Helicopter Operations and Crew

Dynamic scenes featuring military helicopter crew members overseeing operations, showcasing aerial views, and tactical readiness during missions.

Florida Army National Guard Sgt. Patrick O'Hare, 1st UH-60 Crew Chief, Bravo 1-185th Aviation Regiment assists with air operations during Operation Night Hammer. Operation Night Hammer is the first ever training operation of its kind to coordinate and cooperate with other states and entities to identify Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) agents.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Matthew Jensen, CH-53E Super Stallion crew chief, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 366, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, sits behind a mounted M2A1 .50-caliber machine gun on a CH-53E Super Stallion on Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Aug. 31, 2022. HMH-366 aviation maintenance Marines conduct routine preventative maintenance on CH-53E Super Stallion to ensure a constant state of readiness. MCAS New River provides aviation support, force protection, infrastructure, and community services to promote the readiness, sustainment and quality of life for II Marine Expeditionary Force and other military forces, tenant commands, personnel and their families.

Maj. Kurt Wampole, assisted by Capt. Matt Ward, 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron pilots, taxis a C-130H Hercules back to its parking spot at Bagram Air Field, Parwan province, Afghanistan, Oct. 7, 2013 after completing an air cargo drop mission in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Wampole, a Rialto, Calif. native, and Ward, a Wellsville, N.Y. native, are deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Juan Gutierrez from Revere, Massachusetts, a crew chief assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, scans the horizon during Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course 1-23 over Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 5, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Army Spc. James Rydalch, assigned to 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, gives a thumbs up to a fellow Soldier before taking flight for aerial gunnery training at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, April 6, 2022. Bulgaria is a steadfast and gracious host to Atlantic Resolve Regionally Allocated Forces (RAF). NSTA provides these RAF units with premier range facilities, which contribute to overall combat readiness of U.S. forces. Air Cav is part of V Corps, America's Forward Deployed Corps in Europe, that works alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-ready forces and retains command and control for all rotational units in the European theater.

Florida Army National Guard Sgt. Patrick O'Hare, 1st UH-60 Crew Chief, Bravo 1-185th Aviation Regiment assists with air operations during Operation Night Hammer. Operation Night Hammer is the first ever training operation of its kind to coordinate and cooperate with other states and entities to identify Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) agents.

Senior Airman Robert Knopes, 54th Helicopter Squadron UH-1N Huey Flight Engineer, looks outside onto a missile launch facility on April 21, 2022, in North Dakota. 54th HS aircrew checked various missile launch facilities to look for any damage due to the four feet of snow delivered to Minot and the surrounding area by Blizzard Haley.

Missouri National Guards Public Affairs Office (PAO) traveled on a UH 60 Blackhawk to train Soldiers in Mo., Sept. 21, 2022. The Public Affairs team trains units around the state about the fundamentals of social media while giving public affairs guidance to Soldiers and Airmen. (Photo by U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Rose Di Trolio)

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Dylan Harter, from Ninety Six, South Carolina, assigned to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, performs lookout duties in an MH-60S Knighthawk, during a simulated straits transit with the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) in the Atlantic Ocean, Oct. 9, 2022. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is deployed in the Atlantic Ocean, conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navy's commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 James Marchetti, a Troy, NY, native, and UH-60M Black Hawk Pilot for A Company, 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB), based out of Latham, New York, puts on his gloves for start-up procedures of a UH-60M Black Hawk at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Sept. 16, 2022. Marchetti and his crew surveyed landing zones in the vicinity of Camp Buehring during their flight. 3-142nd AHB, attached to 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, currently supports the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission to advise, assist, and enable partnered forces in the enduring defeat of Da'esh, the common Arabic term for IS or ISIS, within designated areas of Iraq and Syria.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Pima County, Arizona's border area with Mexico, where he joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for meetings, tours, flights, inspections

050908-A-0575B-047. Subject Operation/Series: SWARMER Base: Samarra State: Salah Ad Din Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION

