MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- The Irish Air Corps took to the Big Skies of Montana in April 2025 for the second international flight exchange program with the 40th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base.
The 40 HS hosted two pilots from the Irish Air Corps to execute Air Force Global Strike Command’s advanced Helicopter Alpine Flying Techniques training program in the UH-1N Huey.
This extensive course includes over 50 hours of combined flight and ground instruction over a two-week period and exposes aviators to the challenges of high-altitude mountain flying. Course objectives include instruction of the principles of flight in the mountainous environment, as well as wind analysis and power management in unforgiving landing zones at high density altitudes.
The 40 HS hosted this course from April 7-18, 2025 as part of a continued partnership with the Irish Air Corps. This partnership was established in 2022 when a delegation from the Twentieth Air Force and Air Force Global Strike met with representatives at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Dublin.
Through their discussions, the concept of a bi-lateral pilot exchange program emerged, leading to the first Irish pilots to be sent through the training program at Malmstrom AFB in July of 2024.
This year, Maj. Bernard O’ Raw and Captain Christopher Jevens joined the list of IAC graduates of the HAFT course after proving their skills in the legacy UH-1N.
Equally important to the skills garnered from a rigorous training course are the cross-cultural conversations and strengthened partnerships that develop.
“Instructing Ireland's Air Corps pilots has been a career highlight,” said Maj. Katherine Roman, 40th Helicopter Squadron HAFT instructor pilot. “These exchanges are vital, forging partnerships and understanding their role in strengthening both our nations' security. They are an investment in shared education, innovation and a safer future as we begin flying the MH-139.”
The partnership is not only important to AFGSC and the 40 HS, as the IAC pilots share the enthusiasm for such a challenging course as well as the relationships that develop.“The HAFT program pushed our skills and broadened our perspectives,” O’Raw said. “We gained knowledge, skills and techniques that will enhance our operational capabilities. Going forward, we hope to continue our collaboration between the 40th Helicopter Squadron and the No.3 Operations Wing of the Irish Air Corps, utilizing the MH-139 and AW139 for the benefit of both countries.”
In the future, there is a shared desire to expand the partnership beyond Irish exchange pilots coming to Montana to complete the HAFT course, to include allowing U.S. Air Force aircrew to proceed to Ireland for AW139 orientation to benefit from the IAC’s 18 years of operational experience flying a sister variant of the USAF’s newest helicopter, the MH-139.
The USAF’s MH-139 is currently undergoing Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) at Malmstrom AFB with the 550th Helicopter Squadron overseeing the required objectives. Concurrently, the 40 HS has begun transitioning its crews from the legacy UH-1N to the MH-139 in preparation for AFGSC’s decision to declare Initial Operating Capacity (IOC) later this year.
“These exchanges have been an amazing experience with lots of information sharing, teaching new flight techniques, as well as just learning and appreciating the cultural differences between our two nations,” said Lt. Col. Erik Greendyke, 40 HS commander. “We look forward to continuing this exchange with the Irish Air Corps and see unmatched potential to learn from our partners in the hope of reducing the risk to our crews. These programs build more than just skills; they forge bonds of friendship and trust that are the bedrock of a strong, shared security. We're not just exchanging knowledge; we're building relationships that make us all safer as we continue expanding our skills in the MH-139."