[Velveeta]

Why they would be doing magnetic sonar testing in the desert?

Any engineering types here who can answer that one?

[all4one]

I am an engineer.....and the only thing that comes to mind from my perspective is looking for existing underground pipes, or some type of existing underground item.

The fact that it was the Navy and involves sonar, I would think that they were lost and should have been looking over a lake or some body of water....and not the desert.

[Godzilla]

"Why they would be doing magnetic sonar testing in the desert? Any engineering types here who can answer that one?"

The pilots may have only told half the truth. Mining / exploration firms use similarly shaped geophysical probes hung from the bottom of helicopters to detect magnetic anomolays associated with ore bodies. Saw one work around an old gold mine in Montana. Such exploration is usually 'hush-hush' since it is often on public lands and they don't want to tip off competing firms. So perhaps the 'mine' may not have been a mine in the nautical sense.

[nw_arizona_granny]

About the sonar testing in the desert, makes me think that they are looking for a cache of weapons, a tanker truck that is hidden or even a tunnel.

Pancho Villa was great for hiding caves full of guns and often the story will have a chinaman guarding them.

Once upon a time, I did the research and some on the ground searching for a well documented cave in the Jacumba/to/ Coyote Wells area.

There are many old stories about them.

They have used planes in the Kingman area for 10 years, looking for hidden guns, fly over real low and somehow the large supply of ammo gives them a ping on the equipment.

When I lived in the hills, it was normal for them to check me out.