Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School Pacific

Mission

Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School Pacific provides advanced tactical training and designation programs to increase overall tactical readiness and standardization of HSM aircrews and ordnance technicians. This training provides the foundation necessary to prepare crews for increasingly diverse missions and is achieved through the following programs:

Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP)

HARP is a graduate level exercsise designed to ensure aircrew are capable of using basic, intermediate, and advanced level tactics to effectively fly and fight the aircraft. It is a four-week course for 24–36 students which combines academic instruction, flight simulator events, tactical flights, and live fire exercises to certify crews for deployment.

Air Combat Training Continuum (ACTC)

The ACTC program is a progressive pilot and aircrew tactical qualification program that encompasses five levels of technical and tactical knowledge, flight proficiency, and leadership training leading to qualifications. HSMWSP is responsible for providing guidance and assigning responsibilities to all HSM Wing Pacific commands to ensure individual and unit readiness.

Conventional Weapons Training Proficiency Inspection (CWTPI)

CWTPI trains and evaluates ordnance load teams on explosive safety, weapon inspections, crew serve weapon maintenance, AN/ALE-47 dispenser magazine build-up, aircraft loading/downloading, arming/de-arming, and aircraft safing procedures.

History

After an initial cadre of Helicopter Anti-submarine Light (HSL) pilots and aircrewmen graduated the Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor (SWTI) course in Fallon, Nevada, they returned to NAS North Island in Coronado, California to form the HSL Weapons and Tactics Unit (WTU). Attached to Commander, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Wing (Light) Pacific, the WTU provided Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-surface Warfare (SUW), and Hostile Environment (HE) tactical instruction to the squadrons of the HSL Wing. Expanding on the work of the WTU and preparing for the community transition to the Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) mission, the Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School Pacific (HSMWSP) was officially established in 2005 as an Echelon V command. Since then, HSMWSP has recruited experienced pilots, helicopter aircrewmen, intelligence analysts, and ordnance technicians and trained them as instructors; who in turn train and evaluate Fleet aircrew and ordnance technicians.

Since 2005, HSMWSP has executed 45 HARPs, ensuring the combat readiness of over 1,000 SH-60B and MH-60R pilots and aircrewmen. Aviation ordnance instructors have to date conducted 209 ordnance inspections and assist visits. Since 2006, the command has also certified West Coast crews in the Airborne Use of Force mission.

From 2008–10, HSMWSP provided over 1,000 hours of flight instruction to Republic of Singapore Navy and Air Force S-70B aircrew.

In 2014, the Weapons School created the inaugural Advanced Readiness Program (ARP) for the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle, providing basic tactical training for the first composite detachment deployments of the MQ-8B.

In June and July 2014, HSMWSP led the HSM Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative exercise (DESI-EX) of 2014. Working with five HSM squadrons, two P-3 squadrons, a destroyer, the Chilean Type 209 class submarine Thompson, and post-mission analysis experts from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), the team produced 100 hours of ASW time and an unprecedented level of tactical feedback and innovation, including research into an HSM requirement for in-cockpit bottom topography. Additionally, the multi-national exercise provided training for 32 crews in advanced counter-diesel ASW; testing their ASW skills against a skilled adversary in a variety of challenging environments.

Squadron aircraft

SH-60 Seahawk

MQ-8 Fire Scout