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Heavy metal: Army armor, aircraft and artillery to roll and rumble for birthday parade
WASHINGTON – The Army promises a muscular display of armor, attack aircraft and artillery during its 250th anniversary celebration June 14.
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A vast array of weapons will roll down Constitution Avenue and rumble over the National Mall in front of a reviewing stand for President Donald Trump, whose birthday is also Saturday. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told USA TODAY that it's simply a coincidence. Leading Democrats like Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who leads the Armed Services Committee, say the parade is 'all about' Trump's ego.
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In any case, the Army plans a serious flex of its might. Here are some of the heavy-metal highlights it plans to roll out:
The M1A2/Abrams tank: Arguably, the most impressive and fearsome weapon in the parade, or pretty much anywhere. At 70 tons, the tank has Washington, DC officials worried that it will chew up its streets simply by moving. The tank entered Army service 45 years ago and first saw combat in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The Abrams carries a 120mm cannon, robust armor and has a top speed of 45 mph.
Bradley Fighting Vehicle: It looks like a tank, but the Bradley has a smaller gun, missiles and carries soldiers into combat.
The Paladin: It also looks like a tank, but with a much bigger gun. The Paladin is a self-propelled howitzer artillery weapon that first appeared on battlefields in Vietnam. It has been updated several times over the decades.
Stryker vehicle: Variants of these eight-wheeled, armored vehicles can carry infantry soldiers, mortars, command posts and act as ambulances. Strykers can carry up to 11 soldiers and reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
Infantry Squad Vehicle: This is the Army's latest answer to replace the Humvee. The ISV is based on a commercial truck but tricked out to meet battlefield needs. What it lacks in armor, it gains in speed and mobility.
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle: The JLTV is a brawnier troop carrier than the ISV and was developed with protection from roadside bombs in mind.
UH-60 Black Hawk: The venerable workhorse helicopter has become a symbol of the Army's wars of the last 30 years. In Somalia, it gained notoriety in the book and film 'Black Hawk Down,' about the 1993 disaster that killed 18 soldiers in Somalia. For nearly 50 years, the Army notes that it has used UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for missions including air assault, medical evacuation and resupply operations. A four-member crew and an 11-person infantry squad can fit inside a Black Hawk. It can lift a howitzer or a Humvee. Modified Black Hawks carried the SEAL Team that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011.
The AH-64 Apache: This attack helicopter cuts a menacing silhouette. It destroyed radar installations in Iraq during Desert Storm and provided air cover for convoys and troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.
CH-47 Chinook: The big, heavy-lift helicopter has flown air assault, resupply and medical evacuation missions for more than 60 years. With its twin rotors, the Chinook is still the fastest helicopter in the Army.
The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System: HIMARS, as it is known, gained its greatest fame in Ukraine, where soldiers used its long-range accuracy to smash Russian headquarters thought to be safely behind the frontline. It can fire six guided rockets in quick succession or one or two missiles, depending on ammunition, according to the Army. Some of its missiles have a range of more than 300 miles and can strike a moving ship. Its ability to move quickly after firing makes it an elusive target.
M777 lightweight howitzer cannon: The M777 is the newest, joining the Army in 2005. It has served a critical role in Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion. It can loft a 105-pound shell 24 miles.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army 250th birthday parade features flex of heavy metal
