HSC 25 Conducts Hoist Evolutions with French Partners in the Indo-Pacific

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Cole Pielop | 201210-N-BR087-1447 PHILIPPINE SEA (Dec. 10, 2020) Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Robert Washington, from Birmingham, Mich., assigned to the “Island Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25, is lowered from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter during training with French Loire-class tender, and support vessel FS Seine (A 604) to ensure both nations maintain proficiency in personnel recovery while out at sea. HSC-25, the Navy’s only forward-deployed expeditionary helicopter sea combat squadron, provides a multi-mission rotary wing capability for units in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and maintains a Guam-based 24-hour search and rescue and medical evacuation capability, directly supporting the U.S. Coast Guard and Joint Region Marianas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Cole C. Pielop)  

PHILIPPINE SEA

12.10.2020

Courtesy Story

Commander Task Force 75

PHILIPPINE SEA (Dec. 10, 2020) – The Guam-based “Island Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 conducted hoist training with French Loire-class tender, and support vessel FS Seine (A 604) throughout the week.

During the evolutions, helicopters from HSC-25 lowered rescue swimmers and their equipment down to the deck of Seine, following procedural guidelines to ensure both nations maintain proficiency in personnel recovery while at sea.

“Training like this allows us to practice skills that are necessary when conducting real world search and rescue operations,” said Cmdr. Christopher Carreon, commanding officer of HSC-25. “Not only do we look forward to these training opportunities, we seek them out in order to ensure we are ready for mission execution when called to support.”

In the past year HSC-25 has supported eight search and rescue missions, leading to the recovery of 18 individuals who may have otherwise been lost at sea.

“This was a great opportunity to strengthen our partnership and exercise our procedures with FS Seine,” said Lt. Cmdr. Adam Wagler, operations officer of HSC-25. “The successful execution was a testament not only to how we conduct challenging evolutions, but also to the level of planning and coordination conducted between two navies in the Indo-Pacific.”

HSC-25 provides a multi-mission rotary wing capability for units in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and maintains a Guam-based 24-hour search and rescue and medical evacuation capability, directly supporting U.S. Coast Guard and Joint Region Marianas. HSC-25 is the Navy’s only forward-deployed expeditionary helicopter sea combat squadron.

As the U.S. Navy's largest forward deployed fleet, U.S. 7th Fleet routinely operates between 50-70 ships and submarines and 140 aircraft with approximately 20,000 Sailors. 7th Fleet's area of operation spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South Pacific, providing security and stability to the region. 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security while conducting a wide-range of missions to support humanitarian efforts and uphold international laws and freedoms of the sea.

• Date Taken: 12.10.2020
• Date Posted: 12.18.2020 17:32
• Story ID: 385281
• Location: PHILIPPINE SEA