Navy Helo Squadrons Consolidate

[H46Bubba]

For those Naval Aviation vets, some interesting news. As of the beigginig of April the HC and HS squadrons have begun to re-designate themseves as HSC. The Navy is going to a streamlined airframe inventory. HSL will be using the SH-60R and the HSC will utilize the MH-60S.

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
For those Naval Aviation vets, some interesting news. As of the beigginig of April the HC and HS squadrons have begun to re-designate themseves as HSC. The Navy is going to a streamlined airframe inventory. HSL will be using the SH-60R and the HSC will utilize the MH-60S.

[/ QUOTE ]

So more separate HS, HSL, and HC? Will anything happen to HM squadrons?

[woodreau]

The HM squadrons are different airframe and different mission. So nothing should happen to them in the near term. They lost their seagoing platform when their helicopter carrier in Ingleside roasted itself in a fire a few years ago.

I'm still not sure about the HS and HSL breakdown of division of labor in the new scheme. But the SH-60R's are replacing the SH-60B and F's. and will most likely end up on the combatants. Whereas the MH-60S are replacing the CH-46Ds and are ending up on the LHA/Ds, CVNs and MSC ships.

[H46Bubba]

HS is combining with HC to form HSC squadrons and will operate the MH-60S. The SH-60F and HH-60 are going to reserve squadrons and replacing the UH-3's for station SAR. The HSL squadrons will be utilizing the SH-60R. Instead of detachments. One who squadron will deploy with each battle group. The command suite will remain onboard the carrier with a certain amount of a/c and the rest will det out to the LAMPS capable ships in the carrier battle group The HSC squadrons will primarily perform SAR for the carrier battle group, the ARG, CSAR and Spec Ops. They will probably continue to perform Vertrep.

The MH-53 is going to be retired and will be replaced by the MH-60S. It's still up in the air as to whether they keep HM squadrons, or the HSC, will assume the duty. New smaller minsweeping sleds and gear have been developed fo the transition. Ever since the Inchon went away(did my first cruise on that ship in 96), they've been using the LHDs which have given the HM's a better platform since they have well decks to launch the sleds. My gues is that the HSC squadrons will pick it up.

[draglink]

HC-6 and HC-8 have already changed their name.I am in HC-2 ,we will not change our name till we get our 60's and get rid of our seakings

[BCTAv8r]

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HC-6 and HC-8 have already changed their name.I am in HC-2 ,we will not change our name till we get our 60's and get rid of our seakings

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Where are all the seakings going? I read somewhere that quite a few went to the Brazilian Navy. Is that correct?

[draglink]

As far as i know,we are sending them to the desert.I know one of our VH-3's went to a museum.

[H46Bubba]

So what do they plan on replacing the VH-3s with? I didn't hear anything about VH-60s before I got out.

[Duksrule]

I know this is old but figured I would add my $.02. We sold 5 of them that the pulled out of the desert to the Indian Navy about 8 months ago. They bought a ship too.

[H46Bubba]

Wow, holy necropost! Well It does come at a good time though because the USS John C Stennis will be conducting the first deplyment of the new plan I specified in my original post. They will deply with two entire helo squdons;HSC-8 and HSM-71 both on board. Both squadrons will provide several detachments to the other ships in the battle group. They had to paint more helo landing spots on the flight deck to accomidate the additional helo squadron.

[Velocipede]

Man, I am an oldtimer. What happened to HC-3, HC-11 and HC-5?

[H46Bubba]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Man, I am an oldtimer. What happened to HC-3, HC-11 and HC-5?

You are! Here's the new gouge!
HC-2=HSC-2 Circuit Riders (FRS) East (No more Desert Ducks)
HC-3=HSC-3 Merlins (FRS) West
HC-11=HSC-21 Blackjacks
HC-5=HSC-25 Island Knights
HC-6=HSC-26 Chargers (Desert Hawks=Bahrain Det)
HC-8=HSC-28 Bayraiders
HC-85=HSC-85 High Rollers (Reserve)
HS-8=HSC-8 Eightballers
HCS-22 Knights (new)
HSC-23 Wild Cards (new)
HC-4=Decomissioned

[Velocipede]

Geez! No more Packrats (HC-3) or GunBearers (HC-11)? Tragic.

