550th Helicopter Squadron The 550th Helicopter Squadron, a tenant unit stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, was activated in May 2023 to spearhead the fielding of the Air Force's newest rotary-wing asset and serve as the vanguard for fleet-wide modernization within the nuclear enterprise. The lineage of the "550th" moniker traces its roots back to the 1550th Flying Training Squadron, which was activated in April 1971 at Hill Air Force Base to develop, conduct, and monitor Air Force helicopter training. After decades of training aircrews and conducting special operations, the original squadron was inactivated in 2016, only for the numerical designation to be reborn for this critical modernization mission. Throughout its historical iterations, the 550th has built a legacy centered on producing world-class helicopter crews. From its early days operating TH-1 and UH-1 Hueys, to conducting advanced combat rescue and special operations training, the unit's heritage is deeply rooted in preparing Airmen for the most demanding aerial missions worldwide. As the Air Force prepared to modernize its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) security forces, the 550th Helicopter Squadron was established at Malmstrom AFB under 582nd Helicopter Group, distinguishing itself as the first operational MH-139A Grey Wolf squadron in the United States Air Force. The squadron was specifically tasked to complete the rigorous operational testing of the MH-139 platform while simultaneously executing aircrew conversion training for over 300 pilots and special missions aviators in the Helicopter Group. The 550th will spearhead these dual efforts over the next five to seven years before eventually standing down once the fleet-wide transition is complete. The 550th Helicopter Squadron successfully proved the MH-139’s ability to seamlessly execute critical defense tasks, including tactical response force (TRF) insertion, launch facility recapture, and strategic weapon convoy surveillance, and is actively leading the multi-year training effort to transition legacy UH-1N "Huey" aircrews to the highly advanced MH-139A platform across all three missile wings. This effort provides a massive leap in capability over legacy UH-1N; the MH-139 is approximately 50 percent faster, can carry twice as many troops and boasts significantly enhanced defensive systems. The men and women of the 550th Helicopter Squadron are proud of their military training heritage and continue to strive for excellence, forging the future of rotary-wing operations for the 582nd Helicopter Group and Air Force Global Strike Command.