Chopper, SUV-like vehicle: Before ‘Namaste Trump’, Ahmedabad gets glimpse of US President’s massive security

Ahead of US
President Donald Trump’s visit to the city, at least three C17 Globemaster
cargo planes of the US Air Force have landed here in the last four days
carrying security and communication equipment, Trump’s official helicopter ‘Marine
One’ and a mammoth SUV-like vehicle, officials said on Friday. In order to
secure the area that Trump is visiting, several security personnel from the US
have also landed in Ahmedabad, they said.

Trump and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to take part in a roadshow in
Ahmedabad on February 24 and jointly address a gathering at the newly-built
cricket stadium in Motera area of the city.

 Over 1.10 lakh people are expected to attend
the mega event, christened as ‘Namaste Trump’. The first cargo plane- a C17
Globemaster- landed at the Ahmedabad International Airport on Monday with a
truckload of equipment and an SUV. After that two more cargo planes arrived in
the last few days carrying various other equipment, officials said.

A ‘Marine One’ helicopter of the American president was also a part of the cargo which landed two days back, they said. The giant SUV, which would be part of Trump’s cavalcade during his 22-km long roadshow on February 24, is known as WHCA Roadrunner. WHCA stands for White House Communications Agency.

The Roadrunner vehicle is also known as the MC2V This massive police deployment will be in addition to officials of the United States Secret Service, and officials of the National Security Guards (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG).

Police will use anti-drone technology to neutralise any suspicious drone on the route, officials said, adding that an anti-sniper team of the NSG will also be stationed along the route