And I wonder if anyone in the Navy Department know an "8ball" is a drug cocktail of cocaine and heroin? I'm thinking no.

LOL!

P.S. when I was still flying in HC-3, our Skipper went over to one of the HSL squadrons that were just getting the H-60 and took a turn around the patch. He came back and said the 60 was an ideal replacement for the 46. Those of us dyed in the wool VertReppers could'nt quite fathom the idea that a tail rotor helicopter could "buttonhook" around an AFS bridge to the flight deck with the same kind of aplomb the Frog could.

Oh well, looks like he was right.

Time marches on.

[Duksrule]

You are a bit of an oldtimer too.... :>) HC-2/HSC-2 changed to the "Fleet Angels" back in '95. You are right though all the dets are gone. I did 6 months as a Duck in Bahrain. Now those are good times.........................

Originally Posted by H46Bubba

You are! Here's the new gouge!
HC-2=HSC-2 Circuit Riders (FRS) East (No more Desert Ducks)
HC-3=HSC-3 Merlins (FRS) West
HC-11=HSC-21 Blackjacks
HC-5=HSC-25 Island Knights
HC-6=HSC-26 Chargers (Desert Hawks=Bahrain Det)
HC-8=HSC-28 Bayraiders
HC-85=HSC-85 High Rollers (Reserve)
HS-8=HSC-8 Eightballers
HCS-22 Knights (new)
HSC-23 Wild Cards (new)
HC-4=Decomissioned

[H46Bubba]

Originally Posted by Duksrule

You are a bit of an oldtimer too.... :>) HC-2/HSC-2 changed to the "Fleet Angels" back in '95. You are right though all the dets are gone. I did 6 months as a Duck in Bahrain. Now those are good times.........................

I guess so, since I did get to HC-6 in 95!

[H46Bubba]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Geez! No more Packrats (HC-3) or GunBearers (HC-11)? Tragic.

And I wonder if anyone in the Navy Department know an "8ball" is a drug cocktail of cocaine and heroin? I'm thinking no.

LOL!

P.S. when I was still flying in HC-3, our Skipper went over to one of the HSL squadrons that were just getting the H-60 and took a turn around the patch. He came back and said the 60 was an ideal replacement for the 46. Those of us dyed in the wool VertReppers could'nt quite fathom the idea that a tail rotor helicopter could "buttonhook" around an AFS bridge to the flight deck with the same kind of aplomb the Frog could.

Oh well, looks like he was right.

Time marches on.

I've flow in all three a/c and none can stand up to the Phrog! HSL and HS pilots get all jerky on the controls when they vertrep. It's pretty ugly! Now when you get an ex-phrog pilot in a MH-60, he can get the a/c moving pretty good, but it's not the same. There's no room in the back, so you have to hunch over to move around and either need to sit on the deck or in a seat in the gunners positions. Another good thing about the replacement is that now they get to shoot hellfires or rocket pods just like the Army version. They have just implemented that to the fleet. The Marines have started vertreping more on the Amphibs, but they suck at it too!

[Duksrule]

Originally Posted by H46Bubba

I guess so, since I did get to HC-6 in 95!

Do you know Steve Bryant? He was there around then. We went to Aircrew school together. I was in HC-2 at the time. Checked in and got my Circuit rider hat just in time to get a fleet angels hat the next week.

[H46Bubba]

Originally Posted by Duksrule

Do you know Steve Bryant? He was there around then. We went to Aircrew school together. I was in HC-2 at the time. Checked in and got my Circuit rider hat just in time to get a fleet angels hat the next week.

I vaugely remember him as with everyone else that was there when I first got there. I started off there as an undesignated Airmen, so I kept out of sight, went TAD to the wing and the Commadore recommended me to the C.O. for the NAC program. I came back from P'cola and HC-3 in 97.