Navy Helos: Day in the life of?

[eddie]

I understand that Navy helos are going through changes,(http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11556&highlight=navy+helos), but I still thought I would ask.

What exactly are (going to be?) the missions of Navy helos. If anyone could give a basic overview: what kind of stuff they do, how much, how often...

The above thread gives the impression that they are going to be doing more and more stuff overland (HC-4 going to Afghanistan too).

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[HH-60H]

What exactly are (going to be?) the missions of Navy helos. If anyone could give a basic overview: what kind of stuff they do, how much, how often...

The above thread gives the impression that they are going to be doing more and more stuff overland (HC-4 going to Afghanistan too).

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Wow, the answer to your questions is huge. Obviously, right now there are 3 different "operational" Navy helo types, with I don't know how many model/series. Even though we will be shrinking down to much less (T/M/S that is), we are pretty much keeping all of the missions (and probably getting more). So there is a lot to answer. Since I am not too familiar with the other communities, I can give you an answer to what HS has done in the past couple years, specifically what my squadron did in its last two cruises. I am really going to only mention the really cool stuff, and I will leave out the plane guard and log runs.

1st Cruise: While in theater my squadron (sharing with another HS sqdn) provided the sole CSAR support for ANY down aircraft/aircrew below some latitude in Afghanistan. We were the only joint asset during the first 3 months of OEF, until the AF showed up, and then we pulled out.
As soon as we pulled out, we began training with some operators to look for UBL and his friends who might be out on the open ocean. We ended up doing 2 of those missions, no luck on UBL though.

2nd Cruise: At first glance, we thought this cruise would be slower, until requests for forces message showed up on the boards. The first half of cruise we split the sqdn in half, and one half went down south from the Gulf, and did some real stuff, with some real people. If you use your imagination to fill in the blanks, you will be pretty darn close to what we did.

Now, these missions were done in the 'old' Helo Navy, but the 'New' Helo Navy will need to pick these missions up also. All of the other HS sqdns have seen the same kind of missions over the last few years, since 9/11. That is not to mention what HCS is doing. So at the end of the day, the structure of the Navy Helo organization will change, but it will be better able to support all of these missions I talked about and many more.

 

[bch]

As far as the HSL side (HSM in the future helicopter strike maritime)
Judging from the buzz around the sqd and NHA, ASW is going to start coming back as a big mission. Combine that with anti-surface (hellfires and Sea control) and it makes for a tactical navy helo sqd. GOOD TIMES.
SAR is always a potential missions, but CSAR will be more of an HS/HC thing.

I could blab for ever, if you got any specific questions, please ask.

 

[Fly Navy]

Ok, so the S no longer means anti-submarine and the M no longer means mine-warfare? You all need to stop changing sh!t around

 

[HH-60H]

I work in DC, and I can tell you ASW is starting to come back big time, for a number of reasons, but mainly the China threat.

 

[eddie]

I'll just fire away:

-The new communities are going to be HSM and what else?
-As far as the Romeo and the Sierra... how do they differ operationally?
-ASW and CSAR/SAR always sounded cool to me, but would anti-surface warfare involve coastal attack as well (like off of an LCS or something... in the distant future)?

Anything I should have asked... feel free to answer.

 

[HH-60H]

Good questions, I'll do my best to answer

At a min, it will be HSM and HSC

The Romeo will the overwater ASW/Sea Control helo. It will have hellfire, radar, and a dipping sonar.

The Sierra will be the overland helo. It will have some cool weapons eventually, possibly rockets in addition the hellfire. Its big operational mission will be CSAR and also NSW support.

The Romeo will be doing coastal and/or small boat attack from various platforms. It is taking on an ASU role, which it will be good at with its radar, ESM suite, etc.

 

[eddie]

HSM= helicopter strike maritime

HSC= helicopter sea control?

Difference? (They are both going to be Rome/Sierra composite squadrons, no?)

 

[HH-60H]

HSM= helicopter strike maritime

HSC= helicopter sea control?

Difference? (They are both going to be Rome/Sierra composite squadrons, no?)

I think HSC=Helicopter Sea Combat? Someone might need to correct me on that.

No, HSM will have Romeos and HSC will have Sierras.

 

[ChuckMK23]

I think HSC=Helicopter Sea Combat? Someone might need to correct me on that.

No, HSM will have Romeos and HSC will have Sierras.

He's got it right!

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I work in DC, and I can tell you ASW is starting to come back big time, for a number of reasons, but mainly the China threat.

Ding Ding, Ding Ding.....folks we have a winner. This sounds eerily familiar with another thread.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Ding Ding, Ding Ding.....folks we have a winner. This sounds eerily familiar with another thread.

RE ASW...

The problem is that ASW takes a huge amount of resources to counter a threat that may not be that likely... Imean there are only soi many subs out there...

ASW would be a step backwards - it's not cool, not sexy, not glamorous, and no glory in it. In other words, thoroughly unrewarding as a profession

 

[HH-60H]

RE ASW...
ASW would be a step backwards - it's not cool, not sexy, not glamorous, and no glory in it. In other words, thoroughly unrewarding as a profession

I don't think that is true at all. In the last 10+ years, it has been like that, but during the cold war, hunting subs was a rewarding profession. Sure now days the Russians deploy out of area maybe 4 times a year, and no one is going to track/defend against them. But with a new threat country on the horizon that may very well change. I have spoken to a number of older aircrew (AW's and pilots) who have tracked a Russian sub, and they thought it was very exciting and rewarding.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I didn't say I liked it. In fact, it is by far my least favorite of any of the warfare areas. It's slow, tedious, mind numbingly boring, and not exact. But none the less, it is a skill set we should not allow to atrophy only because the threat is minimal (right now). Do do so, I think would be a big mistake.

 

[Brett327]

There's also a huge difference between shipborne ASW and that which you can do w/ P-3s. There was definitely an excitement level flying on real targets out of Keflavik in the 90-92 timeframe before the Soviets imploded.

Brett