How Bout them Jaguars

[Jagsbch]

From HSL-60

The Naval Air Reserve Force's newest squadron, HSL-60, made its maiden flight on the cold, blustery afternoon of March 4.

After a tremendous maintenance effort lead by AECS Dave Sievers, Jaguar 602 taxied to Naval Station Mayport's duty runway and took to the sky.

The squadron received an used SH-60B Seahawk helicopter late last year to refurbish and use for training.

Squadron Maintenance Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Eric Humphreys, and Executive Officer, Cmdr. Don Burns, were at the controls for the functional check flight while AW1 Jim Peters and AD1 Shawn Robertson checked out aircraft mission systems and vibrations.

HSL-60 is Commander, Naval Air Reserve Force's first SH-60B Light Airborne Multi Purpose System (LAMPS) MK III squadron.

The Jaguars consist of 200 full-time and reserve personnel.

Their mission is to deploy combat-ready helicopter detachments on board U.S. Navy ships.

On the ships, the detachments provide submarine warfare, surface warfare, vertical replenishment, search and rescue, medical evacuation, naval gunfire support and communications relay capabilities.

Additionally, the Jaguars will provide fleet contributory support throughout the year, conducting counter-drug operations (CD Ops) in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The squadron is the only reserve SH-60B helicopter squadron at NS Mayport and has been on base less than a year.

http://www.mayportmirror.com/stories/032102/may_jaguar001.shtml