Medical Evac helicopters

[Good2Golf]

I did love the Twin Huey almost as much as I love Chinooks. Just sayin.....

Twin Hueys definitely had the nostalgia factor, but the Griffon is a better UH-1 class machine on the whole. Hooks (C, D or ‘F’) of course, rock. Honorable mention to the Kiowa for most fun, especially doors off.

 

[brihard]

I should of worded my question better, Medical Evac froma combat zone. I know of the SAR helicopters, and such. But never saw a green helicopter with red cross markings. Wondered if we had them or not. I knew the 412 fleet was smaller now, and the chinnoks are an even smaller fleet. So I was curious, things change over time and it has been 27 years for me since I last rode in a green chopper, the Kiwoas out of Downsview with 400 Sqn. So I asked, thanks for the answers

You can either have Red Cross markings, which afford certain protections under international law, or you can mount crew served weapons. Given the areas of operation that Canada has deployed into, I think the ability to shoot bad guys in the face affords the greater return on investment. Medics can carry individual small arms for their own defense and not forfeit protections. The exact point at which that line is crossed is fuzzy in international law, but Canada’s practice is to avoid mix ups between fighting vehicles and medical emblems. In Afghanistan our Bison ambulances mounted C6s and were not distinguishable from other vehicles.

Three stacked along the left-hand side isn't, either.

Best not to be shot, blown up, run over etcetera in the first place, especially if Pedros are not around.

Those guys are brilliant.

There's an excellent National Geographic DVD set about their KAF-based operation.

And I'm pretty sure that I've seen three litters stacked across a Griffon, just for entertainment purposes.

Not sure if true but I heard a tale of the Pedros ‘kidnapping’ one of our troops in Kandahar circa 2010. Story I heard was an IED his a dismounted patrol and blew some guy ass over tea kettle into a wadi. He was fine, but before he had the chance to collect his thoughts and get back up, a Pedro callsign that was overhead and saw the whole thing ripped in fast, scooped him, and dusted off before the platoon on the ground had really had a chance to assess anything.

Likely an exaggerated story, but amusing and plausible. They’re awesome.

 

[Loachman]

They’re awesome.

Yes. Absolutely. Extreme professionals.

The US Army medevac unit rotated part-way through my second tour. They seemed pretty good. Their replacements seemed to do their job alright, but were extremely lousy with communications back to us in the TFK J3 Avn cell so we never knew when they had launched, arrived, or returned (and to the right places) without constantly nagging them.

They flew the cas in an unarmed Black Hawk with red crosses escorted by an Apache.

Pedros had no extra markings except for black moustaches on their noses and provided their own escort between the two GAU-21-armed Pave Hawks. Their primary mission was Combat SAR.

Look for that National Geographic DVD set. It's worth it.

There is no room for cas, Med Tech, and equipment in an armed Griffon. It's too small, and lacks the power to take off in an enemy-infested environment.

And red crosses don't impress many of the people that we are likely to fight.