STAFF Sergeant Dave Lacey, a gunner with the 41st Rescue Squadron, fires his weapon, a 7.62mm minigun, out of an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter at ground targets. The 41st Rescue Squadron is taking part in the DESERT RESCUE IX exercise at Fallon Naval Air Station (NAS), Nevada. Desert Rescue is a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) exercise bringing together elements from all branches of the service in a series of real world rescue and combat scenarios. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT RESCUE IX Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Tech. Sgt. Jewel Steamer fires a .50-caliber machinegun from an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter during a training flight March 20, 2014, near Okinawa, Japan. The Air Force has used Pave Hawks in an array of search and rescue missions ranging from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, to Hurricane Katrina relief and Operation Tomodachi in Japan. Steamer is a 33rd Rescue Squadron flight engineer.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Pima County, Arizona's border area with Mexico, where he joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for meetings, tours, flights, inspections

1st Lt. Brent Stevens and Maj. Devin Cummings maneuver a C-130 Hercules out of Forward Operating Base Sharana, Paktika Province, Afghanistan, Sept. 28, 2013. This mission marked a retrograde milestone as the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron transported the last cargo from FOB Sharana before the base is transferred to the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Stevens, a Tampa, Fla. native, is deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Cummings, a Manitowoc, Wis. native, is deployed from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Cummings and Stevens are 774th EAS pilots.

On board a Blackhawk helicopter fighting the fires in Gatlinburg.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Douglas, a loadmaster assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, assists airborne operations aboard a C-130J Super Hercules during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, June 15, 2022. This exercise provides unique opportunities to integrate various forces into joint, coalition and multilateral training from simulated forward operating bases.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Pool, left, and Maj. Jason Sikorski pilots assigned to the 300th Airlift Squadron, fly over South Carolina in a U.S.A.F. C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in support of the U.S. Army Jumpmaster School, Aug. 17, 2022. The cooperation between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force is vital to the success of the training curriculum of the Army Airborne School and Jumpmaster School.

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. - Staff Sgt. Don Morrissey (left) and Cpl. Scott Romeo, crew chiefs with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166 (Reinforced), scout the area outside a CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopter for targets as part of aerial gunnery training during the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Marine Air Ground Task Force Exercise here March 29.

Staff Sgt. Cameron McKinstry, a CH-47F Flight Engineer Instructor assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division, looks over the terrain during a fly over in a Ch-47 Chinook during an Air Assault demonstration rehearsal on July 28, 2022, at Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania. 101st units will support V Corps mission to reinforce NATOs eastern flank and engage in multinational exercises with partners across the European continent to reassure our Nations allies.

A United States Marine Corps load master scans the sky from the open rear ramp of a KC-130J Super Hercules over the South China Sea, Malaysia. The refueling boom hangs in the air behind him.

050926-F-5964B-091. Base: Ellington Field, Houston State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joshua Moracco and Tech. Sgt. Justin Lum-Osborn and Master Sgt. Randall Yamada, 204th Airlift Squadron loadmasters, deploy a MK 25 Marker from the back of a C-17 Globemaster III during a flare deployment training operation July 7, 2022, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. The addition of high-intensity illuminating flares comes from the Hawaii Air National Guard's continued support of NASA's SpaceX Human Space Flight program.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Connor Krecklow, a UH-1Y helicopter crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), surveys the waters during a towed target exercise off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, July 13, 2022. The exercise was conducted to increase proficiency with the weapons systems of the aircraft. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps' only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

Master Sgt. Sven Raemer, 305th Rescue Squadron special missions aviator, mans a GAU-2C mini-gun during combat search and rescue training over Arizona, Sept. 1, 2022. This training tested the 305th RQSs ability to rapidly locate and recover isolated personnel from contested environments.

010514-F-2352G-007. Subject Operation/Series: COBRA GOLD 01 Base: Phitsanulok Country: Thailand (THA)

Date: 6/17/2008Caption: SSG Shad Myers, a Flight Engineer with Bravo Company, 2-11 General Support Aviation Battalion, watches for hazards in route to extract damaged water pumps for the Cedar Rapids Water Utility. Heavy rains have pushed the Iowa River above the 500-year flood mark covering the pumps for several days making repairs impossible without air support. Bravo Company is part of the Iowa Army National Guard located in Davenport, Iowa.

