Official TH-73 Thrasher Shoulder Patch — TH-73A Thrasher Advanced Helicopter Trainer Embroidered Patch The next generation of Navy helicopter training takes flight—the TH-73A Thrasher, replacing the legendary TH-57 Sea Ranger as the platform where future rotary-wing aviators earn their wings. The TH-73A Thrasher is the United States Navy's newest advanced helicopter training aircraft, replacing the venerable Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger that trained Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard helicopter pilots for over four decades. Based on the Leonardo AW119Kx single-engine helicopter, the Thrasher was selected by the Navy in January 2020 under the Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) program to modernize the rotary-wing training pipeline and introduce student naval aviators to the advanced avionics, glass cockpit displays, and performance characteristics found in modern fleet helicopters. The TH-73A features a fully integrated glass cockpit with digital flight displays, a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A turboshaft engine producing over 1,000 shaft horsepower, and performance capabilities that significantly exceed the legacy TH-57. The Thrasher provides student aviators with training in instrument flight, formation flying, night vision device operations, external load operations, search and rescue patterns, and shipboard landing qualifications—the full spectrum of skills needed to transition to fleet helicopter and tiltrotor aircraft including the MH-60R/S Seahawk, MH-53E Sea Dragon, and CMV-22B Osprey. The AHTS program is managed under the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) command, with TH-73A operations conducted at Helicopter Training Squadron (HT) squadrons at NAS Whiting Field, Milton, Florida. The transition from the TH-57 to the TH-73A represents a generational leap in training capability, ensuring that student naval aviators learn on equipment that mirrors the technology and complexity of the aircraft they will fly in the fleet. The "Thrasher" name was selected from over 10,000 public submissions, referencing the brown thrasher bird known for its speed, agility, and aggressive defense of its territory. Perfect For: TH-73A Thrasher student pilots and instructors, CNATRA helicopter training personnel, HT squadron members, NAS Whiting Field aviators, rotary-wing training pipeline enthusiasts, and naval aviation patch collectors. The TH-73A Thrasher—where the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps helicopter pilots build the skills, confidence, and airmanship that will carry them from the training command to the fleet.
