In the upcoming President Donald Trump’s July Fourth celebrations, there are going to be a small number of M1 Abrams tanks as well as other armored vehicles to be participating in Washington on Thursday, as per to CNN reports.
On the other hand, they do not go to parade down Pennsylvania Avenue so that it would not damage the roads and bridges in any way. A US defense official said that right now the plan is to have a very small number of armored vehicles to participate as part of a “static display” at the event on the National Mall. The vehicles are not going to be moving in that way it is going to then lessen the chances of damaging any of the local infrastructures in any of the way.
However, the US carry on to operate the M1 Abrams tank the US military, on the other hand, has not used World War II-era M4 Sherman tanks since the 1950s.
Later, Trump also confirmed that the tanks are going to be present for the duration of remarks in the Oval Office.
This year’s event is also being referred to as a “Salute to America,” and it is going to feature fireworks as well as a speech from Trump.
Trump while also admitting that measures would need to be taken in order to protect infrastructure said, “I’m going to be here and I’m going to say a few words and we’re going to have planes going overhead, the best fighter jets in the world and other planes too and we’re gonna have some tanks stationed outside,”
Trump further added, “You’ve got to be pretty careful with the tanks because the roads have a tendency not to like to carry heavy tanks so we have to put them in certain areas but we have the brand new Sherman tanks and we have the brand new Abrams tanks,”
The number of vehicles that are going to participate in the event is also going to be very small in numbers. As per to the current plan, the vehicles may comprise of two M1 Abrams tanks, two Bradley fighting vehicles and an armored M88 Recovery Vehicle, together with a suitable number of accompanying personnel.
Previously in his administration, Trump had declared that he is intending to hold a military parade on Veterans Day in Washington, DC, though on the other hand, he canceled those plans following the evaluations that put the cost of such a parade at tens of millions of dollars.
Trump after canceling the plan, further blamed the local Washington officials for the high costs of the canceled parade.
But on the nation’s birthday in this year, there is also going to be US military aircraft that are going to participate in the celebrations as well, as per to the two defense officials, comprising the B-2 stealth bomber as well as F-22 fighter jets.
“We have some incredible equipment, military equipment on display — brand new. And we’re very proud of it,” Trump said.