U.S. Army Spc. Blake Schwartz, crew chief with Bravo Company, 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion, 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade looks out the back of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during a routine evening training flight at the 28th ECAB's mobilization station.

030810-F-6701P-014. Subject Operation/Series: JTF LIBERIA Base: Lungi Country: Sierra Leone (SLE)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Robert Bobby Doerr a scout sniper with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, moves to position during an aerial live-fire out of a SH-60 Sea Hawk in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 16, 2022. The scout snipers conducted the live-fire to hone their skills and maintain combat readiness. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Senior Airman Jolan Besse, 535th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, observes container delivery system bundles exiting a C-17 Globemaster III during an airdrop training exercise at Kanes Drop Zone, Kahuku, Hawaii, Aug. 24, 2022. Aircrew from the 535th Airlift squadron conducted training by performing an airdrop of container delivery system bundles of supplies.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Jordan Nixon, 21st Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III pilot and aircraft commander, operates a C-17 across the Mariana Islands Range Complex during Exercise Golden Bee Sept. 26, 2022. Exercise Golden Bee is a joint readiness exercise designed to provide training integration and rehearse strategic and operational objectives in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

A U.S. Marine assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, provides aerial support during exercise EFES 2022 in Turkey, June 4, 2022. EFES22 is an international combined joint live-fire exercise focused on increasing force readiness, promoting stability and prosperity in the region, and interoperability between the U.S., Turkey, and allied nations.

A New York Army National Guard Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, fires a M240 from a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter, over Fort Drum, N.Y., June 2nd, 2018. Soldiers from the 3-142 were conducting Aerial Gunnery training during their monthly drill to prepare for an event at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, C.A. (N.Y. Army National Guard

Staff Sgt. Jesse Koritar, 90th Ground Combat Training Squadron training instructor, signals for his men to rappel out of an Army UH-60 Black Hawk at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., May 2, 2019. During flight, the noise from wind and rotors is too loud to communicate verbally requiring the use of hand signals to accurately transfer information.

A Soldier from the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) takes his last steps out the door during a training jump on Nov. 14, 2014. The battalion departed Austins Bergstrom International Airport on two Altus Air Force Based C-17s, flew to Fort Hood, and then jumped into the Rapido Drop Zone wearing full combat gear. The 1-143rd is from the 36th Infantry Division (Texas Army National Guard)

An Soldier with the 3-328th General Support Aviation Battalion, Selfridge Air National Guard, looks out of a CH-47 Chinook, during Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training during Northern Agility-1 22 in Alger County, located in the Upper Peninsula of Mich., June 28, 2022. The Northern Agility exercise series exemplifies the MI ANGs progressive vision for fighter forward arming and refueling training that will land aircraft in an austere landing zone, continuing to champion ACE and adaptive basing concepts for the U.S. Air Force. ACE not only requires novel equipment, but also innovative Airmen that can support the Multi-Capable Airmen (MCA) concept.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Robert Bobby Doerr Jr. a scout sniper with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires a M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System during an aerial live-fire out of a SH-60 Sea Hawk in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 16, 2022. The scout snipers conducted the live-fire to hone their skills and maintain combat readiness. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Brandon Larnard, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 2, lowers a rescue swimmer into the water during an annual Department of Defense search and rescue exercise. The exercise is a multi-service event sponsored by the United States Coast Guard to exercise and simulate Department of Defense search and rescue coordination and recovery.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 James Marchetti, a Troy, NY, native, and UH-60M Black Hawk Pilot for A Company, 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB), based out of Latham, New York, adjusts a switch on the center console of a UH-60M Black Hawk during a training flight in the vicinity of Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Sept. 16, 2022. Marchetti and his crew surveyed landing zones in the vicinity of Camp Buehring during their flight. 3-142nd AHB, attached to 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, currently supports the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission to advise, assist, and enable partnered forces in the enduring defeat of Da'esh, the common Arabic term for IS or ISIS, within designated areas of Iraq and Syria.

