821st CRG, HMH-462 improve interoperability through sling load, external lift training Published Feb. 10, 2025 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Airmen with the 821st Contingency Response Group and Marines with the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 worked together increasing their interoperability on external lift training, also known as a sling load training, January 22-30. That type of training requires High-Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles, more commonly known as Humvees, and CH-53E Super Stallion heavy transport helicopters to operate together to fly a ground-based vehicle over difficult terrain. It’s important to note that Marines use different terminology for this training based on their role and mission. U.S. Marine Corps pilots and aircrew’s role is to perform an external lift of whatever equipment they can pick up safely while transporting it from one location to another. The U.S. Air Force Airmen role mainly focuses on making the ground-based connection for the equipment to be transported, which is called a sling load. “This primary mission of the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 is to support the Marine Air Ground Task Force Commander by providing assault support transport of heavy equipment, combat troops and supplies, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint or combined operations,” U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Patrick Kelly, HMH-462 operations officer and CH-53E Super Stallion heavy transport helicopter pilot said. “To this end, repetitions of external lift operations, under low-light level conditions, with real-world equipment and in partnership with joint forces are paramount to maintaining a proficient cadre of pilots and aircrew who are capable of executing the heavy-lift core mission.” USAF, USMC team up for sling load Crew chiefs and pilots with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing perform sling load training with 621st Contingency Response Wing Airmen on the flight line at Travis Air Force Base, California, Jan. 24, 2025. This was HMH 462’s first trip to Travis AFB to perform sling load training with the 621st Contingency Response Wing at their home duty station. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Cassidy Fisher) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res USAF, USMC team up for sling load A crew chief with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing looks below out of a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopter above the flight line on Travis Air Force Base, California, Jan. 24, 2025. This was HMH 462’s first trip to Travis AFB to perform sling load training with the 621st Contingency Response Wing at their home duty station. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Cassidy Fisher) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res USAF, USMC team up for sling load Airmen with 621st Contingency Response Wing work together during sling load training on the flight line at Travis Air Force Base, California, Jan. 24, 2025. This was Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462’s first trip to Travis AFB to perform sling load training with the 621st CRW at their home duty station. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Cassidy Fisher) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res USAF, USMC team up for sling load Two crew chiefs with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing look below out of a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopter over the flight line on Travis Air Force Base, California, Jan. 24, 2025. This was HMH 462’s first trip to Travis AFB to perform sling load training with the 621st Contingency Response Wing at their home duty station. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Cassidy Fisher) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res In totality, 87 Marines and five CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters were deployed for training, 157 hours were spent flying, 16 pilots and 12 aircrew gained real-world experience through this training, 12 pilots and 10 aircrew members attained or regained their mission skill proficiency, 18,665 pounds of supplied were transported and both teams worked in day/nighttime operations. The successful training and proof of concept positively served the joint heavy-lift community and was based on real-world 129th Rescue Squadron search and rescue missions. “External lift operations are the most efficient way to move cargo with the CH-53,” Kelly said. “It permits the maneuver of equipment or supplies that may otherwise be unsuitable for internal loading while minimizing time spent in the landing zone conducting loading operations. Additionally, the use of sling load operations facilitates the simultaneous use of the cabin for other cargo and troop transport.” While Marines can perform sling loads on their own for external lift operations, it is normally unlikely that a deployed environment consists of just one branch operating on its own. This is why interoperability training can mutually beneficial and vital for deployment readiness. “I believe it’s very important to build inter-branch collaboration, by working together we can leverage each other’s strength and expertise to achieve mutual desired outcomes,” U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Eck, 821st Contingency Response Group chief of operations said. “Through the Marines getting low-light certifications, we also benefit just from increase repetitions and exposure to real-world scenarios under the helicopter. This increases our combat readiness and effectiveness through interoperability training like this.” This type of training can also be extremely dangerous as a pilot needs to ensure the helicopter stays at a safe altitude for Airmen to be able to connect a Humvee to their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter. “Being under helicopter as it’s flying gives us an amazing opportunity and perspective of our downrange mission and it’s truly a unique capability that normally the U.S. Air Force doesn’t perform,” Eck said. “Yet, it’s also important to know the possible dangers of this type of training.” Eck emphasized that being on top of the HMMWV is particularly dangerous with swinging hooks that are constantly moving and trains her troops to keep their head on a swivel at all times. Any helicopter could hit air pockets where they lose altitude quickly, which means Airmen need to know when to abort the sling load connection to protect themselves from a rapidly descending helicopter. Once safe altitude is reached, Airmen will go right back on top of the HMMWV to make the connection. “We can’t stress enough that interoperability is essential for achieving unity of effort in the pursuit of critical objectives,” Kelly said. “Building familiarity and standardization with joint partners in peace facilitates a more comprehensive and effective response to potential threats in war.” In all combat domains where warfighting capabilities are constantly evolving to raise the bar as a way to diminish the threat of peer-to-peer conflict, this type of training showcases how the USAF and USMC are working towards generating their combat readiness if anything were to happen. U.S. Air Force Logo