On January 16th, water protectors at the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) noticed and posted photos of two surface-to-air missile launchers that the Army National Guard had deployed. As you can imagine, this move has put people on edge.However, a North Dakota Guard spokesman told The Daily Beast that the missile launchers, called “Avenger’s,” tubes aren’t loaded, “These systems have observation capabilities and are used strictly in the observation role to protect private property and public safety.” So, do binoculars not work? The spokesman went on to say, “There’s no authority to arm them.” (They have apparently been in Morton County for more than a month.)

However, a North Dakota Guard spokesman told The Daily Beast that the missile launchers, called “Avenger’s,” tubes aren’t loaded, “These systems have observation capabilities and are used strictly in the observation role to protect private property and public safety.” (So, do binoculars not work?) The spokesman went on to say, “There’s no authority to arm them.” (They have apparently been in Morton County for more than a month.)

The two Avengers are there to “protect” a drill pad belonging to Dakota Access, LLC, the company responsible for building the almost 1,200-mile-long pipeline.

Although the LLC is currently at a standstill, they have vowed to complete the $4-billion pipeline, via an alternate route. So, in the mean time, they are continuing their work on private land- where the Guard has stationed the missile launcher.

From the article:

“The Morton County Sheriff’s Department commented on the Avenger deployment on Facebook shortly after The Daily Beast began making inquiries. ‘MYTH: Law enforcement has [an] anti-drone missile system on the top of a hill to guard the DAPL drill pad and shoot down drones,’ the department wrote.

‘FACT: The N.D. National Guard does have an Avenger system employed in support of the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest,’ the department continued. ‘These systems are used strictly for observation of ungoverned encampments to help protect private property and maintain public safety.'”

As the police in North Dakota have already been scrutinized for using violent and military-style tactics against the unarmed, this seems unwise because the Avenger is a weapon of war:

  • It combines a Humvee truck chassis with a rotating turret that can be armed with eight Stinger missiles and a .50-caliber machine gun.
  • When fully armed, the Avenger can engage airplanes, helicopters, and drones.

However, the Guard say the Avenger was sent because it possesses night-vision equipment and because it has an enclosed, heated crew compartment.

We will continue to watch this story and keep you updated.

Source: The Daily Beast