An Alaska Army National Guard (AKARNG) helicopter crew successfully landed an HH-60M Black Hawk on an Alaska Railroad flatbed car during a military medical exercise near Fairbanks last month, the U.S. military announced on Tuesday.
According to a news release from the U.S. military website, the operation was part of Special Operation Forces Arctic Medic 2025, a joint exercise involving National Guard units, active-duty military, the Coast Guard, federal law enforcement, and medical teams.
During the February 20 drill, pilots from the Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 211th General Support Aviation Battalion executed a two-wheel landing on a rail car staged on a bridge above the Chena River.
The maneuver, never attempted before by an AKARNG crew, required the pilots to balance the helicopter on its front wheels while keeping the tail in the air. Once the aircraft stabilized, a critical care flight paramedic was lowered onto the train using a U.S. Coast Guard-approved hoist to evacuate a simulated patient. Soldiers on the train also unloaded medical supplies from the hovering aircraft.
The exercise tested how hospital trains, once used by U.S. and NATO forces, could transport injured personnel in large-scale conflicts.
The exercise included multiple agencies, including the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and Special Operations Command (SOCOM), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (BORSTAR), the FBI, the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force Reserves, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Alaska Railroad Corporation, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Drone Program.
“I am absolutely inspired by the Alaska National Guard team, their knowledge, professionalism, willingness to solve problems with minimal guidance to plan any given mission,” said Col. Manuel Menendez, command surgeon with SOCOM and one of the lead planners for the exercise. “The flight crew that landed on the train was not just good; they were amazing, and I’m looking forward to my next trip to Alaska, where I will work with them again soon.”
Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Berg, who piloted the Black Hawk landing, expressed willingness to further collaborate with various units to enhance skills in medical operations.
“I think a major contribution we brought to this effort was our extensive experience working in these harsh cold-weather conditions, along with our ability to seamlessly collaborate with a wide range of units, including active-duty forces, federal, state, and local agencies,” Berg stated. “Our goal is to make it clear that we are fully committed to working with all of our training partners to refine our skills and strengthen our relationships.”
