Helicopter Crew Trains with Singapore Air Force During CARAT

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Helicopter Crew Trains with Singapore Air Force During CARAT
Story Number: NNS080706-01
Release Date: 7/6/2008 8:16:00 AM

By Lt. j.g. Eric Shuey

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- The pilots, aircrew, and aircraft maintainers of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light (HSL) 45 Detachment 1 completed a shore basing exercise in Singapore, July 3.

The HSL 45 personnel, using their SH-60B helicopter Lonewolf 50, trained with the Singapore Air Force as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2008.

During the past week, the members participated in several bilateral training events as well as a maintenance symposium geared toward the delivery of several S-70 Seahawk helicopters to the Singapore Air Force next year.

"The Singapore Air Force has been a spectacular host, and it has been a real pleasure and a learning experience for both countries to be able to interact at this level," said Lt. j.g. Steve Steinmetz, a pilot assigned to the USS Jarrett (FFG 33)-based helicopter detachment.

The training culminated with Lonewolf 50 conducting several at-sea landings aboard RSS Tenacious, a Republic of Singapore Navy frigate. These landings provided the U.S. pilots and the flight deck crew of Tenacious with an opportunity to train with a foreign component to land a helicopter and perform deck landing qualifications and refueling.

CARAT is an annual series of bilateral military exercises between the United States and Southeast Asian nations.

For related news, visit the Commander Task Force 73 Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/clwp/.

Source
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38271