| Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron THREE HELSEACOMBATRON 3 (HSC-3) | |
|---|---|
.gif) HSC-3 Merlins Insignia | |
| Active | 1 September 1967 - present |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Navy Helicopter Squadron |
| Role | Fleet Replacement Squadron |
| Size | Squadron |
| Nickname(s) | "Merlins" |
| Commanders | |
| Commanding Officer | Captain Thomas “Smokey” Butts NAS North Island |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | MH-60S Knighthawk |
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron THREE (HELSEACOMBATRON 3 or HSC-3 Merlins) (previously Helicopter Combat Support Squadron THREE (HELSUPPRON 3 or HC-3 Packrats)), is a United States Navy multi-role combat helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California which operates the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter to train aircrew and support fleet development on the MH-60S for the Commander Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.[1] The squadron was established on 1 September 1967 at Naval Air Station Imperial Beach with the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight to provide vertical replenishment (VERTREP) services on the West Coast, and was redesignated HSC-3 on 1 April 2005.[2]
- ^ "Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron". Go! Navy. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ^ Pike, John. "Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron THREE [HSC-3]". globalsecurity.org.