Look Up! It's a Plane Carrying a Boat Above Los Alamitos

Don’t be alarmed by the sight and sound of massive military planes buzzing above the Los Alamitos area this weekend.

The U.S. Air Force Reserve, Coast Guard, Navy and Homeland Security will be simulating a joint forces response to a natural disaster as part of Operation Patriot Hook 2012. The three-day drill will run Friday through Sunday at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, one of three Southern California bases participating in the exercise. Huge cargo aircraft such as the C-5, C-17 and KC-135 will be loaded up with equipment such as Coast Guard boats and flown out to locales such as San Clemente Island for training. The exercise will help the forces practice massive mobilizations at speeds necessary for responding to disasters and emergencies.

These exercises will be confined to normal business hours to minimize the noise impact on surrounding neighborhoods, said Staff Sgt. Jessica Inigo. However, residents should be prepared for some daytime noise.

“These planes are huge and are going to have a loud backdraft when they come down,” Inigo warned