Only technical and operative considerations in this topic, I hope.

 

It sembles a lot of rumours about the use of a stealty variant of the H-60 Black Hawk:

Photos (of the strange helo wreckrage and some corpses):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/20...326&index=0

Bill Sweetman comments:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=...&id=8112975

 

Also, developing my little scenario, I don't see very clear this point about helicopter ranges and helicopter loads made public after:

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Inside__ls...05-04-2011.html

 

Team Six was ready. Its 25 members had rehearsed the assault many times

Two full loaded Blackhawk with the team and assault gear and weapons. Perhaps from Bagram (I think the Special Forces helicopters and other aircraft can merge stealthy with the resident 455th Air Expeditionary Wing aircrafts), only some 203 nm to the target house, but in a high and hot environment, i.e., less range for the full loaded helicopters.

 

They quickly swept the compound, retrieving possibly crucial records on the operations of al-Qaida.

I think the records were in hard drives or more probably hard drives and complete computers (I can't think in load the helicopters with tons of paper !!!), you can't stand in the house messing in extract the hard drives from complete computers, you must carry the whole computers. More weight for the return trip.

 

The raiders boarded the remaining Black Hawk and flew off to the USS Carl Vinson in the North Arabian Sea, bin Laden’s body with them.

The bin Laden's corpse (a big guy), more weight in the overloaded remaining Black Hawk: the 25 members of the assault team (previously in two helicopters) and his weapons and assault gear, the at least 2 members of the breaked-down helicopters, probably complete computers and the bin Laden's corpse (total weight: 30 bodies, assault equipment and some computers).

And now, you must fly some 651nm from the house to the coast in a overloaded helicopter, less the fuel expended from the Bagram?-bin Laden's house flight (they are 651 nm from the assaulted house to Karachi in the coast, but that in straight line, and at least 20 nm more from the coast to the USS Carl Vinson, the initial 651 nm over perhaps hostile Pakistani territory, I think it was impossible the provision for an air-to-air refuelling with a KC-130 over a alerted Pakistan).

In conclusion, in my viewpoint or the Black Hawk returned to Bagram? and refuelled (more than one time, including air to air for going from Bagram? to the carrier) and flight over Afganistan to the Arabian Sea to the carrier (a very hot and hight flight for helicopters, lesser range), or the Black Hawk with a deep collaboration of the Pakistani government, flight crossing almost all the Pakistani territory in a straight flight from the bin Laden's house to the carrier, refuelling air-to-air or in the ground in Pakistani territory (in my full hypothetical scenario the corpse is ferried to the carrier via C-2A Greyhound, other possibility a CV-22 Osprey).

A lot of unanswered or bad answered questions .....

I think it was impossible the provision for an air-to-air refuelling with a KC-130 over a alerted Pakistan). In conclusion, in my viewpoint or the Black Hawk returned to Bagram? and refuelled (more than one time, including air to air for going from Bagram? to the carrier ...

 

The consensus seems to be that a MH-60K modified for 'stealth' would necessitate removal of the refueling probe, though demodification or remodification could obviously vary for each and every potential mission.

I think it was impossible the provision for an air-to-air refuelling with a KC-130 over a alerted Pakistan). In conclusion, in my viewpoint or the Black Hawk returned to Bagram? and refuelled (more than one time, including air to air for going from Bagram? to the carrier ...

The consensus seems to be that a MH-60K modified for 'stealth' would necessitate removal of the refueling probe, though demodification or remodification could obviously vary for each and every potential mission.

Oh, yes, also that, I've not thinked on it, thanks ...

This can explain more things ....

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20060479-503543.html

Pakistan rattled by news of CIA safe house in Abbottabad

The CIA conducted surveillance on Osama bin Laden from a nearby safe house in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, where bin Laden was killed Sunday, CBS News has confirmed.

The CIA safe house was part of an all-encompassing U.S. intelligence operation that ramped up after the discovery last summer of the suspicious compound that turned out to be bin Laden's.

From DoD Buzz

 

[excerpt]

 

DoD: What secret helicopter?

By Philip Ewing Monday, May 9th, 2011 11:38 am

 

A top Pentagon spokesman on Monday would not confirm the U.S. generally or DoD specifically has asked the government of Pakistan to return the wrecked tail rotor of the so-called “stealth” helicopter that crashed last week in the compound of Osama bin Laden.

 

History made model-kit in 25 days !!!!

That is Chinese Capitalism at work, make a model, merchandise it, pays for development of the real thing

From Reuters

 

[excerpt]

 

Pakistan returns U.S. helicopter from bin Laden raid

By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON | Tue May 24, 2011 5:59pm EDT

 

(Reuters) - Pakistan has returned to the United States wreckage of a U.S. helicopter destroyed during the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, a Pentagon official told Reuters on Tuesday, but the gesture was expected to do little to improve strained ties.