There are several ways for US special operators to get to work.
Green Beret teams can do free-fall jumps with oxygen from 25,000 feet, and Navy SEALs can spend up to eight hours in mini-submarines on combat dives.
The "helocast," an airborne special-operations technique used by small commando elements, is one of the least known methods of exfiltration.
Scary but effective.
The Marines and sailors are practicing helocasting in San Diego Bay.
Orrin Farmer is a marine.
Helocasting is when a group of people jump from a helicopter into the water or use a small boat to get to the shore.
"Helocast ops are an important method in our quiver that provides flexibility, even if it's not the most comfortable technique as far as insertion methods go," a Green Beret assigned to a National Guard unit told Insider.
The Green Beret said that Special Forces units can get up on a target without being seen. Our pilots can fly right on top of the waves. It requires a different kind of coolness to know that you have a dozen or more lives on your hands and still be cool about it.
The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the "Night Stalkers," is the best choice for helocasting operations because of its qualification.
The majority of the time, the helicopters used are the Black Hawks, the CH-47s, and the Super Stallions.
The US soldiers are in Rhode Island.
US Air National Guard/ Airman 1st Class.
Helocasting can be harrowing despite the skill of the pilots.
It's a pretty frightening experience the first few times. A Marine Raider told Insider that he can't hear shit because of the helicopter rotors.
It's all about trust. You have to trust your teammates and the helicopter crew. The Marine Raider, who like the Green Beret spoke anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment, said that after doing it a few times it becomes easier.
Special-operations teams that are qualified as combat divers or combat swimmers are the only ones who use the helocast technique.
Army Green Berets, Air Force Pararescuemen, Combat Controllers, Tactical Air Control Party airmen, and Special Reconnaissance operators are also included.
What do you think about your Duck?
US Marines load a combat rubber raiding craft for helocast operations off the coast of California.
The US Marine Corps is led by Joshua Murray.
There are three types of helocast.
When the boat isn't inflated at all, the operators have to use special pumps to inflate it in the water.
Soft Duck is when the boat is partially inflated and the commandos have to use the pumps to inflate it.
Hard Duck is when the boat is fully inflated and ready to hit the water.
The helicopter is used to determine which technique is used. It's more likely that the operators will conduct a Hard Duck with a larger helicopter.
The Zodiac, also known as Combat Rubber Raiding Craft, and the Rigid Hull Inflatable boat are the most used boats. CRRCs are smaller and can operate over longer distances, while RHIBS are stronger and can operate over shorter distances.
The Green Berets conduct helocast training at American Lake.
The US Army has a sergeant named Codie Mendenhall.
Similar to airborne operations that require jumpmasters, there must be at least one qualified cast master present during every helocast, and all the operators must be qualified in the insertion method.
The operators of the helicopter can drive their boat straight into the helicopter as it hovers over the water. It's a quick way out of the water, but it takes a lot of training and coordination. Rope ladders, fast ropes, and hoists can be used to get to and from the helicopter.
The mission requirements, aircraft availability, and operational environment all affect the use of implements.
If a Green Beret combat diver team is in an area with friendly forces that have air superiority, they may decide to use a rope ladder.
The Green Beret said that when the time comes for the real deal, special-operations forces need to have options. The enemy has strong air defenses and we can't do the high altitude low opening parachute jump? We can do a variety of things, from a helocast to an over-the- beach insert.
A Hellenic Army veteran, a defense journalist, and a graduate of the University of Baltimore are some of the things that Stavros Atlamazoglou is.
