ArcticForge

Arctic Forge 25 is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa led biennial exercise that leverages Arctic host nation exercises Local Defense Exercise 25 in Finland and Joint Viking 25 in Norway, February 17-28, 2025, to build Arctic readiness and interoperability in support of the U.S. Army's Arctic Strategy.

Arctic Forge 25 is focused on building the U.S. Army’s Arctic capabilities including deployment to the Arctic, Arctic multi-domain operations, and Arctic sustainment, and includes approximately 330 U.S. and 750 multinational participants from Canada (TBD), Finland and Norway.

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HITRON History Series: JD Lawrence, Petty Officer 1st Class, USCG (Ret)

U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area

Nov. 4, 2021 | 3:00

In this documentary series, we spoke with JD Lawrence, Aviation Maintenance Technician Petty Officer 1st Class, USCG (Ret). Lawrence retired with over 26 years of military service and became a gunner when Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) began nighttime operations.

Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron operations started as an experiment in 1998 to halt the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. Drug trafficking organizations primarily used “go-fast” boats, high-speed smuggling vessels capable of traveling over twice the speed of Coast Guard cutters. The Coast Guard needed a way to counter the threat.  

In late 1998, six Coast Guard pilots and four enlisted aircrew members developed tactics and procedures to utilize armed helicopters operating aboard Coast Guard cutters to answer the call.  

HITRON helicopters operate in known smuggling vectors and rely on expertly trained aircrews and precision marksmen to disable go-fast drug smuggling vessels in the event suspects refuse to comply with verbal and visual warnings for law enforcement boardings under international maritime law. This series focuses on the founding members, pioneers, and stakeholders who have played an essential part in HITRON's history.  

Interview by: Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Stanton
Edited by: Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Stanton

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