Question for Ex-Military men and women re: Helicopter snap shots from 12-11-18

[IRL_Joanie]

OK, So while watching the departure yesterday, December 11, 2018, of the Konigsdam from Ft Lauderdale there were 2 choppers that came in and landed for a couple minutes at the complex across from the Condos. I have a couple of questions.

 

1. Am I the only one that noticed there were absolutely no markings on them? No Nothing............ (4 SNAPS ATTACHED)

2. I would think they might be on a clandestine mission, but in full daylight with hundreds, possibly thousands watching and recording?

3. Any thoughts???

Edited December 12, 2018 by IRL_Joanie
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[chengkp75]

As far as I know, military aircraft are not required to have registration numbers like civil aircraft, and only typically show a "tail number" showing the squadron/group it belongs to, and perhaps a "US" armed forces designation.  However, clandestine units will operate aircraft without markings.  Unless the tactical situation requires, these aircraft will "squawk" the proper identification code so that air traffic control will know them on radar, and will identify themselves to VFR (visual flight rules) aircraft simply as "US military aircraft".  There is an article from January, where it was disclosed that Broward County had agreed to let special forces train in and around county buildings and unused properties.

[POA1]

J - 

 

I think they're just doing training. It's been going on for a few days. There's a blackhawk followed by a smaller helicopter and they've been running variations on the same pattern for a couple of days now. 

 

That little spit of land is US Naval Surface Warfare. I'm not sure if you can see all the antennas and arrays on the webcam. 

[Copper10-8]

As discussed on the thread in question, that was a U.S. Army (or Florida Army National Guard) Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk. The markings are usually "United States Army" printed out on the rear fuselage. The second helo was a Bell 407 which the U.S. military does not possess and/or use. That one, likely, belonged to a civilian Florida law enforcement agency.

 

If you watched closely, you could see at least one of the "passengers" dressed in tactical gear, gloves and helmets enter the helo while carrying a thick "fast rope." That rope was attached to an upper bracket by its crew chief (you can see it semi-dangling in the fourth pic through the open cabin door). At least one of those guys had a neatly trimmed beard. Active duty U.S. Army personnel can only grow facial hair while in theater and in operations such as the ones in Afghanistan

 

The Blackhawk (as well as the Bell 407 as an escort) returned at least three times void of "passengers" to the temp. landing pad on the south side of the PE entrance channel and loaded up again until the last operators had been picked up. That is not a "clandestine operation", which would never take place in brought daylight under the watchful eyes of thousands of cruise ship passengers and local residents, rather appeared to be a combined military/law enforcement training session where those same (SWAT) operators were inserted into a nearby training site via fast rope

[IRL_Joanie]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

As far as I know, military aircraft are not required to have registration numbers like civil aircraft, and only typically show a "tail number" showing the squadron/group it belongs to, and perhaps a "US" armed forces designation.  However, clandestine units will operate aircraft without markings.  Unless the tactical situation requires, these aircraft will "squawk" the proper identification code so that air traffic control will know them on radar, and will identify themselves to VFR (visual flight rules) aircraft simply as "US military aircraft".  There is an article from January, where it was disclosed that Broward County had agreed to let special forces train in and around county buildings and unused properties.

 

OK, I have tried the Multi Quote for your post and both of Copper10-8's replies to me, but all I see is yours.... I do not like this new forum...

 

OK so for both you and Copper10-8

 

Thank you for your insights. I thought it was some sort of clandestine event due to no markings whatsoever. I also noticed that they carried something large on to the Chopper. I guess that was some of the equipment and you've clarified it for me.

 

Thanks Guys!! We learn many things from cruise critic members:)

 

Joanie

Edited December 13, 2018 by IRL_Joanie

[POA1]

11 hours ago, IRL_Joanie said:

 

OK, I have tried the Multi Quote for your post and both of Copper10-8's replies to me, but all I see is yours.... I do not like this new forum

You have to click on the little + plus sign to "pick up" a quote. Then repeat, picking up any additional quotes you want. After you've pressed the +, a black Insert quote button appears. Click on it to insert the accumulated quotes. 

[mo&fran]

These exercises do occur in our area occasionly, and local news media does alert us beforehand.

Edited December 13, 2018 by mo&fran

[IRL_Joanie]

40 minutes ago, mo&fran said:

These exercises do occur in our area occasionly, and local news media does alert us beforehand.

 

Ah Ha!! Here when our Military, including National Guard do not notify us. Only way we know something is happening is when we hear the Choppers and jets (F-15's or 16's?)

 

OK, I'm using you're post as a Test of POA's instructions on Multi-Quoting. So here goes.......

 

12 hours ago, IRL_Joanie said:

 

OK, I have tried the Multi Quote for your post and both of Copper10-8's replies to me, but all I see is yours.... I do not like this new forum...

 

OK so for both you and Copper10-8

 

Thank you for your insights. I thought it was some sort of clandestine event due to no markings whatsoever. I also noticed that they carried something large on to the Chopper. I guess that was some of the equipment and you've clarified it for me.

 

Thanks Guys!! We learn many things from cruise critic members:)

 

Joanie

 

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

You have to click on the little + plus sign to "pick up" a quote. Then repeat, picking up any additional quotes you want. After you've pressed the +, a black Insert quote button appears. Click on it to insert the accumulated quotes. 

 

It works!!! Thanks Brian:)

 

 

[POA1]

2 minutes ago, IRL_Joanie said:

It works!!! Thanks Brian:)

 

 

 

 

Happy to help!  The quoting is one of the things I like best about this new system - at least once I figured it out.

[beachbunny6]

Although I could not find the latest map rendering, here is an older one, which shows the area across the Intracoastal from the port.  It is a Coast Guard Station, so it would be common for military units to be going in and out of there, as POA1 said.

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, fyree39 said:

I thought beards could be grown if there is folliculitis present. I worked on the Seahawk which, of course, is vastly superior to the Blackhawk. Go Navy! 😄

 

 

 

I'm with ya on that one! Go Navy/Marine Corps, beat Army! 

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, beachbunny6 said:

Although I could not find the latest map rendering, here is an older one, which shows the area across the Intracoastal from the port.  It is a Coast Guard Station, so it would be common for military units to be going in and out of there, as POA1 said.

 

Coast Guard Station Ft. Lauderdale is actually the area outlined in brown and is caddy corner across from Port Everglades brand new berth 25. They do have a helo pad for visiting Dolphin and Jayhawk helos from Coast Guard Air Station Miami (Opa-locka airport). The spit of land where the Army/Police helos were landing on the south side of the ICW is also federal property however, belongs to the U.S. Navy and is known by the very long name of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division's South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility (SFOMF)

 

https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Carderock/Who-We-Are/Fort-Lauderdale-Florida/

[POA1]

4 hours ago, beachbunny6 said:

Although I could not find the latest map rendering, here is an older one, which shows the area across the Intracoastal from the port.  It is a Coast Guard Station, so it would be common for military units to be going in and out of there, as POA1 said.

 

I think the exercises were held at the Naval Surface Warefare complex. They have the land on the spit by the seawall.