News United States Air Force
 HH-60W reaches initial operational capabilityPublished Oct. 13, 2022
                        
                        By Capt. Lauren Gao
                        
                        
                        Air Combat Command Public Affairs
                **JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. (AFNS) --**
                **Gen. Mark Kelly**, commander of  **Air Combat Command**, declared the **HH-60W Jolly Green II** has reached initial operational capability on Oct. 4.
The declaration means that the U.S. Air Force now possesses sufficient HH-60Ws, logistics requirements and trained Airmen to support a 30-day deployment to any independent location with a package of four aircraft.
“It’s an exciting day for Combat Rescue as we bring a new platform and its upgraded capabilities into operation,” said **Maj. Gen. David Lyons**, ACC director of operations. “This declaration is the culmination of years of hard work and vision. Current and future combat environments require us to maneuver further and faster than ever before, and the capabilities provided by the Jolly Green II supports the platform’s viability for our **Air Force Personnel Recovery** core function for as long as possible.”U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron perform a combat search and rescue demonstration at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 9, 2022. The 23rd Maintenance Group and 347th Rescue Group have successfully postured the HH-60W Jolly Green II capabilities for maximum combat readiness and full integration in rescue operations alongside the HC-130J Combat King II aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jasmine M. Barnes)Airmen assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron perform a combat search and rescue demonstration at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Sept. 9, 2022. The 23rd Maintenance Group and 347th Rescue Group have successfully postured the HH-60W Jolly Green II capabilities for maximum combat readiness and full integration in rescue operations alongside the HC-130J Combat King II aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jasmine M. Barnes)
            
            
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The 23rd Wing at **Moody Air Force Base**, Georgia, one of the first locations to receive the HH-60W, held a ceremony to mark the declaration Sept. 9.
“The Airmen of the 23rd Wing have done a tremendous job working with partners to get this aircraft combat-ready on time,” said Col. Russ Cook, 23rd Wing commander. “Bottom line, the future of **Air Force Rescue** is secure, and our team is ready to recover anybody, anytime, anywhere, against any adversary.”
The HH-60W offers a range of improved capabilities over its predecessor, the **HH-60G Pave Hawk**, to include improved range and survivability, a new fuel system, advanced avionics and more. As a digitally focused platform, it also allows faster movement of data and better integration with other platforms and combatant command capabilities.
These upgrades will continue to enable safer search and rescue operations and provide the joint force with the capabilities needed to accomplish the complex and critical mission of personnel recovery.Air Combat Command 



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