Keeping the squadron nickname, the Dragonslayers of HSC-11 went underway with the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) to conduct carrier qualifications for the first time as an HSC squadron.

The sun went down on Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 11 on a spring day in 2016. Legacy squadron members discussed how far the community has come since its inception as the Sub Seekers in 1957 with the HSS-1 Seabat Helicopter. In a symbolic manner, the antiquated SH-60F and HH-60H Seahawks broke off and disappeared from a formation flyover, while the modern MH-60S Knighthawk followed close behind showing the progress of naval aviation. Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 11 left its limiting technology and obsolete battle plans behind and emerged from the ceremony with new capabilities and a new squadron title: Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11. The dissolution of the last 'HS' helicopter squadron is a subtle ripple in the new era of naval aviation organization.

Keeping the squadron nickname, the Dragonslayers of HSC-11 went underway with the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) to conduct carrier qualifications for the first time as an HSC squadron.

"We are happy to be here," said Lt. David Moore, assistant training officer for the Dragonslayers of HSC-11. "New aircraft always smell a lot nicer. Our oldest aircraft had about 13,000 hours on them, which is massive, it's not supposed to last that long. It was very good to step into the new aircraft."
The squadron traded the now-retired SH-60F and HH-60H Seahawk helicopters for the multi-mission MH-60S Knighthawk. The new helicopter is based on the UH-60L Black Hawk and the SH-60B Seahawk and designed to adapt to evolving mission requirements.

"We aren't dealing with old technology that only allows you to do one type of mission," said Moore. "We are dealing with utility aircraft that are allowed to do multiple missions; we can pick someone up and bring them to a ship, and we can put rockets and mini guns on the front of our aircraft to take out threats that are coming at the carrier. I think the Navy is really starting to see the potential of merging the mission areas into one model aircraft."

While HSC squadrons use the Sierra iteration, the Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) squadrons are outfitted with the "Romeo" MH-60R Knighthawk helicopters. This version of the airframe includes sonar dipping capabilities enabling them to claim the anti-submarine responsibility.

"[The squadron] used to be anti-submarine and now it's Sea Combat," said Moore. "So we actually lost a little. We had four mission areas, Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), Personnel Recovery (PR), Special Operations Forces Support (SOF), and the last one we had when we were HS was Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). We lost that because we don't have the equipment. It is not part of the aircraft anymore."

HS-11 began employing the SH-60F and HH-60H Sea Hawks in 1994.

"The upgrade in avionics is tremendous," said Master Chief Petty Officer Thomas Jackson, who has been a helicopter maintainer for the past 25 years. "The drastic changes in avionics from the old gauges to this are a benefit to the pilots. Now, instead of having half-a-dozen gauges on each side you have two TVs with buttons on the side so you can change the format. The customizable display is colored so you can read a hull name on a ship. There is no question as to what you are looking at."

According a feature article published on Lockheed Martin's website, their 'Common Cockpit' technology used in the H-60 air frames provides critical information to the crew, and serves as the nerve center for the broad range of operations faced by a helicopter sea combat squadron. It features GPS, mass data storage, and an integrated mission computer that allows pilots to have timely information to better complete their mission.

"SH-60Fs had some computers of course, but nothing to this degree," said Jackson. "Intermediate-level maintenance ashore and on the ship had more capability for repairs. Those guys could operate on a box and correct it and we would get it back right away."

Intermediate maintenance insinuates a repair of an aspect of the aircraft that Sailors are able to complete with the resources of an afloat Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) or an ashore hangar to sustain the combat readiness of the aircraft.

"I am sure Big Navy is happy to have one less aircraft," said Moore. "I think the Navy is always trying to consolidate. It's why strike fighter squadrons (VFA) are now flying the F/A-18. They used to have attack squadrons and fighter squadrons now it's a VFA community. They used to have HS squadrons, and they used to have HC squadrons. Now they are able to merge those. I think the Navy is moving in the right direction. They are happy now that everything is consolidated."

To unite the East Coast HSC squadrons, the Dragonslayers moved from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida to Naval Station Norfolk.

"The biggest change was the move to Norfolk," said Moore. "In Jacksonville we were all by ourselves. We didn't have too much support. We were all by ourselves on our own little island. We were away from the HSC wing. There wasn't anything bad or great about that, just the way it was. The biggest change was moving up to Norfolk; a whole new base, a different hangar, we have all of our sister squadrons up there now. We were back into a bigger base, back in Big Navy."

This seemingly minor consolidation of naval aviation is evident of a much larger cultural change. The military's historically symbiotic relationship with technology and engineering appears to be even more dependent. The versatile MH-60 Knighthawk airframe allows streamlined maintenance and has updatable computers and software.

As dusk fell on the Navy's last remaining HS squadron, the changes and technological upgrades were symbolic of the rising sun on the future of HSC-11 and the helicopter sea combat squadron community.

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