The US Navy has completed a tail bushing repair for an MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission maritime helicopter at Naval Station Rota, Spain.
The work was part of a joint US-Spanish effort to sustain military capabilities and build on maintenance projects launched by the US Fleet Readiness Center.
US Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79 teamed with domestic aviation industry partners to complete the repair at the Spanish Armed Forces’ Décima Escuadrilla 10th Squadron Hangar.
“This, to our knowledge, is the first maintenance and aircraft readiness effort of its kind… to build enduring interoperability relationships with our host nation and NATO ally – the Kingdom of Spain, a joint operator of the Seahawk series of multi-mission helicopters,” HSM-79 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Nikolas Rongers explained.
‘Stronger as One Team’
Naval Station Rota is a US defense installation that functions as a keystone logistics and operational point for US and NATO forces across the US European Command and Naval Forces Europe areas of operations.
According to the US Navy, recent collaborative maintenance for the Rota base’s prime mission capabilities will enhance regional security.
“This bi-national effort enabled the ‘Griffins’ of HSM-79, forward deployed to Naval Station Rota, Spain, to quickly return a combat-ready MH-60R Seahawk aircraft to mission capable status in support of ongoing NATO Coalition and European Theater security initiatives,” Rongers stated.
“We are stronger when we operate together and more resilient when leveraging our interchangeability as one team.”