20 Years of HITRON

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the first drug interdiction by the Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron, or HITRON. These highly-skilled helicopter crews deploy around the world on Coast Guard cutters and use precision gunfire to disable fleeing drug smuggling vessels. HITRON is the only unit of its kind in the U.S. military arsenal and extremely effective – stopping more than $21 billion worth of drugs in the last 20 years. But the fight is far from over. Drug cartels continue to flood our communities with narcotics, finance their ability to stoke opioid epidemic, and fuel the humanitarian crisis at our Southern Border. As long as these threats remain, smugglers should keep a wary eye on the sky, because HITRON is on the hunt.

Thank you to the original HITRON-10. Today we honor you. Semper Paratus!

Video by AETC Stephen Williams