Puppet Masters

US military 'makes history' with landing of modern military aircraft on civilian road on US soil

Justine Lofton
Michigan Live
Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:18 UTC

Aircraft from the US Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard trained on a highway near Alpena, Michigan, on August 5, marking the first time modern military aircraft had intentionally landed on a civilian road on US soil.

Four A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and two C-146 Wolfhounds took part in the training exercise, which involved the aircraft taking off and landing from the closed stretch of highway.

In this footage, Lt Col Brian Wyrzykowski, the commander of the exercise, said it "represents a new capability...for the United States military. Our adversaries have advanced weapon systems and advanced technology that they can immediately put our forces and our bases and our personnel at risk...we need to be able to operate from austere, unpredictable locations."

Comment: Rather strange claims considering an American highway is not exactly comparable to an 'austere and unpredictable' location, nor how this ability is any match for advanced weapon systems.

MLive reported on August 2nd with more details on the preparations building up to the event:

Crews from several military units will land six aircraft on M-32 near Alpena on Thursday, Aug. 5, according to a news release from the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (DMVA). The highway will be closed for the exercise from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from east of Herron Road to west of King Settlement Road; traffic will be detoured on M-65, Werth Road, US-23 and Ripley Street.

"This is believed to be the first time in history that modern Air Force aircraft have intentionally landed on a civilian roadway on U.S. soil," U.S. Air Force Col. James Rossi, Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center commander, said in a statement. "Our efforts are focused on our ability to train the warfighter in any environment across the continuum so our nation can compete, deter, and win today and tomorrow."

The exercise is part of the annual Northern Strike war-readiness training event happening through Aug. 14 at the National All Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC), which encompasses the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center and Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center.

Units participating in the highway landing are the Michigan Air National Guard's 127th Wing from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, the Air Force's 355th Wing from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona and the Air Force Special Operations Command from Duke Field in Florida. They will land four A-10 aircraft and two C-146 aircraft on M-32 near the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.

The exercise is meant to "demonstrate how active duty and reserve-component units can integrate to project combat airpower in austere environments," according to the release.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft is specifically designed to operate in this kind of location and the ability has already been demonstrated, the release said. In June 2018, A-10s from the Michigan Air National Guard conducted highway landings in Estonia as part of the multinational exercise Saber Strike.

So the only novelty here is that it landed on a US, civilian highway?

Civilians should not gather near the closed roadway and should avoid the landing zones.

Northern Strike is an annual training exercise hosted by the Michigan National Guard since 2012. This year, there are about 5,100 participants from three U.S. Army components, U.S. Air Force active duty and guard, U.S. Marine and U.S. Navy components, plus units from the United Kingdom, Latvia and Liberia.

The yearly training exercise simulates "a realistic wartime environment" and focuses on expeditionary skills, command and control, sustainment and joint-integrated fires, according to the DMVA. The program includes exercises that require units from different military branches, and even different countries, to work together in complex, time-sensitive scenarios.

One wonders just why this ability and its demonstration was suddenly deemed necessary?

See also:

Reader Comments

smertzasmert · 2021-08-10T11:23:20Z

translation: we need t operate vs US citizens

gonexploring · 2021-08-10T17:08:17Z

smertzasmert my thinking straight away.

C-dog · 2021-08-10T11:31:05Z

That "history" was made in the 1920s. [Link]

bj0311 · 2021-08-10T12:36:54Z

SOP in Russia. Did they just figure out that the national defense high system might work for aircraft? Genius I tell you inhabit the puzzle palace.

Rabelais · 2021-08-10T13:55:09Z

bj0311 "Early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation."

The above is now treated like an 'urban legend,' but I remember when this was discussed, as a selling point, in the media back in the day. It may not have been a regulation, one out of every 5 miles, but the military considered it a valuable asset for this purpose.

LadyRad · 2021-08-10T12:43:06Z

On August 5th the US Navi Leapfrogs parachuted from 8,000’ onto the great lawn in Central Park! It was said to be for entertainment purposes… sure it was. Probably getting ready for when they close all the bridges and tunnels to the city. Here’s the link:

[Link]

Chester Goode · 2021-08-10T13:34:41Z

In a SHTF situation or some sort of mass uprising, this may not work. It is obviously designed to strike at "rebels" operating within the US. However there will still be wires up during SHTF, there will be roadblocks set up by gangs or interest groups wanting to keep outsiders away from their area, and there may likely still be some highway wheel traffic, all preventing a sudden landing. As far as having fuel and ammo ready to "get back in the fight" as this fellow says, how would anyone know where and when to dump large supplies of fuel and ammo in advance, or to be sure that the "enemy" wouldn't capture such stocks? They can't beat foreigners, so the American people are becoming their new target.

