Skip to main content
USNI Logo USNI Logo USNI Logo USNI 150th Anniversary
Donate
  • Cart
  • Join or Log In
  • Search

Main navigation

  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Books & Press
  • USNI News
  • Proceedings
  • Naval History
  • Archives
  • Events
  • Donate
USNI Logo USNI Logo USNI Logo USNI 150th Anniversary
Donate
  • Cart
  • Join or Log In
  • Search

Main navigation (Sticky)

  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Books & Press
  • USNI News
  • Proceedings
  • Naval History
  • Archives
  • Events
  • Donate

Sub Menu

  • Essay Contests
    • About Essay Contests
    • CNO Naval History - Midshipmen and Cadets
    • CNO Naval History - Professional Historian
    • CNO Naval History - Rising Historian
    • Coast Guard
    • Enlisted Prize
    • NPS Foundation
    • Naval Mine Warfare
  • Current Issue
  • The Proceedings Podcast
  • U.S. Naval Institute Blog
  • American Sea Power Project
  • Contact Proceedings
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Media Inquiries
  • All Issues
Helicopter
The Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48 embarked on board the Arleigh Burke–class destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) conducts vertical replenishment training in the Mediterranean Sea in October 2020. Single-aircraft detachments on board destroyers are difficult to support logistically when the ship operates in remote locations, such as the Norwegian Sea.
U.S. Navy (Austin G. Collins)

Sub Menu

  • Essay Contests
    • About Essay Contests
    • CNO Naval History - Midshipmen and Cadets
    • CNO Naval History - Professional Historian
    • CNO Naval History - Rising Historian
    • Coast Guard
    • Enlisted Prize
    • NPS Foundation
    • Naval Mine Warfare
  • Current Issue
  • The Proceedings Podcast
  • U.S. Naval Institute Blog
  • American Sea Power Project
  • Contact Proceedings
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Media Inquiries
  • All Issues

The Challenges of Single-Helicopter Detachments

By Lieutenant Abby Bohlin, U.S. Navy
August 2021
Proceedings
Vol. 147/8/1,422
Professional Notes
View Issue
Comments

MH-60R Seahawk squadrons routinely deploy one- and two-helicopter detachments on single-landing-spot, air-capable ships. In March 2020, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48 Detachment 7 (HSM-48.7) deployed on board the USS Roosevelt (DDG-80), an independently deployed ship, as a single-aircraft detachment. Over the next seven months, HSM-48.7 conducted operations north of the Arctic Circle, shore-based flights from Rota, Spain, large-scale multinational exercises, and other operations
as needed across the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of responsibility (see Figure 1). Most noteworthy, the detachment conducted antisubmarine warfare (ASW) operations stretching from the Barents to the Mediterranean and Black Seas, supporting operational commanders.

At each opportunity, the detachment demonstrated the MH-60R’s capabilities. Over the course of its deployment, HSM-48.7 flew more than 300 hours and performed more than 450 deck landings. However, as a single-aircraft detachment, it faced many challenges that limited the Seahawk’s availability for tasking.

Figure 1

Stretched Logistics

During the deployment, the aircraft was not mission capable on several occasions because of a lack of supplies, resulting in missed operational opportunities. For instance, while operating in Sixth Fleet, the detachment was forced to wait for two pitch-control rod ends, numerous O-rings, multiple blade-inspection method indicators, a fuel-transfer valve, and an airborne low-frequency sonar kit. Parts were routinely shipped from the United States to various logistics hubs in Europe, where they were repacked with other ship’s parts for delivery to the next port. This often meant the detachment did not receive critical maintenance components until days or weeks later. On several occasions, parts missed the Roosevelt by just hours, prolonging the down time and complicating logistics coordination.

On average, it took 12 days to receive parts from the moment they were ordered. These delays resulted in the aircraft being mission capable only 72 percent of the time and fully mission capable just 33 percent of the time. In other words, the aircraft was not able to fly at all for almost a third of the deployment and was able to operate at its full capability for only a third. In contrast, a two-aircraft detachment historically has at least one mission-capable asset for more than 95 percent of deployment and one fully mission-capable aircraft for more than 75 percent.

There is no excuse for one of the Navy’s most capable maritime assets to be sidelined or degraded for two-thirds of a deployment. On an independently deploying ship, a second aircraft is needed to accomplish the mission. With two aircraft, one can fly if the other is down, and crew can swap parts to keep one helicopter fully mission capable. If HSM-48.7 had had a second aircraft, the detachment would have been able to fly almost double the number of flight hours.

