With the two Sikorsky SH-3H “Sea King” helicopters that the Peruvian Navy (MGP) took to the recently concluded Multinational Exercise RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), its naval air component has demonstrated that it was up to the challenge posed by the world’s most important naval warfare exercise. The helicopters, along with their crews and maintenance personnel, successfully completed each of the varied and complex tasks assigned to the Peruvian Amphibious Task Group in this massive combat game in the waters off Hawaii.
They did so without a single significant incident during their varied operations, which included search and rescue (SAR), aeromedical evacuations, maritime interdiction operations, as well as personnel and cargo transport. Additionally, they performed helicopter-borne assaults by special forces, provided support to the marine infantry as part of the amphibious landing component, and offered humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in a hypothetical disaster scenario.
One of the most important actions they were involved in was the amphibious assault on the island of Oahu, where the Peruvian SH-3Hs successfully inserted 73 fully equipped marines into the “Tigershark” landing zone. The broad air transport capability to critical areas was showcased on this day, as the “Sea King” efficiently transported combat teams consisting of ten personnel.
In this way, it contributed to the securing of strategic positions for a subsequent blockade, enabling the success of the main effort in the area of operations, led by the Landing Force. This complex exercise also included naval units such as the ROKS Cheon Ja Bong (South Korea), USS Somerset (USA), JS Kunisaki (Japan), and ARM Usumacinta (Mexico).
The Peruvian rotary-wing aircraft operated from the multipurpose transport and strategic projection vessel BAP Pisco (AMP-156), which has now begun its return home after completing its assigned mission. The helicopters deployed are part of a “package” of six units transferred mid-last year from the 5th Squadron of the Spanish Navy Aircraft Flotilla (FLOAN), where they were known by the call sign “Morsa.”
After being officially received by the South American country, they were immediately integrated into the Naval Aviation Force Command (Avinav) of the MGP, specifically into Naval Air Squadron No. 22, based in Callao, which has extensive experience in operating this type of system. The “22” currently operates the Agusta Sikorsky ASH-3D anti-surface system, which arrived new from Italy starting in 1977, and the multi-role UH-3H, which came through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program with the United States and was received in Lima at the end of 2008.
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