TAMPA, Fla. — If you didn't know it was just a demonstration you might have thought downtown Tampa was under attack Wednesday.
For nearly an hour, warplanes soared overhead, helicopters buzzed through downtown, and gunboats filled with elite military forces stormed the area around Tampa's Convention Center.
The U.S. Special Operations Command hosted a military showcase from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday following a rehearsal Tuesday, a news release previously stated.
“Just seeing all, this is just amazing what they’re able to do,” Shannon Jones, one of thousands of spectators lining the shore of Seddon Channel, said.
The public was encouraged to attend and watch the "rare display of military-tactical-might." The event, "Battle of the Bay" is part of the Special Operations Forces Week annual conference with more than 170 service members taking part in a mock scenario defending Tampa from invaders.
This year's mission was to eliminate a modern-day threat - an adversary using drones to shut down allied communications, taking hostages, and threatening Tampa with a dirty bomb.
“I would be a little concerned if I was in the building over here,” Sam Kippen said. “But it's really cool stuff going on.”
Helicopters, boats, drones, ATVs, and scuba divers are a few of the things people saw during the demonstration. New to the demonstration this year was a pair of F-35 jet fighters and parafoils used, in this case, to deal with an enemy drone swarm jamming communications.
“You know, we as Americans take a lot of things for granted. Our freedoms, rights,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “And to see the military and what they do every day to protect those freedoms and those rights is really something.”
A noise advisory was in place for people in the downtown area during the demonstration. The news release advised people to avoid the area or wear a form of hearing protection for people with sensitivity to loud noises.
The multi-national team neutralized the threat before flying off victorious, dangling on a rope from a helicopter.
“They really do it for the love of what we do. Serving our country, serving our nation. The international countries, each represented,” Lt. Col. Vern Theis, who helped organize the exercise, said. “Serving our hometown and representing our families and just being proud to serve and do that.”
The weeklong conference was expected to draw more than 16,000 attendees to the downtown Tampa area.
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