National Guard, Attack Helicopters Deployed for G-20

ReadMedia Newswire
January 23, 2009

Governor David Paterson announced today that the New York Army National Guard is providing five helicopters to support the G20 Summit being held being held Thursday and Friday in Pittsburgh.

“I am proud that the New York Army National Guard is available to support our sister state as Pennsylvania hosts this vital economic summit,” Gov. Paterson said. “The men and women of the New York National Guard are always ready for any mission, any place.”

[efoods]Four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, and a CH-47D Chinook heavy lift helicopter, are providing transportation support for 2,500 Pennsylvania National Guardsmen and women, as well as police and other security forces as leaders of the worlds 20 largest economies meet Thursday and Friday.

Two of the UH-60′s are normally based at Albany International Airport and two work out of McArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma. The CH-47 is base at the Greater Rochester International Airport.

Twenty-three Soldiers deployed to locations in Western Pennsylvania with the helicopters on Monday and they are due to return on Saturday.

The New York Army National Guard aircrew and helicopters are flying in support of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Joint Task Force G20 which is executing Operation Steel Kickoff, security support for the G20 Summit involving 2,500 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen working at the direction of the Secret Service.

The National Guard forces are operating under the control of the Governor of Pennsylvania under compacts that allow National Guard forces from one state to be loaned to another.

This article was posted: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 11:36 am

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