Downtown Los Angeles sees US military hold unexpected war drill - UPDATE

Tyler Durden
Zerohedge
Tue, 05 Feb 2019 14:14 UTC

Helicopters swarmed overhead...

Loud booms echoed through the streets...

No, this is not Beirut, Damascus, or Kabul - it's Downtown Los Angeles.

As The LA Times reports, a series of loud booms that rocked downtown LA on Monday night startled some people, but LAPD said there was no need to be concerned, as the noises were part of a U.S. Army training exercise involving aircraft and weapon simulations in urban settings.

The training is set to run through Saturday in Los Angeles and Long Beach.

"Residents may hear sounds associated with the training, including aircraft and weapon simulations" the LAPD said in a news release.

"Each location selected enables special operations teams and flight crews to maintain maximum readiness and proficiency, validate equipment and exercise standard safety procedures.

The training is essential to ensure service members are fully trained and prepared to defend our nation overseas."

The army also noted that:

"The local terrain and training facilities in Los Angeles provide the Army with unique locations and simulates urban environments the service members may encounter when deployed overseas.

"There is no replacement for realistic training."

But not everyone got the message...

As MCViewPoint noted, "Not the first 'urban training' article of late. The war machine can never remember to tell anyone ahead of time. Because you don't want to take a chance on advertising the real thing (martial law) when it happens."

Comment: RT provides more information on this bizarre drill that clearly startled many residents and their tweets give some insight into what was going through their minds:

Dozens of Black Hawk helicopters descended on downtown Los Angeles Monday night while residents reported explosions and scrambled to find out if they were looking at a military invasion or a film shoot.

The sinister flock of military birds hovered and zoomed through the high-rise canyons of downtown, accompanied by strange explosions and military maneuvers - and zero explanation from the authorities as to what was going on for what must have seemed like hours.

At least one helicopter actually landed on Wiltshire Boulevard in downtown LA, and explosions were heard all over the city.

The LA Police Department belatedly released a statement assuring Angelenos that it was only a drill, explaining "members of the US Army" had cleared the "military training" with local police and officials.

"The purpose of the training is to enhance soldier skills by operating in various urban environments and settings," the LAPD wrote, stressing that "safety precautions" were in place to prevent "unnecessary risk to both participants and/or area residents and property."

While local news reportedly called the operation an "unannounced exercise to keep the troops sharp," the LAPD claimed "citizens in close proximity to the areas where the training will take place will be notified prior to the training."

Yet they apparently didn't notify everyone, as locals took to Twitter in varying states of terror to try to find out what was happening.

While everyone was looking at the helicopters, a P-8A Poseidon circled the city for hours. The high-powered surveillance craft, known as a "submarine killer," set tongues wagging.

The military exercise, which reportedly involved Special Forces, will continue through Saturday. While the choice of downtown Los Angeles is supposed to "simulate urban environments the service members may encounter when deployed overseas," more than a few worried they were training for a mission closer to home.