USS Iwo Jima, At Sea, At Sea - An MH-60S air crewman with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, gazes out of the gunner's door of a Seahawk helicopter while participating in flight operations over the Atlantic Ocean, Oct. 25, 2014. Flight operations are in support of a simulated strait transit during Composite Training Unit Exercise with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in preparation for the deployment at the end of the year.

A U.S. Marine with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (Reinforced), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), mans an M134 Minigun in a UH-1Y Venom during a close air support exercise as part of Realistic Urban Training (RUT) on Fort Barfoot, Virginia, Jan. 20, 2024. RUT provides the 24th MEU the opportunity to operate in unfamiliar environments, integrate the units of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, and train towards being designated as special operations capable.

U.S. Army Paratroopers and International Paratroopers participate in the International Airborne Leapfest Competition in Exeter, Rhode Island, Aug. 1-10, 2022. Leapfest is the largest, longest-running, international static line parachute training event and competition hosted by the 56th Troop Command, Rhode Island Army National Guard to promote high level technical training and esprit de corps within the International Airborne community. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Officer Candidate Deirdre Salvas)

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Eric Hady, an aircraft loadmaster assigned to the 103rd OperationsGroup, 103rd Airlift Wing, Connecticut Air National Guard preparesto guide a C-130H Hercules aircraft to the parking area after landingduring Exercise Swift Response 22, May 11, 2022, in Pisa, Italy. Theexercise is a military crisis response training event for multinationalairborne forces that focuses on building airborne interoperabilitywith Allies and partners, and the integration of joint service partnersin a contested environment. Events such as Swift Response providevital opportunities, not only for multiple United States services towork together, but also for integrated, total force training withReserve and National Guard units and our partner nations militariesto ensure interoperability.

The Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration takes place during the 2022 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, Sept. 24, 2022. The MAGTF Demo displays the coordinated use of close-air support, artillery and infantry forces, and provides a visual representation of how the Marine Corps operates. The theme for the 2022 MCAS Miramar Air Show, Marines Fight, Evolve and Win, reflects the Marine Corps ongoing modernization efforts to prepare for future conflicts.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Daniel Neilson, a loadmaster with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, points in the direction of an approaching U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter for aerial refueling during exercise Kodiak Mace 22 near Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, May 11, 2022. This annual exercise is designed to develop unit-level skills, work with joint forces, and maintain a high level of squadron readiness.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, conduct airborne operations aboard a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, June 15, 2022. This exercise provides unique opportunities to integrate various forces into joint, coalition and multilateral training from simulated forward operating bases.

A UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter aircrew assigned to Alpha Company, 2-158 Assault Helicopter Battalion, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade flies, above Baturaja, Indonesia on Aug. 3, 2022.

000815-A-3403V-102. Base: Camp Bondsteel State: Kosovo Country: Serbia (SER)

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Joe Thomas, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA), 469 fires a GAU-21 off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 3, 2022. HMLA-469 conducted a Strike Coordination and Reconnaissance drill in order to increase proficiency and lethality throughout the squadron.

Spc. Eric Griswold, UH-60 Blackhawk Crew member assigned to 2-227th General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade participates in an air assault training mission during Swift Response, Krivolak Military Training Center, North Macedonia, May 8, 2022. Exercise Swift Response 2022 is an annual multinational training exercise, which takes place in Eastern Europe, the Arctic High North, Baltics, and Balkans from May 2-20, 2022. It aims to present combat credible Army forces in Europe and Africa and enhance readiness by building airborne interoperability with Allies and Partners and the integration of joint service partnerships.

