Secret Black Hawk helicopter flights are now permanent in Washington D.C., as part of a mission that focuses on being prepared for natural disasters and terrorist attacks in the air space over the U.S. capitol.
Not much else is know about the mysterious flights, which were first detected by residents this year who complained about late-night aircraft noise.
The army accidentally acknowledged the classified mission in a request to Congress for funding back in September.
'Without additional funding, the Army will not be able to perform this classified mission,' the Defense Department said at the time,
Bloomberg reports.
Secret Black Hawk helicopter flights are now permanent in Washington D.C., as part of a mission that focuses on being prepared for natural disasters and terrorist attacks in the air space over the U.S. capitol, confirms a military spokesman
The army said the mission's duration was undetermined, when initially asked by Bloomberg.
Congress followed up approving $1.6 million to renovate a 'Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility' at Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
'The facilities are currently undergoing renovation,' for what's now 'an enduring mission,' said Colonel Sunset Belinsky, a spokeswoman for the Army Military District of Washington, in an update sent by email to Bloomberg on Friday.
Despite being classified, Belinsky was able to say that operation supports the military's National Capitol Region mission 'to be prepared to respond to a natural or manmade disaster'.
Congressman Don Beyer of northern Virginia told Bloomberg earlier this year that he had heard from residents complaining about aircraft noise from late night helicopter flights.
After Bloomberg disclosed the operation in July, the Democrat law maker said he met with Brigadier General Omar Jones, the commander of the Military District of Washington.
'They agreed to work together to seek ways to mitigate helicopter noise for Northern Virginia,' Beyer's office said in a statement.
When asked whether the mission includes the Army's Delta Force, the Navy's Seal Team Six, the Army's separate 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment or some other speciliazed team, Belinsky would only say that forces may come from active and reserve units.
It also is not clear whether the helicopters are assigned to fly over and protect a specific area, including over the White House.
There's now word on whether the helicopters are assigned to fly over and protect a specific area, including over the White House
