By John C. Milliman, PMA-276 Public Affairs Officer

NAVAIR PATUXENT RIVER, MD – The Marine Corps concluded its first operational assessment of its newest attack and utility helicopters, the AH-1Z SuperCobra and the UH-1Y Huey, March 27 here.

The operational assessment, which began Feb. 12, was conducted by 25 enlisted Marines and four officers, all of whom are assigned to the H-1 Operational Test Team here and fall under the operational control of VX-9 at China Lake, Calif.

“The actual purpose of this assessment is to determine if these aircraft are potentially operationally effective,” explained Maj. Harry Hewson, PMA-276 (H-1 helicopter program) deputy program manager for operations here. “But this is not a full-blown operational evaluation, it’s merely an initial look by Fleet pilots. These aircraft are still in the developmental phase and we want the operational test team guys to tell us if we’re on the right track. We’re confident they’ll tell us we are.”

Based here, the aircraft flew missions to Quantico, Va., New River, N.C., and the Aberdeen (Md.) Proving Ground.

The missions, which totaled 12.7 flight hours in UH-1Y-1 and 11.8 hours in AH-1Z-3, were reconnaissance team insertion and extraction (simulated), aerial reconnaissance, airborne forward air control and escort (for the Yankee) and armed reconnaissance, air interdiction, close air support (simulated), forward air control and escort (for the Zulu).

Developmental testing continued around the assessment and, combined with the assessment, brought flight time totals for the H-1 Upgrades Program here to 571 hours for the AH-1Z and 318 hours for the UH-1Y.

“This is an important milestone for the program,” stated Col. Doug Isleib, PMA-276 program manager. “This is the first time the fleet guys will get an operational look at these aircraft. Besides getting an indication of whether or not we’re potentially operationally effective, we need to get a fresh and different perspective from the Fleet.”

Aside from that fresh perspective, the operational assessment marked an important milestone for the new helicopters, according to Isleib.

“This is a key element in getting to our first Defense Acquisition Board, which, in turn, will get these aircraft into production and out to the Fleet where they’re needed,” he added.

The Operational Test Team’s findings, a critical element for the August DAB, are expected to be released in July, according to program officials.

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Cutline— Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Jazak keeps an eye out for other aircraft from the right side of a UH-1Y Huey test aircraft, flown by Marine Majors Ricardo Martinez and Dean Putnam. The aircraft was flying a simulated tactical mission during the new aircraft’s first operational assessment. Not visible is the aircraft’s fourth crewmember, Marine Sgt. Aaron Jameson. The assessment was conducted from NAVAIR Patuxent River, Md, recently by 25 enlisted Marines and four officers, all of whom are assigned to the H-1 Operational Test Team here and fall under the operational control of VX-9 at China Lake, Calif. The missions, flown during February and March, 2003, represented a variety of the tactical missions the Huey and the AH-1Z will fly in the Fleet. (Official USMC Photo by Troy Lancaster.)