Sling loading at night implies valuable cargo

People seem to be missing an important point. Sling loading cargo in a helicopter is difficult, dangerous and expensive. Especially at night on NVG’s.

ALSO, the fact it’s being slung means it’s going to get beat up a bit. So it’s both valuable and time critical to move NOW, but ok to potentially damage. There’s a saying in slinging; don’t carry what you can’t drop instantly.

This instantly rules out a lot of potential explanations of what the cargo could be. It’s not a balloon (these deflate and fold for transport), propane tank, or other cheap liquid/gas storage vessels, or any inexpensive item, or deliberately built expensive item. Billion dollar satellites are transported securely on pallet on C-17, not dropped on the dirt by a harness.

The only other explanation for me is a training load. But the testimony rules this out.

For me this puts the 🥚 object, combined with testimony, as most likely exotic (either government or NHI). Something valuable, that needed removing immediately, where the time sensitivity outweighed the potential damage from sling.

The burden of proof is on the government to explain what needed the most expensive, dangerous mode of transport for this device and what it is.