While sailing with Carrier Strike Group Five, HMCS Vancouver’s air detachment had the opportunity to conduct a couple of cross-deck landings.
An MH-60 Seahawk helicopter from USS Chancellorsville landed on Vancouver’s flight deck on October 31st. Before a final landing to exchange unit patches, the Seahawk practiced a few approaches and landings on board the RCN frigate.
At the same time, our CH-148 Cyclone CANUCK was conducting a cross-deck landing on US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. Our CANUCK also had a chance to conduct an in-flight exercise with a flare jettison.
The flares, part of the CH-148 Cyclone’s self-defense suite, are used to confuse heat-seeking missiles. The exercise tests the pilot’s ability to deploy flares, or chaff, in an emergency where the helicopter may need to get rid of the pyrotechnics prior to an emergency landing.
~HMCS Vancouver Facebook posting