First Thrasher arrives at Whiting Field

On 6 August 2021, the US Navy's first Leonardo TH-73A Thrasher training helicopter arrived at NAS Whiting Field-South near Milton (FL).

The first Thrasher with BuNo 170138 and code E-610, which was already handed over in April 2021, will be assigned to Training Air Wing (TAW) FIVE ('E-xxx') at Whiting Field and will replace the TH-57B/C Sea Ranger as the undergraduate rotary training for the US Navy, US Marines and US Coast Guard.

NAS Whiting Field hosts 21 tenant activities. One of these, Training Air Wing FIVE, produces more than 1,200 pilots a year.

With some six training squadrons, three fixed-wing primary training squadrons and three rotary-wing advanced training squadrons, TW-5 at NAS Whiting Field is also home to the largest Air Wing in the US Navy and is responsible for the flight training of all Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard helicopter pilots.

Photos by US Navy