Recently, the California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Squadron, part of the 129th Rescue Wing, received their first pair of new Lockheed Martin (Sikorsky) HH-60W Jolly Green IIs.

 

Based at Moffett Air National Guard Base near Mountain View (CA), the arrival of the new HH-60Ws 21-14520 and 21-14522 marked the beginnings of the Moffett Rescue unit seeing a yearlong process of converting from the older HH-60G Pave Hawk model helicopters and training aircrew on the HH-60W.

 

The 129th Rescue Squadron/129th Rescue Wing is replacing the HH-60G Pave Hawk with six newer HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters. While the first two helicopters have arrived, it is expected that Moffett will receive the next four before the end of 2026.

 

Located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, the 129th Rescue Squadron's mission is to train and prepare to perform its wartime mission of Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR) anywhere in the world. The Moffett unit's tasks are a wide variety of civilian Search And Rescue (SAR) missions, including distressed persons aboard ships, lost or injured hikers, and medical evacuations. Comparing the obsolete Pave Hawks, the Jolly Greens IIs offer better integration tools, advanced avionics and improved survivability, with upgraded radar, laser, missile and fire warnings.