HSC-85
| Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 | |
|---|---|
HSC-85 Emblem
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| Active | 2006 - present |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Navy Helicopter Squadron |
| Role | Special Operations (SpecOps) Combat Search & Rescue (CSAR) Search & Rescue (SAR) |
| Garrison/HQ | NAS North Island |
| Nickname(s) | "Firehawks" |
| Motto | "Et Fun Faciendo" |
| Colors | Red, Blue, Gold |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Commander Brian "Wildman" Wilderman |
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 (HSC-85) Firehawks is a United States Navy Reserve helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California. HSC-85 currently flies the HH-60H Seahawk. With the deactivation of HSC-84 in March of 2016 this squadron remains as the only Navy helicopter squadron dedicated to Special Operations support as a primary role.
The squadron was established as a Naval Reserve squadron on 1 July 1970 as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Eighty Five (HS-85) "Golden Gators." It flew the Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King, later transitioning to the D and H models. In October 1994 the squadron was redesignated Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Eight Five (HC-85), it retained the nickname "Golden Gators" and traded in its Anti-Submarine H model Sea Kings for utility model UH-3H Sea Kings. In February 2006 the squadron was again redesignated, this time to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Eight Five (HSC-85). It was equipped with the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter and it operated in a utility role. At that time the squadron changed its nickname from "Golden Gators" to "High Rollers".
On July 8, 2011 the squadron was retasked as a Special Operations support squadron in response to a request by United States Special Operations Command. It traded in its MH-60S Seahawks for HH-60H Combat Search and Rescue/NSW support variant helicopters and it adopted the name "Firehawks" from Helicopter Comabt Support Special Squadron FIVE (HCS-5) which had been deactivated in 2006.
HCS-5 which had been established as Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Five (HAL-5) on 1 March 1977 and redesignated HCS-5 in October 1989 also exclusively supported Special Operations prior to its deactivation. Although the nature of the lineage between HCS-5 and HSC-85 is only through the adoption of the "Firehawk" nickname by HSC-85, many former members of HCS-5 were either already serving at HSC-85, or came to serve at HSC-85 after the squadron was re-tasked with its current Special Operations (SO) mission.
HSC-85 deployed supporting the SO mission in September 2013 and returned from the two year deployment in late 2015.
In accordance with a 2015 Navy directive, HSC-85 was scheduled to be deactivated as a result of the Budget Control Act. However, primarily due to the efforts of Congressman Ryan Zinke, Congress directed the Navy to retain HSC-85.
HSC-85 will be deployed worldwide in support of the Special Operations mission as directed by SOCOM.
References
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See also
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| Electronic Attack (VAQ) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW) | |||||
| Strike Fighter (VFA) | |||||
| Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ) | |||||
| Fleet Fighter Composite (VFC) | |||||
| Fleet Logistics Support (VR) | |||||
| Carrier Fleet Logistics Support (VRC) | |||||
| Patrol |
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| Unmanned (VUP) | |||||
| Training (VT) | |||||
| Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (HM) | |||||
| Helicopter Anti-Submarine |
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| Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) | |||||
| Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) | |||||
| Helicopter Training (HT) | |||||
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