DF-ST-87-09568. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

Soldiers from the South Carolina National Guards 2-151st Security and Support Aviation Battalion (SSAB) provide air support to local authorities and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), during a statewide response to Hurricane Matthew, Oct. 6, 2016. During the evacuation phase of the response, the 2-151st SSAB deployed two LUH-72A Lakota helicopters and relative crews to the coast, in order to monitor traffic and relay information to emergency responders. Approximately 1,400 South Carolina National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated Oct. 4, 2016. Their primary mission is supporting state and county emergency management agencies and local first responders with coastal evacuations and any services or resources needed to assist the citizens of South Carolina after Governor Nikki Haley declared a State of Emergency. Hurricane Matthew peaked as a Category 4 hurricane in the Caribbean and is/was projected to pass along the S.C. coast.

U.S. Army Spc. Cody Zickefoose, a CH-47 helicopter repairer assigned to 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Combat Aviation Brigade, fires an M240H machine gun from a CH-47 Chinook during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Nov. 7, 2018. The GSAB train to conduct aviation operations worldwide and provide diverse capabilities such as air assault, air movement, air medical evacuation and air space control.

Royal Moroccan Special Operations jump from a Boeing CH-47 Chinook at high altitude during exercise African Lion 2022 at Tan Tan, Morocco, Africa, on June 23, 2022. AL22 is U.S. Africa Command's largest, premier, joint, combined annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia, June 6 - 30. More than 7,500 participants from 28 nations and NATO train together with a focus on enhancing readiness for U.S. and partner-nation forces. AL22 is a joint all-domain, multi-component, and multinational exercise, employing a full array of mission capabilities with the goal to strengthen interoperability among participants and set the theater for strategic access.

Pararescue Airmen assigned to the New York Air National Guards 106th Rescue Wing prepare for a jump into the Atlantic near the Azores during ASEREX 2021, a NATO search and rescue exercise held at the end of July, 2021. The 106th Rescue Wing sent an HH-130 search and rescue aircraft and pararescue jumpers to participate in the training.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Joe Whalen from Middlesex, New Jersey, an MV-22B Osprey crew chief assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing performs preflight checks before a Marine expeditionary unit exercise during Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course 1-23, at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, on Oct. 13, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Benjamin Shalz from Boise, Idaho, left, observes Cpl. Janae Jarnagin from Eaton, Colorado, both UH-1Y Venom crew chiefs, assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), fire a GAU-21 .50 caliber machine gun, during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 2-22, near Yuma, Arizona, April 1, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assist in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

Master Sgt. Phil Harris and Staff Sgt. Mateis Maehler, 192nd Airlift Squadron C-130H loadmasters, conduct operations during a drop of a training cargo load above Amedee Army Airfield, Herlong, California June 24, 2022. The cargo was dropped during a three-ship tactical flight which involved low-level flying and touch and go landings

Loadmasters with the 144th Airlift Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard, prepare to parachute drop equipment, including a Zodiac boat, into the Pacific Ocean from a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft near Kapolei, Hawaii, Jan. 26, 2021, during Exercise H20. Alaska Air National Guardsmen were in Hawaii training during Exercise H20, January and February, honing their long-range search and rescue capability in support of the NASA human spaceflight program they are responsible for supporting. The Air Guards 176th Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, is the only wing in the U.S. Air Force, Guard, and Reserve, with C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and pararescue personnel that combine to provide long-range search and rescue—able to travel the furthest distance in the shortest time, in response to a life-threatening scenario.

U.S. Army Col. Travis McIntosh, 10th CAB Commander, finishes his final flight in his Army career on Fort Drum, Ny. July 15, 2022. CW5 Rolando Sanchez, 10th CAB Command Chief Warrant Officer, also conducted his last flight with the brigade.

Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Kadavy, Director of the Army National Guard, conducts a command visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands Oct. 5, 2017. During his visit, he met with Brig. Gen. Deborah Howell, the Adjutant General of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Col. Scott Smith, commander of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and Joint Task Force Stonewall, the multi-state, multi-service team supporting hurricane recovery operations on the islands.

