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CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Army preparing for largest military parade on the capital's streets in decades, featuring 7 million pounds of hardware
Millions of pounds of military hardware are expected to roll down the US capital's streets in less than two weeks, fulfilling a dream of President Donald Trump but also an effort that has sparked concerns about how the roads of Washington, DC, will fare under the literal weight of heavy tanks and fighting vehicles. The largest military parade the city has seen in decades is expected to bring seven million pounds of vehicles and weaponry as well as a price tag potentially in the tens of millions of dollars, and this week the US Army has started reinforcing the roads that will carry the hardware downtown and along the parade route. The parade on June 14 will feature dozens of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles rolling through the streets of DC, as well as Howitzers and other artillery pieces, officials said. Nearly 7,000 soldiers are set to participate. Most of the tanks, vehicles and equipment are currently en route to Maryland from Fort Cavazos in Texas, and will arrive by train at the rail station in Jessup, Maryland, early next week. They will then be offloaded onto flatbed trucks for onward transport to DC. All told, the parade is expected to bring roughly 7 million pounds of military hardware to the streets of the nation's capital, a non-military official involved in the planning said. But the US Army Corps of Engineers, which has been leading on the effort to protect DC roads and infrastructure, is confident in the mitigation efforts the Army is deploying to minimize damage – efforts that have cost more than $3 million alone so far, Army officials said. The total cost of the parade could be as high as $45 million, officials have estimated. The damage mitigation efforts include laying steel plates down on roads, particularly at spots where the tanks will make sharp turns; putting new track pads on every vehicle to relieve some pressure and create separation between the metal and the asphalt; and ensuring the tanks move only at a walking pace during the parade itself, the officials said. Col. Jesse Curry, the director of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, told CNN that the Army has worked extensively with various agencies and DC utility companies in its planning to minimize potential damage. The Army began laying down steel plates in roughly a dozen locations along the parade route on Wednesday night, Curry said, and is planning to put down matting at a staging area in West Potomac Park, near the National Mall, for the Abrams tanks to sit on before they roll down Constitution Avenue. 'Our concern from an engineer technical evaluation on anything below the surface of the road that's going to be damaged is very, very low,' Curry said. 'We've got the best (engineers) in the world.' The Army's 250th birthday celebration has been in the works for two years, Army officials said. But adding a parade was the Trump White House's idea, so planning for that began only two months ago. Trump's desire for a large military parade – featuring all of the military services – dates back to his first term. But it was scrapped at the time because defense officials said it would cost as much as $100 million and damage DC streets. This month's parade will focus only on the Army, making it slightly smaller and less expensive. The Army Corps of Engineers began assessing how to protect DC infrastructure during the parade back in April, Curry said. The initial worst-case-scenario estimate to protect DC streets was roughly $16 million, Curry said. That would have been the cost if the Army 'did nothing to mitigate' the impacts, he explained. Now, the estimate has dropped down to around $3.5 million, which will include the cost for putting down steel plates and reinforcing them into the pavement with railroad ties, removing the plates afterwards, and any cosmetic upkeep that needs to be done in the wake of the parade. Two people who are not in the military but are involved in the parade's planning told CNN there are still concerns among some agencies over potential damage to underground gas lines – particularly on the route from the rail station in Jessup to the holding area near the National Mall. But Curry emphasized that the Army Corps of Engineers assesses that risk to be 'very low.' The Army has consulted with the National Park Services, the Federal Highway Administration, DC Water, Washington Gas, Pepco, the Department of Transportation and 'all the associated authorities and utility companies that would have rightful concerns,' Curry said. During those discussions, the Army went over the expected route with the companies, looking at their underground gas and electric lines, which Curry said largely run under sidewalks instead of in the middle of the road. That alone mitigated some of the concern over damage to critical infrastructure, Curry said. 'If we're driving on sidewalks, something went really wrong,' he said. Curry noted that the Army frequently transports tanks and heavy fighting vehicles on trucks all around the country, without causing infrastructure issues. The parade is meant to tell the story of the Army through its 250-year history, beginning with the Revolutionary War, tracing through major conflicts and ending with present day. The parade route will begin near the Lincoln Memorial on Constitution Avenue, continue east to 15th Street, and end at the corner of 15th and Independence Avenue. Here is a breakdown of what will be featured: World War I A Dodge Staff car Renault tank World War II 6 Willys jeeps 2 Sherman tanks 2 Half-tracks 1 M14 high-speed tractor A 2.5-ton truck towing a 37mm anti-tank gun Vietnam War: 3 M151 jeeps 2 M35A2 cargo trucks 1 M274 Mule Gulf War: 8 M181 armored vehicles 2 Paladins 8 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 6 M119 howitzers Global War on Terror: 18 Strykers Modern Era 1 6 M777 artillery pieces 12 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 4 M119 howitzers 12 ISV utility vehicles 12 Abrams tanks Modern Era 2 3 Paladins 12 Strykers 12 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 9 M777 artillery pieces 9 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles 12 Abrams tanks The parade will also feature an 'extensive' flyover, Army officials said, involving more than 50 helicopters. Those will include AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks. Finally, the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team will jump and present Trump with an American flag – the only part of the parade that will involve the president directly, Army officials said.