Ingersoll (DD 990) - Naval Cruise Book

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Air Department HSL-37 Detachment 5 EASYRIDERS Home based at Naval Air Station, Barbers Point. Detachment 5 consists of 16 maintenance personnel. 3 flight crews (2 pilots and one aircrewmen per crew), and 2 SH-60B SEAHAWK helicopter. The SH-60B is the helicopter of choice for the U.S. Navy LAMPS MK 111 ship-air team. LAMPS is the acronym for Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System which is designed to fulfill the Navy ' s sea control mission. The system extends the search and attack capabilities of LAMPS MK III configured destroyer, frigate, and cruiser platforms, deploying helicopters directly from these ships. Primary Missions oU q LAMPS MK III are surface warfare (SUW) and under sea warfare (USW). In an SUW mis- sion the aircraft provides a mobile, elevated platform for observing, identifying, and localizing threat platforms beyond the parent ship ' s radar and or electronic support measure (ESM) horizon. When a suspected threat is detected, classifica- tion and targeting data is provided to the parent ship via a discrete datalink for surface-to-surface weapon engagement. Penguin missile equipped aircraft may conduct independent or coordinated attack, dependent upon the threat and tacti- cal scenario. When used in an USW mission, the aircraft is deployed from the parent ship to classify, localize, and potentially at- tack when a suspected threat has been detected by the ship ' s towed-array sonar, hull-mounted sonar, or by other internal or external sources. Secondary missions of the aircraft include: VERTREP -ability to transfer material or personnel SAR -Search and Rescue MEDEVAC -Medical evacuation of ambulatory patients COMREL -Over-the-Horizon transmitter receiver relay NGFS -spotting and controlling naval gunfire The LAMPS team proved to be extremely effective in all its warfare missions while conducting pre-deployment workup exercises, ENCOUNTEREXs, MALABAR ' 96, and especially when tasked with Maritime Intercept Operations. Most of the aircrafts flight hours were spent assisting INGERSOLL in maintaining an accurate surface picture for ship- ping Many hours were also devoted to utility missions performing MEDEVACs, and PAX mail cargo transfer. Al- though not permanently assigned to INGERSOLL, the Detachment 5 EASYRIDERS were a welcomed and essential part of the ship. 57