US Man Tells Wacky Story of Russian-Made Mi-17 of 'Secretive Agency' Landing in His Backyard – Video
© Photo : US Army / Staff Sgt. Todd Pouliot
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Little is known about the activities of the Aviation Technology Office agency, apart from their work providing the CIA and special forces with vehicles for clandestine operations. They are also believed to have outfitted the stealth helicopters that Navy SEALs used to assassinate Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan.
North Carolina pilot Dan Moore had unusual visitors at his farm earlier this year, who arrived in a Russian Mi-17 Hip-type helicopter and allegedly were members of a secretive government unit called the Aviation Technology Office (ATO), the Drive journal reported. The incident happened in May, but Moore only recently shared with the press the story of receiving a call from a neighbour talking about visitors in a helicopter not usually seen in American skies.
"I received a call from my neighbor saying, 'Hey, did you know there is a helicopter in your front yard?' Wait, what? A helicopter? In my yard? I was confused, but also primed and ready to return the favor when I figured out somebody had made an emergency landing at my farm", Moore recalled.
The Mi-17, in tan-and-brown camouflage with a cryptic black mark on a turboshaft engine, showed no signs to indicate the operator of the military helicopter. The crew of the Mi-17 explained they had to make an emergency landing for repairs and Moore was quick to offer them help in getting parts in a nearby town. It turned out that the mysterious helicopter won't need that: soon another, no less weird helicopter showed up - a grey-coloured Bell 407 with military-like landing skids and the ultra-high-frequency SATCOM antenna.
The second helicopter brought replacement parts and soon flew away. The Mi-17 followed the next morning after finishing its repairs. Before they left, Moore reportedly conversed with the helicopter crew, but was unable to learn anything substantial about their mission, activities or even to which agency or department they belong.
"These guys were all former military and they were doing some sort of REDACTED for REDACTED. It was all very hush-hush", Moore said.
The Drive suggested that both helicopters are operated by the ATO, citing several indicators. The ATO operates and modifies helicopters for the CIA, known for using foreign vehicles, including Mi-17s in Afghanistan, for its operations. In addition, similar Mi-17s and grey Bell 407s have been be seen on satellite photos of the tarmac at the Felker Army Airfield – the ATO base of operations.
Since publishing, we've found the clearest visual yet of one the US-operated Mi-17s mentioned in our story (thanks @UBannow). Here it is, offloading evacuees at the military side of HKIA. Flight data shows it had just returned from the heliport at the CIA compound. pic.twitter.com/pk6tGQDbsk
— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) September 2, 2021
Various sophisticated equipment seen on both helicopters also points at an ATO involvement. The office researches and modifies aerial vehicles and is believed to have used stealth technologies to modify the same UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters that carried Navy SEALs in 2011 to the compound in Pakistan where Osama Bin Laden was killed. There has been no confirmation of The Drive's speculation, however.
