Florida State Guard Sets Aviation Milestone with Multi-Aircraft Operation
- FSG Media
- Mar 9
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT
FSG Press Office
Lakeland, Fla.—The Florida State Guard (FSG) achieved a significant aviation readiness milestone earlier this month with the largest deployment of aircraft at one time.
On Monday, March 9, twelve pilots and crew aboard four aircraft from the Aviation Response
Squadron (ARS) executed a coordinated transportation operation between two locations,
demonstrating an increasing level of operational capability, complexity, and readiness.
Launching in coordinated succession, the mixed-division flight stream included a Sikorsky
UH-60 Black Hawk, a Bell 412 helicopter, and 2 Cessna 206 aircraft. Each aircraft type in the formation represents a distinct operational capability within the Florida State Guard’s aviation portfolio. The UH-60 Black Hawk delivers enhanced lift capacity and rapid heavy deployment capability, enabling the insertion of personnel and equipment into otherwise inaccessible environments. The multi-role utility Bell 412 helicopter provides external hoist capabilities ideal for search and rescue over land or water, external logistical resupply, and aerial command and control. The Cessna 206 serves as a fixed-wing asset for aerial reconnaissance, route assessment, and light transport, providing critical situational awareness during disaster response.
Together, these aircraft enable the FSG to execute rapid coordinated aviation operations in
support of state emergency response efforts at increasing scale.
The routine training mission served as a critical opportunity to validate safe, effective, and on-
time multi-aircraft coordination, communication, and crew readiness - key components in
disaster response scenarios.
“I am incredibly proud of the men and women of the Aviation Response Squadron and their
many recent achievements. This milestone is special. Twenty months ago, the FSG did not
own any aircraft. Last week’s flying of a mixed division of different aircraft is a complex
operation, and showcases significant growth in professionalism and prowess within our
aviation program,” said FSG’s Executive Director Mark Thieme, “Wherever Governor DeSantis
needs us to support county, state, and federal partners in emergency response and public
safety operations, Floridians can rely on our aviation squadron to deliver.”
As Florida approaches the 2026 hurricane season, the ability to launch and sustain multiple
aviation assets simultaneously strengthens the Guard’s capacity to support communities
with speed and precision.
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE GUARD | WHEN DISASTER CALLS, WE ANSWER.
Reconstituted by Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature in 2022, the Florida State
Guard’s air, ground, and maritime units are force multipliers for statewide emergency
response and public safety. The Florida State Guard is committed to protecting the life and
property of Floridians from all threats to public safety. For more information, visit