In-flight RH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters as seen from the cockpit of an SH-3 Sea King helicopter during search and rescue (SAR) operations. Country: Chesapeake Bay

A U.S. Marine with Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, and a Hawaii Air National Guard Airman, with 647th Civil Engineering Squadron, participate in a joint explosive ordnance disposal exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Sept. 21, 2022. EOD technicians around the joint force conducted a week long joint-service level exercise where service members cohesively integrated, trained, and competed with one another while utilizing experimental technology. The training demonstrated progress in the U.S. Marine Corps Force Design 2030 efforts.

U.S. Army Sgt. Jameson Little, a flight engineer with the Detachment 1, Bravo Company, 1-169th General Support Aviation Battalion, Georgia Army National Guard, reviews equipment on a CH-47 Chinook during Sentry Savannah May 5, 2022, on the flightline at the 165th Airlift Wing, in Savannah, Georgia. Sentry Savannah is the Air National Guards premier counter air exercise, encompassing 10 units of fourth- and fifth- generation fighter aircraft, which tests the capabilities of warfighters in a simulated near-peer environment and trains the next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

A U.S. military photographer films aerial view of the region from a helicopter during exercise Eager Mace 92-1, the first U.S./Kuwaiti combined service exercise since the end of Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: EAGER MACE 92-1DESERT STORM Country: Kuwait (KWT)

Container delivery system bundles exit a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., during an air delivery mission over Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response, Jan. 21, 2010. The aircrew, assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C., delivered 40 container delivery system bundles totaling 67,800 lbs. of MREs and bottled water.

A U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group team member conducts a military free fall jump over Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, during Red Flag 22-2 June 13, 2022. RF 22-2 provides realistic combat training in a simulated environment.

020127-F-1851B-005. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

120117-N-ZI635-420ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 17, 2012) Boatswains Mate 1st Class Dustan T. Lowe watches as Sailors man lines to ready a rigid hull inflatable boat during a man overboard drill aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are underway on a deployment to the Western Pacific region.

U.S. Army Cpl. Nathaniel Miller (bottom left), an AH-64 Armament/Electrical/Avionic Systems Repairer with the 1st Attack Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, loads 30mm chain gun rounds into an AH-64E Apache helicopter during Apache gunnery at the Digital Multi-Purpose Range Complex, Fort Riley, KS., on August 11, 2022. The aerial gunnery gave Army aviators and ground crews the opportunity to train and increase their proficiency on refit operations for the Apache helicopter. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Keegan Costello, 19th Public Affairs Detachment.)

Soldiers from the 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, Utah National Guard, were dispatched in support of the Utah County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue efforts to find a missing 65-year-old motorcyclist in and around Mapleton Canyon, May 9, 2022. A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and crew members transported search and rescue volunteers up Mapleton Canyon where they were dropped off to begin their search efforts and later returned back to the incident command center. The Black Hawk crew also conducted search efforts from the air. Local search and rescue support demonstrates Utah National Guard readiness and strengthens partnerships with local civilian agencies.

061103-N-0490C-004. Base: Red Sea

A Finnish pilot sits in the back of a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook while looking at a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk during a cultural-exchange flight at Tampere, Finland, Aug. 4, 2022. For the next few weeks, U.S. Soldiers and Finnish troops will be conducting multiple training exercises to strengthen relations and help build interoperability between the two nations.

U.S. Army Spc. Devon Boxa from San Angelo, Texas, a member of Company B, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, admires the Afghan landscape out the back door of a CH-47D Chinook helicopter as another Chinook follows. The choppers were flying from Kabul to Jalalabad Dec. 17.

Cpl. Monica Pomales, left, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, from Deerfield Beach, Florida, receives instruction from Staff Sgt. Andrew Gregory, a night systems instructor with HMLA 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before conducting live fire shooting drills in a UH-1Y Venom during exercise Gunslinger 22 at Smoky Hill Range, Kansas on June 17, 2022. The UH-1Y Venom was accompanied by an AH-1Z Viper and both provided close air support and deep air support to the Ground Combat Element at Smoky Hill Range.