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Army preparing for largest military parade on the capital's streets in decades, featuring 7 million pounds of hardware
Millions of pounds of military hardware are expected to roll down the US capital's streets in less than two weeks, fulfilling a dream of President Donald Trump but also an effort that has sparked concerns about how the roads of Washington, DC, will fare under the literal weight of heavy tanks and fighting vehicles. The largest military parade the city has seen in decades is expected to bring seven million pounds of vehicles and weaponry as well as a price tag potentially in the tens of millions of dollars, and this week the US Army has started reinforcing the roads that will carry the hardware downtown and along the parade route. The parade on June 14 will feature dozens of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles rolling through the streets of DC, as well as Howitzers and other artillery pieces, officials said. Nearly 7,000 soldiers are set to participate. Most of the tanks, vehicles and equipment are currently en route to Maryland from Fort Cavazos in Texas, and will arrive by train at the rail station in Jessup, Maryland, early next week. They will then be offloaded onto flatbed trucks for onward transport to DC. All told, the parade is expected to bring roughly 7 million pounds of military hardware to the streets of the nation's capital, a non-military official involved in the planning said. But the US Army Corps of Engineers, which has been leading on the effort to protect DC roads and infrastructure, is confident in the mitigation efforts the Army is deploying to minimize damage – efforts that have cost more than $3 million alone so far, Army officials said. The total cost of the parade could be as high as $45 million, officials have estimated. The damage mitigation efforts include laying steel plates down on roads, particularly at spots where the tanks will make sharp turns; putting new track pads on every vehicle to relieve some pressure and create separation between the metal and the asphalt; and ensuring the tanks move only at a walking pace during the parade itself, the officials said. Col. Jesse Curry, the director of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, told CNN that the Army has worked extensively with various agencies and DC utility companies in its planning to minimize potential damage. The Army began laying down steel plates in roughly a dozen locations along the parade route on Wednesday night, Curry said, and is planning to put down matting at a staging area in West Potomac Park, near the National Mall, for the Abrams tanks to sit on before they roll down Constitution Avenue. 'Our concern from an engineer technical evaluation on anything below the surface of the road that's going to be damaged is very, very low,' Curry said. 'We've got the best (engineers) in the world.' The Army's 250th birthday celebration has been in the works for two years, Army officials said. But adding a parade was the Trump White House's idea, so planning for that began only two months ago. Trump's desire for a large military parade – featuring all of the military services – dates back to his first term. But it was scrapped at the time because defense officials said it would cost as much as $100 million and damage DC streets. This month's parade will focus only on the Army, making it slightly smaller and less expensive. The Army Corps of Engineers began assessing how to protect DC infrastructure during the parade back in April, Curry said. The initial worst-case-scenario estimate to protect DC streets was roughly $16 million, Curry said. That would have been the cost if the Army 'did nothing to mitigate' the impacts, he explained. Now, the estimate has dropped down to around $3.5 million, which will include the cost for putting down steel plates and reinforcing them into the pavement with railroad ties, removing the plates afterwards, and any cosmetic upkeep that needs to be done in the wake of the parade. Two people who are not in the military but are involved in the parade's planning told CNN there are still concerns among some agencies over potential damage to underground gas lines – particularly on the route from the rail station in Jessup to the holding area near the National Mall. But Curry emphasized that the Army Corps of Engineers assesses that risk to be 'very low.' The Army has consulted with the National Park Services, the Federal Highway Administration, DC Water, Washington Gas, Pepco, the Department of Transportation and 'all the associated authorities and utility companies that would have rightful concerns,' Curry said. During those discussions, the Army went over the expected route with the companies, looking at their underground gas and electric lines, which Curry said largely run under sidewalks instead of in the middle of the road. That alone mitigated some of the concern over damage to critical infrastructure, Curry said. 