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USAF Jolly Green IIs Rescue Five After Navy Helicopter Hard Landing

August 18, 2026

1 min read

Key Takeaways

Two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters rescued five US Navy personnel.
The rescue followed an MH-60S Seahawk hard landing during training.
The operation was completed in under three hours.
All five personnel were extracted without injury.

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Strategic Implications

This successful rescue operation may indicate the effectiveness of the HH-60W Jolly Green II in combat rescue missions, suggesting its potential as a reliable asset for the US Air Force in recovering isolated personnel under challenging conditions.

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What Happened

Air Force Helicopters Recover Navy Crew In Mountainous Terrain

The US Air Force’s 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron successfully rescued five US Navy personnel after their MH-60S Seahawk made a hard landing in mountainous terrain near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California. Two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters were tasked with the mission, which was completed in under three hours. The rescue operation demonstrated the capabilities of the HH-60W, a purpose-built rescue variant of the Black Hawk. The incident was reported by AeroTime.

Source | Originally Published: August 18, 2026

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