As already mentioned, the helicopters more likely flew from the decks of one of the vessels that supported the mission, which included a U.S. Coast Guard Legend class cutter and the British Tide class replenishment tanker RFA Tideforce. It is possible the Little Birds could have already been embarked on the Coast Guard cutter for a prolonged period before the actual operation today, and the 160th has trained for such operations in the past. With far less requirements for fuel and other support compared to the MH-60 Black Hawks and MH-47 Chinooks in the 160th’s inventory, the Little Birds also offer a different degree of ability to operate independently for prolonged periods after arriving in a forward area.
Author: Joseph Trevithick
Published at: 2026-01-07 23:30:22
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