Deck landing qualifications allow for both the boat and air crews to successfully train personnel in landing a helicopter on board a vessel.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Abban.
In this documentary series, the Coast Guard spoke with other HITRON member, the Rear Admiral USCG (Ret) David Kunkel.
David W. Kunkel was retired as a U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral in 2008 with 35 years of military service and played a pivotal role in standing up the Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON). Kunkel is recognized for his role as the Chief of Aviation Forces during the standup of HITRON.
HITRON operations started as an experiment in 1998 to halt the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. Drug trafficking organizations primarily used «go-fast» boats, high-speed smuggling vessels capable of traveling over twice the speed of Coast Guard cutters. The Coast Guard needed a way to counter the threat.
In late 1998, six Coast Guard pilots and four enlisted aircrew members developed tactics and procedures to utilize armed helicopters operating aboard Coast Guard cutters to answer the call.
Video by Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Stanton.
Interview by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Mendenhall.
Edited by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Amber Howie.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville.
Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
Department of Homeland Security.
The HITRON began operating with rented helicopters MH-90 Enforcer, USCG designation for the MD900 Explorer which were later replaced by the type MD902 (made by MD Helicopters). The MH-90s gave way to Italian aircraft MH-68A Mako, or Stingray, (Agusta A109 Power). Currently the Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrews fly eight MH-65 Dolphin.
The MH-65 Dolphin series was specifically designed by Aérospatiale, today Airbus Helicopters, for the Coast Guard purchase contrac. The result was the one appointed by the manufacturer as AS366G, a variant of the AS365 from the Dauphin family. This version of the helicopter has been manufactured exclusively and under the technical specifications of the U.S. Coast Guard.
HITRON helicopters operate in known smuggling vectors and rely on expertly trained aircrews and precision marksmen to disable go-fast drug smuggling vessels in the event suspects refuse to comply with verbal and visual warnings for law enforcement boardings under international maritime law. This series focuses on the founding members, pioneers, and stakeholders who have played an essential part in HITRON’s history.
U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Stanton, interview by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Mendenhall and edited by Petty Officer 2nd Class Amber Howie.
–USCG–
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The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
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