Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79 completed an MH-60R tail bushing repair with Spanish aviation specialists at Naval Station Rota, Spain, January 2023.

While these repairs are traditionally made in coordination with Fleet Readiness Center, HSM-79 worked with host nation industry partners to expeditiously complete this maintenance, as it requires distinct artisan repairs.

“This, to our knowledge, is the first maintenance and aircraft readiness effort of its kind in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility (EUCOM AOR) – leveraging resident SH-60B Seahawk intermediate level maintenance expertise and capabilities 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,” said Cmdr. Nikolas Rongers, commanding officer of HSM-79.

The repairs made to the aircraft were completed at the Décima Escuadrilla (10th Squadron) Hangar, the sponsor squadron of HSM-79, in a joint effort to maintain mission capabilities.

“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,” said Rongers. “We are stronger when we operate together and more resilient when leveraging our interchangeability as one team.”

Naval Station Rota is a strategically-located installation, providing operational and logistical support to all U.S. and NATO forces within the EUCOM AOR and the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations.