MARINE CORPS AIR STATION KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii – Flight crews from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade conducted training with divers from the U.S. Navy Sea, Air, Land Delivery Vehicle Team One, Naval Special Warfare Group 3 here, June 18.
Navy divers practiced being extracted and inserted using a CH-47F Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk. Extraction included using the Special Patrol Insertion and Extraction equipment and caving ladder while insertion was conducted by rappelling and HELOCAST.
“Some of the techniques covered were rappelling, HELOCAST, SPIE, and caving ladder over land and water,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Charlie Mock, a UH-60 instructor pilot with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th CAB, originally from Samson, Ala.
Helocasting is an airborne technique used by small units utilizing helicopters to dive into a body of water in a military area of operations.
“The training was great,” said Parachute Rigger 1 Sascha Lansen, a rappelmaster with Logistics and Support Unit 3, NSWG 3, originally from Latrobe, Penn. “By training with the Army, our divers are now qualified to conduct missions from different types of helicopters.”
In addition to the divers being trained, instructor pilots from 2-25 AVN and 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment are qualified to conduct these types of missions and training for their companies.
“The SEAL Team was very supportive during the training,” said Mock. “This training allows us to broaden the support we can offer to other units. The CAB looks forward to future training opportunities with Army units and other services in order to improve and maintain its capabilities.”