'If we're driving on sidewalks, something went really wrong,' he said. Curry noted that the Army frequently transports tanks and heavy fighting vehicles on trucks all around the country, without causing infrastructure issues. The parade is meant to tell the story of the Army through its 250-year history, beginning with the Revolutionary War, tracing through major conflicts and ending with present day. The parade route will begin near the Lincoln Memorial on Constitution Avenue, continue east to 15th Street, and end at the corner of 15th and Independence Avenue. Here is a breakdown of what will be featured: World War I A Dodge Staff car Renault tank World War II 6 Willys jeeps 2 Sherman tanks 2 Half-tracks 1 M14 high-speed tractor A 2.5-ton truck towing a 37mm anti-tank gun Vietnam War: 3 M151 jeeps 2 M35A2 cargo trucks 1 M274 Mule Gulf War: 8 M181 armored vehicles 2 Paladins 8 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 6 M119 howitzers Global War on Terror: 18 Strykers Modern Era 1 6 M777 artillery pieces 12 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 4 M119 howitzers 12 ISV utility vehicles 12 Abrams tanks Modern Era 2 3 Paladins 12 Strykers 12 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 9 M777 artillery pieces 9 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles 12 Abrams tanks The parade will also feature an 'extensive' flyover, Army officials said, involving more than 50 helicopters. Those will include AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks. Finally, the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team will jump and present Trump with an American flag – the only part of the parade that will involve the president directly, Army officials said.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Here's what to expect at the Army's 250th anniversary parade on Trump's birthday
The Army on Wednesday started loading up some of the tanks that will take to the streets of the nation's capital during the 250th anniversary celebration of the service next month, which will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers. The event has grown extensively in scope and size since Army planners started working on a festival two years ago to mark the day and have now added a military parade — which President Donald Trump had unsuccessfully tried to do during his first term. The Army's anniversary celebration is set for June 14, which also happens to be Trump's birthday. It will include concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions and displays all over the National Mall for daylong festivities. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend and that putting on the celebration will cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million. Here's what to expect during the all-day festival and 6 p.m. parade: The tanks and armored vehicles The Army was putting 28 M1 Abrams main battle tanks onto rail cars at Fort Cavazos in Texas on Wednesday. The tanks weigh more than 60 tons apiece and will take about nine or 10 days to travel by rail to Maryland, where they will be loaded onto trucks to be driven into Washington, D.C. and offloaded at a staging area near the Lincoln Memorial. On the day of the parade, those tanks as well as 28 tracked Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 wheeled Stryker combat vehicles, four tracked M-109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and other towed artillery will maneuver to the start of the parade route just off the National Mall. They will travel toward the White House, driving over thick metal plating to protect the streets at some parade points where the vehicles make a sharp turn. The Army said it's also planning some additional asphalt work and putting new rubber padding on the tanks' metal tracks to try to minimize street damage. The influx of soldiers More than 6,700 soldiers will travel from bases around the country to participate in the parade and festival and spend June 11-15 housed in two nearby federal buildings, sleeping on cots and having packaged military meals ready-to-eat, or MREs, for breakfast and lunch. They will get a hot meal for dinner and a $69 per diem to buy additional food as they want, Army spokesman Steve Warren said. They will be forming units that represent each of the nation's major conflicts, starting with the Revolutionary War. For each conflict, 60 soldiers will wear period uniforms supplied by an event company representing that war and be followed by 400 soldiers from their same base in present-day uniforms. Not all of the soldiers participating will be in the parade — or even on the ground. For instance, Col. Anne McClain, an Army astronaut currently serving on the International Space Station, will participate. At the end of the parade, the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump over the White House, landing near Trump to present him with a folded flag, and 250 new recruits or reenlisting service members will be sworn in to the Army by Trump. The aircraft and helicopters buzzing overhead More than 50 helicopters and aircraft representing different wars will fly over the city — pairing up with the units on the ground as they pass the president. For example, as units marching in World War II uniforms pass Trump, a P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft and a B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft are expected to fly overhead. As units representing more recent conflicts pass, Army H-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters will appear in the sky. The helicopters are flying at a time when sharing D.C.'s airspace is still a sensitive issue after a January collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed 67. Warren said the Army has worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration on routes, and the helicopters will take off from Andrews Air Force Base to fly toward the Capitol. It's likely D.C.'s airspace may be temporarily closed to airline traffic as the sky parade occurs, the Army said.
