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USS Shiloh Arrives in Hong Kong for SAREX 2008

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS081029-18
Release Date: 10/29/2008 6:16:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) David L. Smart, Fleet Public Affairs Center Pacific

HONG KONG (NNS) -- The forward-deployed guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) arrived in Hong Kong Oct. 26 for a port visit and to participate in Hong Kong Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) 2008.

The SAREX is an annual exercise in search and rescue techniques designed to share information and innovations between U.S. forces and Hong Kong's Government Flying Service (GFS). The People's Republic of China will also participate with the GFS in a separate part of SAREX.

"Shiloh is happy to be in Hong Kong to promote interoperability between U.S. search and rescue forces and those of the Hong Kong Government Flying Service," said Lt. Cmdr. Richard M. Meyer, Shiloh's executive officer.

"The events included in the SAR (search and rescue) exercise are a great opportunity to improve cooperation between forces in the Hong Kong Search and Rescue Region. They also allow for the rare opportunity for our Sailors and Airmen to conduct live SAR operations."

Along with Shiloh, which is forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, other U.S. forces participating include aircraft and personnel from U.S. Coast Guard District 14 in Honolulu and the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons (RQS) from Anchorage, Alaska.

As Shiloh approached Hong Kong, some early training exercises were available. A HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from the 210th RQS had an opportunity to perform deck landing qualifications aboard the Shiloh.

"We coordinated with USS Shiloh to go out and practice some deck landings, and for a couple of our crewmen it was qualifications on the decks, so it was a new opportunity for us. We're a land-based unit, an Air Force unit, landing on a Navy ship," said Lt. Col. Tim O'Brien, commander of the 210th RQS. "I think it went really well. The Navy was great, they had everything ready for us when we got there. As a matter of fact, we finished all our training and it went really smoothly."

"I was greatly impressed with their knowledge of our flight operations," said Lt. Cmdr. Daniel E. Fillion, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL) 51 air detachment officer in charge. "They made a risky operation go smoothly and safely.

"The SAREX allows for a rare mutual operability between services. It is not often that we are able to have other services' helicopters land on our flight deck," Fillion added. "Today, we were not only able to have an Air Force HH-60 land on Shiloh's flight deck, but two pilots earned their deck landing qualifications."

The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HK CAD) will host a SAR seminar Oct. 28 in downtown Hong Kong, followed by the SAREX Oct. 29-30. The SAREX will feature both long-range and short-range SAR events. The HK CAD has invited personnel from Brunei, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam to observe the exercise.

The People's Republic of China will be represented in the short-range SAR exercise by People's Liberation Army (PLA) units from the PLA Hong Kong Garrison.

For more news from Pacific Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cpf/.