A new wireless communication system, which was undergoing testing in Arizona, assisted a Navy corpsman during a real-life rescue mission in early September.

The Telephonics Aircraft Wireless Intercommunications System (AWICS) was installed on a U.S. Marine Corps HH-1N Huey helicopter for operational testing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, when the base received a call from the Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) requesting assistance with rescuing an injured hiker.

After receiving the call, the AWICS-equipped Huey deployed to the rescue site more than 80 miles away.

"The terrain was very rough and mountainous, and there wasn't a landing zone anywhere nearby," said USMC Capt. Sean Mitzel, the helicopter pilot. "The environmental conditions were nasty, wind turbulence was strong, and the patient was located in a bowl with very steep terrain on three sides. Once we got below the ridgeline, we were able to hold our hover with a lot of work and constant power adjustments."

According to Mitzel, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Skelton, a hospital corpsman, tried to conduct a litter rappel into the site but, after stepping on the skids, the wind was too intense to rappel with the litter.

"We brought the litter back in the aircraft, and a special cloth litter, designed to wrap around the patient, was sent down with me" said Skelton. "After I rappelled down to the patient, I assessed her injuries, put her in full cervical-spinal immobilization, stabilized her for possible hip or lower leg fractures, administered oxygen and prepared her for the hoist out."

While Skelton was on the ground, the helicopter circled the site. The corpsman used AWICS to maintain constant contact and pass valuable information to the pilots.

With the hiker and corpsman safely on board, the helicopter flew to El Centro Regional Medical Center, where the hiker received follow-on care.

"Without AWICS, this night-time rescue would have been much harder if we had to rely on just hand signals or flares," said Mitzel. "AWICS gave us the means to communicate in real-time with all the players making the rescue a smooth event."

AWICS, managed by the Air Combat Electronics program office, PMA-209, is currently installed on the C-2B, the MH-60S, the CH-46E, and the HH-60H and is completing testing on the MV-22B and the HH-1N. Additional aircraft planned to receive the system in the future include; CH-53D/E, MH-53E, C-130T, KC-130J/T, UH-1Y and the P-3C.