Staff Sgt. Mike Landauer from B Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, NY National Guard prepares to take off from Greater Rochester International Airport, Rochester NY, Sept. 28 2022. Soldiers and crew were called up in support of emergency measures in Florida, brought on by Hurricane Ian. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Jason Carr

010621-F-2829R-004. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT RESCUE IX Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Hickman, 770th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron aerial gunner, performs air-to-ground reconnaissance for ground threats and other aircraft around Camp Taji, Iraq, Thursday, May 29, 2008. Sergeant Hickman is deployed from Hurlburt Field, Fla.

970811-F-0966E-005. Base: Mcguire Air Force Base State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Cpl. Monica Pomales, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, from Deerfield Beach, Florida, conducts live fire shooting drills in a UH-1Y Venom during exercise Gunslinger 22 at Smoky Hill Range, Kansas on June 17, 2022. Exercise Gunslinger 22 is a joint exercise with the Kansas Air National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps designed to increase aircraft control and training for potential real world contingencies.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Hunter Peck, a UH-60 helicopter maintainer and crew chief assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division (1AD CAB) looks out of the aircraft as an M240H machine gun firing is portrayed through the visor reflection of his helmet during a live-fire exercise at Drawsko Pomorski, Poland, Oct. 19, 2022. The 1AD CAB is among other units assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, proudly working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America's forward deployed corps in Europe.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Liam A. Hogan, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 269, flies in a UH-1Y Venom near Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Aug. 9, 2022. HMLA-269 trained to increase proficiency in close-air support. HMLA-269 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

PACIFIC OCEAN (September 1, 2022) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Seth Yarbro, a UH-1Y crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 (Reinforced), 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires an M240-D machine gun during an integrated, live-fire exercise, Sept. 1. The ability to operate seamlessly and simultaneously on the sea, ashore, and in the air represents the unique value of the amphibious capability provided by the Navy-Marine Corps team. The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, comprised of amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and amphibious transport docks USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), is underway conducting integrated training operations with the 13th MEU in the U.S. 3rd Fleet to prepare for an upcoming deployment.

overhead interior detail Sikorsky Military Helicopters Aviat USCG U.S. Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk cockpit USS Lake Champlain ship guided missile cruiser

Petty Officer 2nd Class John Tchorz and Petty Officer 2nd Class Austin Krohne, stationed at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, deploy a Surface Velocity Program Drifting Buoy over the North Atlantic Ocean on April 22, 2022. The buoy will enable the International Ice Patrol members to monitor currents and determine the extent of iceberg distribution for vessels transiting the area.

An Airman from the 55th Rescue Squadron, fires at simulated targets during an exercise at Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Idaho, Sept. 14, 2022. Terminal Employment is the training performed in preparation for the final phase of the 55th Rescue Squadrons mission of combat search and rescue.

011114-N-9849W-005. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Uss Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Scene Major Command Shown: USS Kitty Hawk

Missouri National Guards Public Affairs Office (PAO) traveled on a UH 60 Blackhawk to train Soldiers in Mo., Sept. 21, 2022. The Public Affairs team trains units around the state about the fundamentals of social media while giving public affairs guidance to Soldiers and Airmen. (Photo by U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Rose Di Trolio)

Kunduz, Afghanistan - A UH-60L Blackhawk door gunner mans a M-240G machine gun.

U.S. Army Col. Travis McIntosh, 10th CAB Commander, finishes his final flight in his Army career on Fort Drum, Ny. July 15, 2022. CW5 Rolando Sanchez, 10th CAB Command Chief Warrant Officer, also conducted his last flight with the brigade.

040321-F-3983J-004. Base: Moody Air Force Base State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron, conduct repel and hoist maneuvers during exercise Jolly Vihar near Pápa Air Base, Hungary, July 14, 2022. The 57th RQS teams conduct day and night personnel recovery operations in combat, as well as provide combatant commanders with options to report, locate, recover and reintegrate isolated personnel. During Jolly Vihar the 57th RQS and 56th RQS trained alongside Hungarian troops to conduct integrated mission training scenarios.

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