Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Gwendelyn Ohrazda | 250424-N-DK460-1015 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 24, 2025)—U.S. Army AH-64 Apache...... read more read more
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The sun reflected on the ocean’s surface as two MH-60R (Romeo) Sea Hawk helicopters carrying a duo of Navy photographers flew toward a metal behemoth steaming quietly on the horizon. As the helicopters approached the vessel, they were joined by two U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches—their wasp-like appearance befitting the attack helicopter’s mission and armament.
Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan Riley, a U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to Submarine Group (SUBGRU) 9, raised the viewfinder of his camera, adjusted the settings, and snapped a photo of the first-of-its-kind armed air escort (AAE) exercise led by U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM).
The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine under helicopter cover was no stranger to historic operations. In 2023, USS Kentucky (SSBN 737), the “Thoroughbred of the Fleet,” became the first U.S. submarine in four decades to make a port call in Busan, South Korea.
As the most survivable leg of the nuclear triad, SSBNs remain a top Department of Defense (DOD) priority due to their unmatched stealth and second-strike capability. Their strategic importance necessitates the strongest protection available during critical surfaced operations—protection increasingly provided by armed air escorts.
That day, the SSBN was making history again, this time as an integral component of the joint exercise utilizing rotary-wing assets for the first time.
In the Romeo’s front seat was Lt. Cmdr. Stephen “Skinny” Poppe, a weapons and tactics instructor assigned to the “Easyriders” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 37. The unit is the largest expeditionary squadron in the U.S. Navy and supports all Pearl Harbor-based Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. Romeos are also the cornerstone of the Navy’s helicopter concept of operations, designed for next-generation anti-surface warfare and, ironically, submarine hunting.
The morning of the exercise, Skinny was thinking about the condition of the weather—and his flight suit—in that order. The weather was not ideal, and further degradation would have precluded the event from happening at all. Secondarily, he wanted to make sure his flight suit was camera-ready, knowing Riley would be in the back seat.
Despite the exercise being outside his normal mission profile, Skinny’s experience working with U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army pilots—as well as the skill set he developed providing air defense for surface assets—translated directly to the task at hand.
The hardest part for the man at the controls was juggling the various frequencies and agencies that overlapped the airspace and keeping traffic clear of the submarine. Fortuitously, weather conditions remained good enough for the exercise to run its course, with a rainbow at one point appearing to frame the submarine.
The pilot made a radio call and banked left, giving Riley an unobstructed view of the boat through the open door. Despite his initial concerns, the sortie was going smoothly—leaving him increasingly confident that “Army and Navy helicopters could serve as armed escorts for SSBNs in real-world operations.”
The Navy is no stranger to joint operations. In the early 2000s, the DOD relied on the distinct capabilities of the services to augment one another, coordinating closely during combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ground troops were aided by sea-based support from Navy ships and from the air by specialized platforms like the A-10 Thunderbolt II—the same platform used for a similar armed air escort exercise in 2023.
That morning, the submarine was different, but the mission remained the same: to increase the joint force’s capabilities to protect SSBNs. Nearly 3,000 miles away in Bangor, Washington, Capt. Nate Murray, one of the lead planners, waited anxiously to hear that the mission was a success. Joint operations—which involve piecing together disparate elements like a jigsaw puzzle—increase tactical complexity with the reward of strengthening multi-service cooperation for future operations.
“AAE exercises underscore the joint force’s unwavering commitment to the defense of our nation’s strategic deterrent,” said Murray, who serves as SUBGRU 9's director of maritime operations. “These operations demonstrate our readiness to protect ballistic missile submarines—ensuring they remain a credible, reliable and survivable force, capable of operating anywhere in the world in support of global security and national defense.”
Aboard Kentucky, Cmdr. Robert Perris, Blue Crew’s commanding officer, looked up at the Apache helicopters and reflected on his childhood. The son of an Army pilot, this exercise represented a full-circle moment for the submariner who grew up surrounded by aviators and their unique culture. The air assets’ low altitude served as a visual reminder of the strength and flexibility provided by joint force operations.
“The presence and close proximity of the escorts represented a new and unique aspect of deterrence I had not experienced in my last 18 years of naval service,” said Perris. He continued, “[It] created a visceral feeling [that reinforced] the protection capability of both the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and HSM-37.”
“I am certain my Sailors will be able to look back on [this] joint exercise with exceptional pride in Kentucky’s accomplishments,” reflected Perris.
Back in the helicopter, Riley picked up his Nikon camera and zoomed in on a member of Kentucky’s crew. The submariner looked up to the sky and waved excitedly, taking in the historic moment—a reminder that behind the submarines, aircraft, and surface vessels across the DOD enterprise are the most capable warfighters, standing watch, manning weapons systems, and leading from the front, one joint exercise at a time.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2025 12:58 |
| Story ID: | 500351 |
| Location: | SILVERDALE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 308 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, SSBNs: Silent, Powerful, Lethal, and Increasingly Part of the Joint Force, by LT Zachary Anderson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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