Helocasting is an airborne technique used by small unit, special operations forces, also practiced extensively by the US Army's light infantry units, to insert into a military area of operations.[1] The small unit is flown, by helicopter, to a maritime insertion point. Once there, the aircraft assumes an altitude just above the water's surface and an airspeed of 10 knots (19 km/h) or less. Team members then exit the aircraft and enter the water.

A United States Marine jumping from a CH-53D Sea Stallion during a helocast off the coast of Hawaii.

In some cases, depending upon the mission parameters and the aircraft used, personnel may be inserted along with an inflatable boat for over-the-horizon operations. When a fully inflated boat is transported and inserted with personnel, this type of operation is known as a "hard duck". In cases where a fully inflated boat cannot be accommodated by the aircraft, it can be partially deflated for transit and inflated at the insertion point by means of a foot pump. This type of operation is known as a "soft duck". If inflation to any degree is not feasible, a "rolled duck" may be performed.[2]

Once team members are in the water, they may swim to the objective or, in the case of a "hard duck", "soft duck", or "rolled duck", conduct an over-the-horizon transit to the objective, via inflatable boat.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Shipley, Andrew (2024-09-04), Helocast Jump, U.S. Department of Defense
  2. ^ Atlamazoglou, Stavros (2021-11-29). "US special operators have a rough, little-known way to get to missions in hostile territory". Business Insider.
  3. ^ Griffith, W. Zach (2006-05-12). "Recon Marines take a dive - helo style". U.S. Marines in Japan, USMC. Archived from the original on 2008-11-10.