DVIDS – News – 106th Rescue Wing receives Air National Guard’s first brand-new HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter

FRANCIS S. GABRESKI AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY – The New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing made history Sept. 12 when it piloted the Air National’s first-ever all-new HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue flight Guard received helicopters. Sikorsky pilots flew the aircraft directly from the company’s manufacturing facility in Stratford, Connecticut, to FS Gabreski Air National Guard Base.

According to Col. Shawn P. Fitzgerald, 106th Rescue Squadron commander, this event marks the beginning of a new era for the Air Force Rescue squadron and specifically the Air National Guard.

“It’s pretty exciting to be standing in front of the new whiskey that’s just been delivered,” Fitzgerald said. “The first brand new aircraft delivered to the Air National Guard is an incredible honor for us here in New York. It’s exciting to think about what this means for the future of our unit and the rescue mission.”

Tech. Sergeant. James Bavaro, a quality assurance inspector with the 106th Maintenance Group, shared his connection to the new helicopter.

“This aircraft is very special to me as we had planned a trip earlier this year with approximately 15 maintainers from the 106th and another 15 from the 129th Rescue Squadron in California,” Bavaro said. “We visited the Sikorsky plant and saw this helicopter on the assembly line. We observed the entire process, from the first steps to installing the rotor blades. It was an outstanding experience.”

Bavaro also explained his role as a quality assurance inspector, ensuring the safety and accuracy of maintenance procedures.

“My job is to ensure that our maintenance technicians do their jobs properly and safely,” he added. “I also take care of the technical specifications of this aircraft and ensure that everything is up to date and the facilities are well maintained.”

The HH-60W Jolly Green II offers concrete improvements over the HH-60G Pave Hawk. According to the Sikorsky website, these improvements include improved avionics for improved situational awareness, greater internal fuel capacity for longer range, and superior hover capabilities for operations in challenging environments. These upgrades provide the 106th Rescue Squadron with improved operational flexibility and increased safety for crews and survivors.

On August 30, the 106th Rescue Squadron retired its final HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopter. The aircraft took off for the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, commonly referred to as “aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft-aircraft- Plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane-plane- Aircraft Building This transition marked the full swing of the wing to the HH-60W.

According to Maj. Bart Moran, 106th Rescue Wing Maintenance Squadron commander, the 106th Rescue Wing currently has four HH-60W helicopters and by June 2026 the wing will have a total of six HH-60Ws on the flight line, solidifying the modernization of the fleet.

The 106th Rescue Wing, based at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, New York, operates and maintains the HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft and the HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter. Rescue Squadron hosts a special warfare squadron of paramedics and combat rescue officers specializing in rescue and recovery and deployed to missions domestically and internationally.