Tsidkenu · 2021-08-10T13:46:21Z

Do you think the US and other allied nations spend the last 19 years honing military doctrines for urban engagement? When I did my rifleman training in the Aus Army (9th RQR), we spent most of our time on urban combat.

Not because terrorists live in cities.

Not because we ever fought in cities.

It was for now. So when civilian populations rise up in anger against their wicked and perverse governments, their militaries already have ample practice in killing civilian populations in cities.

Christian83 · 2021-08-10T14:50:43Z

Wouldn't it be easier to just use a helicopter?

DeliciousTears · 2021-08-10T15:30:21Z

Every evil empire is threatened not by barbarians at the gate but by enemies within. Crushing dissent is key in the final metastatic stages of the tyranny disease.

asino · 2021-08-10T17:37:24Z

SOP in Switzerland and elsewhere since DECADES.

StonedMentat · 2021-08-10T19:04:57Z

They didn’t try that in Texas. You know what hitting an armadillo can do to an A-10 Warthog?

Suck in a few hundred Cicadas and you are looking at an engine overhaul.

It was a 40 million dollar Airborne Warning and Control System versus a 70 dollar professional box kite. I call it even. Hand string to 3 year old and walk away.

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-08-10T22:44:26Z

This portends nothing good for freedom loving folks. The thought of being on the receiving end of one of those things, or a Specter or Apache gunship, etc., is terrifying. See, e.g.,A10: [Link] ; C-130 [Link] [Link] Apache [Link] ;

R.C.

AA had an article on it, FWIW.

RC

Chester Goode · 2021-08-11T05:16:52Z

Rowan Cocoan They can be knocked down, as the Vietnamese proved. The Afghans used rifle grenades against the helicopters they found flying through their mountains. Planes are at a disadvantage when they are landing. Various weapons can come into play then. And the big question remains: will American soldiers open fire on American citizens if they are ordered to? They have done so at times. Shots were fired at the Bonus Marchers of the 1930's and the striking miners out west in the early 1900's--the Joe Hill days. Everyone knows what happened at Kent State, but that was the National Guard. During the Detroit riots of the 1960's soldiers of the 82nd Airborne, stationed at the time in Texas, were ordered to prepare to be flown to Detroit to violently suppress the riots. They refused and a borderline mutiny ensued. We will see, I suppose.

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-08-11T05:21:45Z

Chester Goode Planes are at a disadvantage when they are landing.

Amen.

1) Dien Bien Phu. I remember reading a good Military History article about that which ended with the observation that Giap was there in the tunnels and the French commander was back in Saigon, or such.

2) Tom Clancy, Debt of Honor. (Kelly & whoever take out planes by blinding the pilots.)

As re, "And the big question remains: will American soldiers open fire on American citizens if they are ordered to? They have done so at times.", that's another big and important question. When I think about it (gee thanks!) I've gotta think that these same American Idiots who can't figure out which way is up will probably follow orders - Team FUKUSraHell has done their damnedest to make them lose their moral compasses.

As re the 60's, kids then still had moral compasses; not today I fear. (I will treat any forceful takeaway of my body for BS / VAX reasons the same as if someone was going to shoot me.) If habeas corpus still existed I'd think about it, but it doesn't. I was born 58 you?

RC

StonedMentat · 2021-08-11T10:41:10Z

Chester Goode The commanders at the bonus marches were the Fascists MacArthur and Patton. Patton had a regular habit of murdering German prisoners in WWII because they slowed him down. MacArthur staged the Korean invasion and then the whiny loser wanted to use Nukes when he started losing.

Shooting, fragging, or running over fascist officers is a traditional American military virtue.

Chester Goode · 2021-08-11T13:00:09Z

Rowan Cocoan Suffice it to say I have a few years on you RC. (Too damn many, lol!)

Lord Henry Sinclair deposited The Treasure in the money pit from the Temple of Jerusalem that Knights Templar found in 1112. Crusade was cover for...

MacCos

Lithium is vital to the future development of green energy. "Green energy" is dead. Get over it.

codis

As other commentators often said, this is a lowball number. The Russians consider only direct frontline losses they can count and confirm.

codis

Hailed as the largest exercises that NATO has held in decades, the maneuvers will feature some 90,000 troops from all 32 member states, according...

codis

Everyone has a different view of the information/narrative and interesting to see them here. Mine are in the possibilities pile. Belief is the...

Gnostic

Puppet Masters

US military 'makes history' with landing of modern military aircraft on civilian road on US soil

Reader Comments

Latest News

Picture of the Day

Quote of the Day

Recent Comments

Quantum Quirk