Navy Office of
Community Outreach
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2005 Coatesville
Area High School graduate and Coatesville,
Pennsylvania native is serving with a
U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most
technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty
Officer 2nd Class Chris Kennedy
is an aviation electrician's mate with the
“Grandmasters” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46, a Mayport,
Florida based squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine
hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter
is nearly 65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel
over 120 miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As an aviation electrician's mate, Kennedy is responsible for the auto pilot components of helicopters.
“It's a very exciting job that I get to do day to day,”
said Kennedy.
According to Navy officials,
the MH-60R is the most capable multi-mission helicopter available in the world
today. It is used for a variety of missions, including hunting and tracking
enemy submarines, attacking enemy ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction,
delivering supplies and supporting the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the
Navy’s older helicopters because of its greater versatility and more advanced
weapon systems.
Kennedy said they and other HSM-46 sailors are
proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all
times.
“This is one of the best commands in the Navy in terms
of people who hold a standard well above anything else,” said Kennedy.
Sailors’ jobs are
highly varied within the squadron. Approximately 270 Navy men and women are
assigned and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from maintaining
helicopter airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weapons and
flying the aircraft.
“The mission of
HSM-46 is to embark and deploy combat-ready helicopter detachments around the
world. Kennedy is a big part of why we are
so successful. He has a tireless work
ethic, and embodies our squadron motto of ‘Set the Standard.’ I’m very proud of Kennedy,” commented Commander Chris Richard, HSM-46 commanding officer.
Serving in the Navy, Kennedy said he is learning about being a more
respectable leader, sailor and person through handling numerous
responsibilities.
“The Navy has taught me to do what your carreer can handle,”
said Kennedy. “Sometimes things are done a certain way for so long that you have to learn
to bend them to get the job done.”