Overview

• Eyewitnesses in Baguley, Manchester, reported seeing two unmarked helicopters hovering near a Tesco as masked figures abseiled onto a nearby roof on April 28.
• The helicopters, identified as Eurocopter Dauphin II models nicknamed 'Blue Thunder,' are commonly associated with SAS and special forces operations.
• Similar drills involving low-flying helicopters and masked operatives were reported the same week in Salford’s Media City and Wrexham, Wales.
• Experts speculate the exercises are domestic readiness drills by UK special forces, though the Ministry of Defence has not confirmed their involvement.
• The increased frequency of such covert drills aligns with broader UK defense strategies addressing global security concerns, such as the ongoing Ukraine conflict.