2020.

In the above photo, from Checkered Flag 21-1 (November 2020), an Idaho Thunderbolts F-15E is in the background, a California National Guard F-15C is in the foreground.

Video by Senior Airman Jacob Dastas, Idaho Thunderbolts at Checkered Flag 21-1:

Idaho’s Thunderbolts and Bold Tigers represent two different squadrons within the same wing based at Mountain Home Air Force Base (366th Fighter Wing, aka Gunfighters due to strapping 20mm Vulcan gun-pods to the bellies of their F-4Cs in Viet Nam).

USAF photo by Airman First Class Isaiah J. Soliz, 06NOV2017.

Thunderbolts at Checkered Flag 18-1, November 2017.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz, 16DEC2016.

The 391st Fighter Squadron (Bold Tigers) uses a tiger striped orange fin flash, while the 389th Fighter Squadron (originally flying P-47D Thunderbolts in World War Two) uses a maroon/red fin flash with a yellow lightning bolt.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz

Thunderbolts in the skies over Florida, 12DEC2016.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz

Thunderbolt touch-down during Checkered Flag 17-1, 12DEC2016.

Video by Staff Sergeant William Jackson, Bold Tigers at Checkered Flag 17-1:

Red Flag 21-2:

SINGAPORE’S IDAHO BASED SKY PIRATES BOMB LAS VEGAS?

Pandemic Morale Flights: SINGAPORE SKY PIRATES & IDAHO GUNFIGHTERS

Vehicle I-D: F-15EX HAS ARRIVED! COMMANDER SAYS “IT’S AN EX-CITING DAY!”

Singapore’s Idaho based Sky Pirates bomb Las Vegas?

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak.

Republic of Singapore’s F-15SG Strike Eagles of the 428th Fighter Squadron ‘Buccaneers’ are based on Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB), in Southern Idaho.  But at the beginning of March 2021, they attacked the air space over Las Vegas, Nevada!

USAF photo by William R. Lewis, 18MAR2021.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak, 16MAR2021.

It’s part of Red Flag 21-2 wargame, over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis AFB.

USAF photo by William R. Lewis, 18MAR2021.

U.S. Air Force video by Senior Airman JaNae Capuno, F-15SG Buccaneer during Red Flag 21-2, 15MAR2021:

USAF photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak.

Not all of Singapore’s Idaho Buccaneers have fancy painted tails, this one was seen over Mountain Home AFB, 01MAR2021.  I also noticed that the F-15SG has similar antennae and ECM bumps as the new F-15EX.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak, 08MAR2021.

Red Flag 21-2 runs from March 8th through March 19th, 2021.

Pandemic Morale Flights: SINGAPORE SKY PIRATES & IDAHO GUNSLINGERS

Biden’s War: Connecticut deploys to Africa!

On 10MAR2021, just short of six hundred Connecticut National Guard personnel deployed to ‘The Horn of Africa’.  Now that Joe Biden is President, it’s his war now!

Connecticut Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Steven Tucker.

New England Patriots football team airliner, a Boeing 767-300ER, is used to transport more than one hundred Army National Guard infantry, from Bradley Air National Guard Base in East Granby, to somewhere in East Africa (after a short diversion to Fort Bliss, Texas, for deployment training).

Connecticut Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Steven Tucker.

The Patriots’ 767s are former American Airlines airliners.  Two ‘AirKraft’ 767s were bought in 2017.

Video from 07MAR2021, by Staff Sergeant Katie Gandori, of Connecticut’s 1-102 Infantry prepping for deployment:

Connecticut Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Steven Tucker.

Back in April 2020, the Patriot’s airliner delivered one million Chinese made N95 masks to Massachusetts.

(Project Air Bridge: RECORD SETTING PANDEMIC AIRBRIDGE CONTINUES.)

Connecticut Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Steven Tucker.

Video interview, by Timothy Koster, where Command Sergeant Major Daniel Morgan and Lieutenant Colonel Frank Tantillo respond to questions about deploying under the pandemic panic-attack restrictions of CoViD-19:

Connecticut Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Steven Tucker.

The Patriot’s airliner was one of several ‘silly-vilian’ contracted airliners that were used to deploy the state militia.

Connecticut National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Katie Grandori.

Connecticut National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Katie Grandori.

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