The U.S. Army has been quietly conducting a new classified operation involving at least 10 UH-60 Black Hawks in and around Washington, D.C., for months. This mission came to light after the service asked Congress to shift $1.55 million in funds from one part of its budget to another in order to support the operations and maintenance of the helicopters.
Bloomberg was first to report on this “emerging classified flight mission” after obtaining an Army reprogramming request. The $1.55 million for this operation is part of a broader request to funnel approximately $2.5 billion in total from various parts of the service’s budget to other areas that it feels are of greater importance. By law, all the branches of the U.S. military have to ask permission to reallocate funds that Congress has already approved for other purposes.
“Soldiers from assault helicopter company and aviation maintenance units will be supporting the mission with 10 UH-60s and maintenance capabilities for four months,” the request says, according to Bloomberg. “Without additional funding, the Army will not be able to perform this classified mission.”
The document does not identify any units specifically or offer any details about the classified operation itself. Wayne Hall, an Army spokesperson, declined to offer any additional specifics to Bloomberg, but did say that the mission had begun early in the 2019 Fiscal Year, which started on Oct. 1, 2018, and had an “undetermined” end date.
VERIFIED WITH 2ND STORY:
The Pentagon has revealed a few details about a secret Army mission that has Black Hawk helicopters flying missions over the Washington, D.C., area backed by active-duty and reserve soldiers.
The mysterious classified operation was disclosed when the Army asked Congress for approval to shift funds to provide an extra $1.55 million for aircraft maintenance, air crews and travel in support of an “emerging classified flight mission.”
The SCIF mentioned in the article, together with the mention of the Black Hawks, strongly points to the unit in question being the Army’s relatively obscure 12th Aviation Battalion…………..
The 12th has a far less well-known mission as part of the U.S. government’s extensive “continuity of government” planning to keep running in the event of a major disaster, widespread enemy attack, or other crises.
h/t WyatteSmith