The Navy routinely deploys two-aircraft detachments, but there are circumstances (scheduling, current operations, aircraft availability, etc.) that require single-aircraft detachments. If a single-aircraft detachment is deployed as part of a carrier strike group, it has supplies and the support of other aircraft in close vicinity to keep its aircraft operational. Detachment 48.7, however, was on an independently deployed ship, making the lack of a second aircraft detrimental to the overall mission.

When two-aircraft detachments are not possible, at a minimum single-aircraft detachments need better packup kits. Current kits contain outdated components, some dating back to the 1980s. Having consumables such as O-rings for all parts that require an O-ring would be beneficial. Having a full complement of aircraft electronic components also would aid single-aircraft detachments when these components fail. Space and weight are not a limitation on spare parts; the limitation is availability. When operating alone in remote areas, it is better to have parts on hand than to wait weeks in a less-than-fully capable status.

Even with increased organic parts, there will be times when parts are not on board. As HSM detachments continue to operate in more remote locations such as the Arctic, the supply chain must evolve as well. Single-aircraft detachments in the Arctic require parts closer than thousands of miles away in the Mediterranean. A prepositioned parts cache in the High North would shorten the supply chain and provide for faster replenishment. In addition, the Navy needs to get more creative with parts delivery. Air drops were not uncommon in the past and could prove invaluable if there are capable assets available. Previously, fixed-wing maritime patrol platforms were able to provide this service in Central and South America, for example.

HSM-48.7 executed a successful seven-month deployment and demonstrated the importance of the MH-60R to the most recent National Defense Strategy. The detachment did everything possible to keep the aircraft mission capable, but the limitations of a single aircraft on an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer made this difficult. If the detachment had had a second aircraft, mission capability and participation in multiple major operations and exercises would have been significantly increased. The MH-60R detachment gives the United States and its allies a competitive advantage in a high-end fight. Sidelining such a capable asset by not taking a second helicopter or fully developing a sustainable and responsive logistics chain greatly undercuts that advantage.

Lieutenant Abby Bohlin, U.S. Navy

Lieutenant Bohlin was commissioned in 2016 through NROTC at Boston University. She is an MH-60R Seahawk pilot assigned to HSM-48 in Mayport, Florida. She was the operations officer on HSM-48 Detachment 7’s 2020 deployment in the Norwegian, Barents, Mediterranean, and Black Seas.

More Stories From This Author View Biography

Related Articles

Weaver-PRO-9-20_opener.jpg
P Featured Article

Navy Helicopters Are Changing Course

By Captain Mike “Dream” Weaver and Captain Chris “Jean-Luc” Richard, USN
September 2020
The “Air Wing of the Future” and ConOps 2.0 efforts must drive toward meaningful and thoughtful change.
P Article

Helicopters Best Enable Forced Entry From the Sea

By Captain Daniel Phillips, U.S. Marine Corps
October 2018
The MEU must modify its organization to facilitate a greater capability to conduct vertical envelopments and reduce the significance of surface connectors.
An MH-60R Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 fires the first of four live AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit leaders often do not account for the full warfighting capabilities of Helicopter Sea Combat detachments on board large-deck amphibious ships when planning operations.
P Professional Notes

Integrate Navy Helicopters into the Amphibious Force

By Lieutenant Angelo “Pops” Lonero, U.S. Navy
October 2020
The Navy MH-60S Knighthawk's warfighting capabilities are not fully considered by ARG/MEU leaders when planning missions.

Quicklinks

Footer menu

  • About the Naval Institute
  • Books & Press
  • Naval History Magazine
  • USNI News
  • Proceedings
  • Oral Histories
  • Events
  • Naval Institute Foundation
  • Photos & Historical Prints
  • Advertise With Us
  • Naval Institute Archives

Receive the Newsletter

Sign up to get updates about new releases and event invitations.

Sign Up Now
Example NewsletterPrivacy Policy
USNI Logo White
Copyright © 2023 U.S. Naval Institute Privacy PolicyTerms of UseContact UsAdvertise With UsFAQContent LicenseMedia Inquiries
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
Powered by Unleashed Technologies
×

You've read 1 out of 5 free articles of Proceedings this month.

Non-members can read five free Proceedings articles per month. Join now and never hit a limit.