USA: Maintenance Department of HSC 12 Completes Its 18th Phase Inspection

 Maintenance Department of HSC 12 Completes Its 18th Phase Inspection

The Maintenance department of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 completed its 18th phase inspection, June 26, allowing the squadron to maintain a 100 percent sortie completion rate while deployed with the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

A phase is an hours-based inspection of various components and systems on an aircraft. During this type of inspection, worn parts are often repaired or replaced.

Since deploying with Lincoln in December 2011, HSC-12’s maintainers have invested more than 77,000 man hours into the routine maintenance of the squadron’s eight MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters, with the most recent phase inspection requiring more than 350 man-hours.

“Our Maintenance department is fantastic,” said Lt. Cmdr. Justin McCaffree, the squadron’s maintenance officer. “I’ve never seen another squadron pull this many major evolutions on a deployment. We’ve completed 18 phase inspections with a few more on the way before we get home, and we’ve ensured all three of our remotely operated video enhanced receiver (ROVER) equipped aircraft were ready for each Strait of Hormuz transit. Our aircraft availability has allowed us to conduct two dedicated overland detachments for training and currency while simultaneously providing uninterrupted support to the strike group.”

Even on no-fly days, HSC-12 helicopters are launched in support of the strike group for passenger transfers between ships and other logistical purposes, resulting in increased man hours.

“There is no job too big or too small for our maintenance team,” said Master Chief Aircraft Maintenanceman Souliyong Phousirith, HSC-12’s maintenance master chief petty officer. “They have completed every challenge with efficiency and dedication.”

Previous awards for HSC-12 include the Sikorsky Maintenance Excellence Award for 2011 and the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 Golden Wrench Award for the first line period of 2012.

HSC-12 is one of nine squadrons deployed with CVW 2 aboard Lincoln as part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, which is comprised of Lincoln, guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and Destroyer Squadron 9. CSG-9 is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and combat flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Naval Today Staff, July 2, 2012; Image: U.S Navy