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Here's what to expect at the Army's 250th anniversary parade on Trump's birthday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army on Wednesday started loading up some of the tanks that will take to the streets of the nation's capital during the 250th anniversary celebration of the service next month, which will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers. The event has grown extensively in scope and size since Army planners started working on a festival two years ago to mark the day and have now added a military parade — which President Donald Trump had unsuccessfully tried to do during his first term. The Army's anniversary celebration is set for June 14, which also happens to be Trump's birthday. It will include concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions and displays all over the National Mall for daylong festivities. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend and that putting on the celebration will cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million. Here's what to expect during the all-day festival and 6 p.m. parade: The tanks and armored vehicles The Army was putting 28 M1 Abrams main battle tanks onto rail cars at Fort Cavazos in Texas on Wednesday. The tanks weigh more than 60 tons apiece and will take about nine or 10 days to travel by rail to Maryland, where they will be loaded onto trucks to be driven into Washington, D.C. and offloaded at a staging area near the Lincoln Memorial. On the day of the parade, those tanks as well as 28 tracked Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 wheeled Stryker combat vehicles, four tracked M-109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and other towed artillery will maneuver to the start of the parade route just off the National Mall. They will travel toward the White House, driving over thick metal plating to protect the streets at some parade points where the vehicles make a sharp turn. The Army said it's also planning some additional asphalt work and putting new rubber padding on the tanks' metal tracks to try to minimize street damage. The influx of soldiers More than 6,700 soldiers will travel from bases around the country to participate in the parade and festival and spend June 11-15 housed in two nearby federal buildings, sleeping on cots and having packaged military meals ready-to-eat, or MREs, for breakfast and lunch. They will get a hot meal for dinner and a $69 per diem to buy additional food as they want, Army spokesman Steve Warren said. They will be forming units that represent each of the nation's major conflicts, starting with the Revolutionary War. For each conflict, 60 soldiers will wear period uniforms supplied by an event company representing that war and be followed by 400 soldiers from their same base in present-day uniforms. Not all of the soldiers participating will be in the parade — or even on the ground. For instance, Col. Anne McClain, an Army astronaut currently serving on the International Space Station, will participate. At the end of the parade, the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump over the White House, landing near Trump to present him with a folded flag, and 250 new recruits or reenlisting service members will be sworn in to the Army by Trump. The aircraft and helicopters buzzing overhead More than 50 helicopters and aircraft representing different wars will fly over the city — pairing up with the units on the ground as they pass the president. For example, as units marching in World War II uniforms pass Trump, a P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft and a B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft are expected to fly overhead. As units representing more recent conflicts pass, Army H-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters will appear in the sky. The helicopters are flying at a time when sharing D.C.'s airspace is still a sensitive issue after a January collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed 67. Warren said the Army has worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration on routes, and the helicopters will take off from Andrews Air Force Base to fly toward the Capitol. It's likely D.C.'s airspace may be temporarily closed to airline traffic as the sky parade occurs, the Army said.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Inspiring' Stunt Pilot Dies After Crash Landing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia
A famous stunt pilot died after crashing his custom-built experimental aircraft at Joint Base Langley-Eustis on Thursday, just days before he was scheduled to perform during an air show at the Virginia military installation. Rob Holland, a multicompetition-winning aerobatic pilot who had performed in front of millions of audience members, died after a crash at the Hampton, Virginia, military base, according to a post on his company's Facebook page. He was scheduled to perform at the Air Power over Hampton Roads air show this upcoming weekend. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing that Rob Holland lost his life today, 24 April 2025, in an accident," the post on his company's Facebook page said. "Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history." Read Next: Fort Cavazos Soldier Gets Life in Prison After Horrific String of Attacks on Female Troops in Barracks Col. Matthew Altman, commander of the 633d Air Base Wing, told reporters Thursday that the crash occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time during final approach to the base's runway ahead of the air show. "Tragically, in that loss, we lost a great friend to the Air Force," Altman said. "On behalf of all of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, all the friends and family of the pilot, just want to offer our deepest, deepest condolences." Altman told reporters in a follow-up press conference Friday that the Air Power over Hampton Roads show this weekend would still be going on as planned. "I've always had a deep respect for those who fly, and over the last 24 hours, I've gained even more of a tremendous appreciation for the aviators and professionals that orchestrate these air shows and the air show community," Altman said. "Based on consultation and their strong recommendation, consultation with the NTSB and our team's preparedness to execute a safe air show, we've decided to proceed." National Transportation Safety Board Air Safety Investigator Daniel Boggs told reporters during that same press conference on Friday that an investigation is ongoing into how the pilot lost control during landing and crashed on terrain between the taxiway and one of the runways at the military base. Boggs said the plane was a single-seat, single-engine MSX experimental aircraft that was "specifically built and designed for air shows," adding that it had nearly double the horsepower of a typical plane its size. The pilot was coming in for a standard landing and was not performing any acrobatic functions at the time of the crash. A final report into the cause of the crash is expected within 12 to 18 months, Boggs said. Holland was a 13-time consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, a six-time World 4-minute freestyle champion, a 10-time U.S. Aerobatic Team Member and a 2015 World Air Games Freestyle Gold Medalist, among other accolades, according to his website. John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows, told in an interview that Holland was a legendary member of the air show community. "He was one of the best aerobatic pilots, maybe ever, and we were all very fortunate to be able to watch him perform for these last 25 years or so," Cudahy said. "He was sort of the personification of professionalism, hard work, just amazing attention to detail as far as safety and his own practice and preparation." Related: Do Air Shows Really Help Military Readiness and Recruiting? Congress Plans to Find Out.
