Joint Base Andrews activates first new helicopter squadron in 60 years

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — Joint Base Andrews has activated a second helicopter squadron for the first time in six decades, standing up the 5th Helicopter Squadron on Aug. 27 to prepare for the arrival of the HH-60W Jolly Green II and expand rotary-wing capacity in the National Capital Region.

The new unit will join the long-standing 1st Helicopter Squadron to support 24/7 missions around Washington, D.C., with both squadrons operating in parallel during a phased transition. The Air Force anticipates the 5th HS will reach full operational capability by 2030.

“The vision is very straightforward,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Bonilla, who assumed command as the first 5th HS commander. “We aim to rapidly and safely integrate the HH-60W into the missions here in the National Capital Region and establish a premier rotary-wing organization that supports our nation’s most critical missions, without any pause in operations.”

Base officials said shifting to the HH-60W is intended to modernize Andrews’ fleet and ensure sustainability with a newer airframe that can better meet emerging requirements. The Jolly Green II brings greater speed, range and lift than the UH-1N Huey that has long served at Andrews, and adds upgraded communications, navigation, weather, sensor and survivability systems. The platform is configured to support civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance and rescue command-and-control missions.

During the next several years, the 5th HS will build the foundations of a new unit: training aircrew and maintainers, standing up operational and maintenance procedures, and taking delivery of aircraft as they come online. Throughout that period, the 1st HS will continue to provide immediate-response capabilities and daily support using the UH-1N. Once the 5th HS is fully ready to carry the mission on the HH-60W, the 1st HS will begin its own transition from the Huey to the newer helicopter.

“The Huey has been part of this mission and this community for generations,” said Col. Kevin Geoffroy, 316th Operations Group commander and an HH-60W pilot. “Today, we are standing up the 5th Helicopter Squadron — a unit that inherits a proud, storied legacy. We will honor that legacy by delivering excellence as we modernize our fleet at Joint Base Andrews for the future.”

The 1st HS has flown the UH-1N since 1971 and has carried an around-the-clock contingency and training mission since 1969 in support of critical national security requirements. The squadron’s history includes its rapid response following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to support senior U.S. leaders. According to the base, three Hueys that flew in the Vietnam War remain in service today.

“Our 24/7 mission continues while we prepare the next generation of Airmen and aircraft to continue the legacy of excellence,” said Lt. Col. Zachary Minner, 1st HS commander. “The incredible professionals of the 1st Helicopter Squadron are ready to respond whenever the National Capital Region needs us.”

The 5th HS revives the lineage of the World War II-era 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron, active from 1944 to 1956. Its heritage includes early helicopter rescue operations that helped define the Air Force’s rotary-wing mission in the postwar years.

“Our priority is to maintain uninterrupted mission support and ensure the safety of our aircrew, senior leaders, and neighbors, while preparing the next generation of Airmen for future operations,” Bonilla said. “The Airmen here have carried out this mission for more than half a century. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and the 5th HS is the next evolution of Airmen who time and time again deliver exactly what our nation asks of the military in a crisis or contingency.”