A Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a passenger jet in Washington on Wednesday was on a routine training flight related to a vital US military mission designed to ensure government continuity in the event of an attack.
Known as the "continuity of government" and "continuity of operations" mission, it aims to maintain the operational capacity of the U.S. government during a national crisis.
The training flight, which was conducted along a designated route in Washington, is a part of a larger effort to prepare for such emergencies.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the crew's involvement in the mission during a White House press conference, stating they were undergoing "routine, annual re-training of night flights" along a standard corridor used for these operations.
The three soldiers killed in the collision were part of the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, whose primary responsibility is evacuating Pentagon officials during national emergencies.
Another 64 people perished in the passenger jet involved in the incident.
The Black Hawk crew, using night vision goggles, was flying along Route 4 near the Potomac River when the collision occurred.
The battalion's sensitive operations have raised questions about the risks associated with nighttime flights near busy airspaces.
Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff of the Army’s Aviation Directorate, explained the critical nature of the mission, emphasizing the need to evacuate senior leaders in the event of a major crisis.
"Some of their mission is to support the Department of Defense if something really bad happens and we need to move our senior leaders," he said.
The most recent activation of the continuity of operations mission occurred on September 11, 2001, when al Qaeda hijackers attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
The 12th Aviation Battalion played a crucial role in evacuating senior US officials to secure locations.
Bradley Bowman, a former Army aviation officer, recalled flying a Black Hawk to retrieve Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, who was taken to a backup facility known as Raven Rock Mountain Complex, one of the U.S. government's main emergency sites.
Raven Rock remains operational today, ready to support the US government in times of crisis, ensuring leadership continuity even in the face of disaster.
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