Helicopters Flying Over Manassas Are Part of Radiation Assessment
Several Manassas residents report hearing helicopters in the skies over the area.
The low-flying helicopters heard and seen over the Washington, DC metro area are part of an radiation assessment by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the federal agency that maintains the U.S.'s nuclear weapons stockpile. The helicopters began flying over the area Thursday, measuring naturally occurring radiation, according to the group's website. The flights will continue until Jan. 11 during daylight hours only. Pilots fly at about 80 mph at 150 feet or higher over the 70-square mile radiation assessment area, NNSA officials said. Scientists with NNSA’s Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) out of Joint Base Andrews will use remote gamma radiation-sensing instrumentals to carry out the assessments. Naturally-occurring …
