Thread: National Guard helicopters deploy to U.S.-Mexico border

15 hours ago • John Lee McLaughlin
rapidcityjournal.com


An LUH-72 Lakota helicopter lifts off for a training mission from Rapid City's Army Aviation Support Facilty in preparation for deployment to the southwest U.S. border.

South Dakota National Guard troops have recently been deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time with their own set of LUH-72 Lakota choppers.

"We're doing area monitoring and surveillance for drug smuggling, human trafficking or illegal immigration," Maj. Anthony Deiss, spokesman for the South Dakota National Guard, said Thursday.

Deiss said while he can't divulge details of the mission — like how many soldiers have been deployed and how long they'll be there — the troops will be handling aerial surveillance for the U.S. Border Patrol along the southwest border of the U.S.

"The Guard is excited to be a part of the southwest border mission," he said. "It's an opportunity for us to get real-world training for our crews to be able to use the aircraft and that is going to be a benefit for our organization and the state should we ever have to use these aircraft for a mission in our state."

Deiss said the Guard's Rapid City Army Aviation Support Facility received its first Lakota helicopter in May 2011 after it phased out the OH-58 Kiowa squad.

He said the Rapid City base now has four Lakotas with two more on the way.

"This is the first real big opportunity to employ the capabilities of the Lakota aircraft," Deiss said. "As they're doing the aerial surveillance, they will be in contact with U.S. Border control agents to relay information about activity along the border, giving real-time information."

The Lakotas are fitted with visual and infrared cameras and a high-powered "eye-in-the-sky" search lamp for day or night use, according to a press release.

Deiss said this year's aircraft deployment to the border is the second for the South Dakota National Guard. The Guard was previously deployed in 2006-2007 and used their Kiowa helicopters.

Until now, the Lakota helicopters have only been used in state missions and for training, according to the release.

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/loc...dd6aa3539.html

These things can literally fly less than 50' off the ground, and at good chase speed. They can easily hunt down anything the cartels have on the ground ..