This Slo-Mo Video Of MH-60M Spec Ops Helicopters Refueling At Sunset Is Glorious

Updated Oct 19, 2017 9:12 PM EDT

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), better known as the Night Stalkers, and their tricked-out helicopters are notoriously shy, operating primarily at night. But the famed unit and their specially modified MH-60M Black Hawks took part in the Marine Corps’ Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course capstone exercise in Arizona earlier this month. During the drills the Night Stalkers flew an aerial refueling mission at sunset, suckling gas from a KC-130J tanker, and the conditions couldn’t have been better for some dramatic and downright beautiful video of the operation.

Weapons and Tactics Instructor courses are held at MCAS Yuma roughly every other quarter and aim to produce the best pilots in the world that have proven a mastery of combat aviation, tactics application, and battle planning. The marathon-like class lasts seven weeks, with its end culminating in a Large Force Employment (LFE) exercise planned and executed by the students. These capstone drills integrate some of the latest technologies in the Pentagon’s quiver and can include guest units taking part in different elements of the grand operation.

As WTI graduate Major Brett McGregor of course 2-14 puts it :

“In order to capitalize on all the capabilities that [Marine Corps aviation] has, you have to bring everyone together in one location and plan and execute together… As a student, it is not a test to see how good they are at flying their aircraft, it’s a test to see how well you can fight with the MAGTF as a whole; how well you can fit into the team and be effective from the bigger picture.”

Over the years WTI has grown to become one of the top air combat training events in the country, and is largely a more flexible and varying event than Red Flag and other well established large-scale training events. In some ways it is similar to the USAF’s Weapons School final training exercises, but it also integrates ground force elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), which is the cornerstone of Marine Corps aviation.

In the latest iteration of WTI, which was executed at the start of October, the 160th SOAR and their Black Hawks were players. This resulted in the outstanding video below. The incredibly clarity and slow motion gives us a fairly unique view of these aircraft that seem to be more comfortable operating in the shadows than in the light. You can even see their extended booms wobbling around as they go about their business.

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com

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更新于美国东部时间2017年10月19日晚上9:12

第160特种作战航空团（SOAR），又称“夜行者”，以其改装过的直升机而闻名，他们行事低调，主要在夜间行动。但本月初，这支声名显赫的部队及其特制的MH-60M“黑鹰”直升机参加了在亚利桑那州举行的海军陆战队武器战术教官（WTI）课程的结业演习。演习期间，“夜行者”在日落时分执行了一次空中加油任务，从一架KC-130J加油机上吸取燃油。当时的天气条件非常适合拍摄这段精彩绝伦、美轮美奂的行动视频。

武器战术教官课程大约每季度在尤马海军陆战队航空站举办一次，旨在培养世界上最优秀的飞行员，使其精通战斗航空、战术运用和作战计划。这门马拉松式的课程持续七周，最终以学员自行策划和执行的大规模兵力运用（LFE）演习作为结业考核。这些毕业演习融合了五角大楼的一些最新技术，并可能邀请其他部队参与大型行动的不同环节。

正如WTI毕业生布雷特·麦格雷戈少校（2-14）所说：

“为了充分发挥海军陆战队航空兵的所有能力，你必须把所有人聚集到一起，共同计划和执行……作为一名学员，这不是考察你驾驶飞机技术如何的考试，而是考察你与整个海军陆战队空地特遣部队协同作战的能力；考察你融入团队的能力以及从全局角度发挥作用的能力。”

多年来，WTI已发展成为美国顶尖的空战训练活动之一，与“红旗”军演和其他成熟的大型训练活动相比，其形式更加灵活多样。在某些方面，它类似于美国空军武器学校的最终训练演习，但它也整合了海军陆战队空地特遣部队（MAGTF）的地面部队要素，而MAGTF正是海军陆战队航空兵的基石。

在10月初进行的最新一轮WTI演习中，第160特种作战航空团（160th SOAR）及其黑鹰直升机参与其中。由此诞生了下方这段精彩的视频。令人难以置信的清晰度和慢动作镜头，让我们得以从独特的视角观察这些似乎更擅长在阴影中而非光亮处作业的飞机。你甚至可以看到它们伸出的吊臂在执行任务时微微晃动。

联系作者：Tyler@thedrive.com

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