Deck-Landing Qualifications

One of the many challenges military members face during a joint exercise like NORTHERN EDGE 2003 is the challenge of working with a sister service and overcoming the differences between methods of operation. To earn their deck-landing qualifications (DLQ) with their UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters aboard the USS Mount Vernon (LSD 39), Army aviators worked hand-in-hand with the Mount Vernon’s crew.

A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter prepares to fly to the USS Mount Vernon (LSD 39) for deck-landing qualifications. Photo by Spec. James Wyllie, USA

To qualify for deck landings, pilots must safely land their helicopter five times on a moving Navy ship, said Army Capt. Abrahm Dimarco. It is difficult to land an aircraft while the ship is moving because the deck rocks back and forth. The deck’s small size and the shifting winds cause the helicopters to shift.

“The Navy doesn’t bring ships [to Alaska] often,” said Capt. Dimarco. “This exercise is one of the few chances we get.” He noted that the annual qualification is important, because it prepares military members for real-world operations. Deck landing is not a standard requirement, but rather an additional skill for pilots. Army aviators must often fly out to Navy ships to transport supplies during deployments. It’s also a useful way for the Army to deploy from Alaska because it can ship out along with its aircraft on a Navy ship.

Before DLQ, soldiers must have extensive academic training that covers radio procedures, hand and arm signals, light signals, and how to use miniscule scuba tanks to exit an aircraft under water in case of emergency. Soldiers studied the Navy’s signals and signs because flight-deck communications between the Army and Navy differ. After this training, pilots conducted field-deck landings, practicing five simulated deck landings on a mock-up of a deck-landing pad on the flight line at Fort Wainwright.

A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter prepares to fly to the USS Mount Vernon (LSD 39) for deck-landing qualifications.

The opportunity to satisfy the annual qualifications also benefited the Mount Vernon crew. The Navy works with the Marines frequently but not with the Army. Different services have different aircraft. Working with the Army exposed him to a variety of helicopters and their blade sizes, said Navy YN3 Joe Salcido. “Different aircraft require different preparation and tie-down procedures.”

U.S. Coast Guard’s Role

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) operated as the lead federal agent for the homeland defense section of the exercise, said USCG Lt. Dave Smith. The USCG served as the focal point through which the Alaska State Troopers, the Valdez Fire and Police Departments, the Alaska Civil Air Patrol, and the Alaska National Guard exchanged information.

The USCG Auxiliary augmented USCG patrols and assumed the role of “enemy forces” for a portion of the exercise.

The crew of the USCG Cutter Mustang (WPB 1310) participated through its normal everyday mission, said Capt. Brian Anderson, commanding officer of the Mustang. “Our primary mission is the defense of the Valdez oil terminal,” he said. “Our secondary mission is the regulation of the local traffic in the Valdez harbor.”

The Mustang’s crew was eager to show what they’ve learned, said Lt. Jason Smith, Mustang executive officer before the exercise. “We’re definitely taking NORTHERN EDGE 2002 into account, and are trying to improve on some things that we noticed last year. We took note of ways that we could improve our personnel structure, patrol routes, and communicating with other services.”

Canadian Navy Lt. Jeff White (right) talks with FAST Marines and a U.S. soldier from an Army chemical company after the Marines conducted a simulated ambush of the chemical company. Lt. White spent several days with the Marines to see how they provide unit-level protection. Photo by Spec. Douglas DeMaio, USA

Live-Fire Exercise

Traveling down a dead end road, the Army Chemical Company stopped their vehicles to scout a fresh water source. Two soldiers scanned the area for potential threats. They saw none. But, while walking in the shadow of the hill to his right, the lieutenant heard gunshots. The platoon was under a mock attack by a Marine Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST). FAST Marines unleashed a sustained rate of fire that pinned the Army Company down. The Marines then swept across their objective, took prisoners, and checked them for intelligence.

“We definitely learned some lessons today,” said Army 1st Lt. Kenneth Johnson. “This shows we need to do some more cross training with a battlefield focus” to learn tactics from other units to successfully react to an ambush.

“We accomplished our mission and decimated our objective,” said Marine Capt. Ripley Rawlings. The soldiers weren’t the only ones to learn a valuable lesson. The hard-packed snow didn’t necessitate wearing snowshoes for the FAST platoon. But the Marines endured carrying their snowshoes, a cumbersome load while hiking 3.5 kilometers to the ambush site. Checking the weather before an operation can be essential for the success of a mission, noted Capt. Rawlings,

Rehearsing and concentrating more on details and tactics of a mission can help both units be successful. The oversight of a small detail during a mission is usually the most deadly. That’s why exercises such as NORTHERN EDGE 2003 are so valuable to the participating units.