Escape From D.C.: Air Force Sets Up New Unit To Extract VIPs During Emergencies

VIPs spirited off to secret sites outside the United States capital in case of a major crisis, terrorist attack, incoming nuclear strike, or other emergency are getting a new ride out of town. The Fifth Helicopter Squadron, an elite United States Air Force unit now charged with taking to the skies over Washington, D.C., to ensure continuity of government, is the first new helicopter squadron activated by the Air Force in nearly 60 years.The First Helicopter Squadron was responsible for evacuations and rescues in the D.C. area. Since the Cold War, the U.S. government has retained plans for preserving civilian leadership of the country if senior leaders are targeted, killed, or incapacitated by an enemy attack. The First Squadron responded to remove senior officials from the capital on September 11, 2001. The Fifth Squadron, fulfilling the airlift mission that has lasted since 1969, will be on 24/7 alert and will fly out of Joint Base Andrews — the same location in Maryland where Air Force One departs and arrives to bring the president to and from the capital city. In emergency cases, the Fifth Squadron will ferry lawmakers, Cabinet secretaries, and elite members of the administration out of danger to sites like Raven Rock in southern Pennsylvania or Mount Weather in Virginia. “Our priority is to maintain uninterrupted mission support and ensure the safety of our aircrew, senior leaders and neighbors while preparing the next generation of airmen for future operations,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Bonilla, who was named commander of the Fifth Squadron. “The airmen here have carried out this mission for more than half a century.”Amid new threats from Russia and escalating tensions with China, the new squadron was activated last Thursday. During the ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Colonel Kevin Geoffroy called the new squadron’s task a “no-fail mission.”The change in command is part of an upgrade and replacement program for the aging Huey helicopters currently tasked with the evacuation mission. Three of the First Squadron’s Hueys flew missions in Vietnam and are still flying today.The First Squadron’s Bell UH-1 Huey helicopters will be replaced by bigger HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters. The HH-60W received the honorific “Jolly Green” in 2020, recognizing the U.S. Army’s “Jolly Green Giant” helicopters that brought numerous aviators back to safety during the Vietnam War after the pilots were downed in enemy territory. Their combat search and rescue efforts were epitomized by the motto “That Others May Live.”“The HH-60W’s increased speed, range, and carrying capacity will better deliver safe operations for U.S. senior leaders, service members, and the communities around the region,” an Air Force news release said.The Air Force says the Jolly Green II offers better communication and navigation capabilities, weather monitoring equipment, and survivability systems compared to the Huey. It is faster than the Huey and has improved carrying capability.The Jolly Green II can refuel in mid-air, an added benefit for missions where it may need to be aloft for long periods of time. It can be equipped with machine guns at its doors for self-defense purposes. The Fifth Helicopter Squadron will eventually have 26 Jolly Green IIs at its disposal. The helicopters will not be delivered for several years, but the New York Air National Guard and its 106th Rescue Wing flew in a Jolly Green II to Andrews last week so it could be on hand for the activation ceremony.The new unit will operate side-by-side with the First Helicopter Squadron for the next few years, flying missions including disaster response, medical evacuation, search and rescue and transportation. The Air Force says the Fifth Helicopter Squadron will be fully operational by 2030.

Escape From D.C.: Air Force Sets Up New Unit To Extract VIPs During Emergencies

Escape From D.C.: Air Force Sets Up New Unit To Extract VIPs During Emergencies

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