Navy Aircrewmen (AW) — designated Naval Aircrewmen in the modern rating structure — served as non-pilot flight crew members aboard Navy helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft performing anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and maritime patrol operations. AW billets were concentrated aboard SH-3 Sea King and later SH-60 Seahawk helicopters assigned to HSL (helicopter anti-submarine light) and HS (helicopter anti-submarine) squadrons aboard aircraft carriers and at helicopter-equipped naval air stations, and aboard P-3 Orion patrol aircraft at patrol squadrons. AWs operated in the aircraft’s tactical crew compartment throughout extended flights and accumulated asbestos exposure from the aircraft interior construction materials of older aircraft types.

Aircraft Interior Asbestos Exposure

Older Navy helicopter and patrol aircraft types used asbestos-containing fireproof insulation in their interior construction:

  • SH-3 Sea King helicopter interior — the SH-3 Sea King, the Navy’s primary carrier-based anti-submarine helicopter from the early 1960s through the 1990s, used asbestos-containing fireproof blanket insulation in the cabin interior structure to meet aviation fire protection requirements. AWs serving as tactical systems operators in Sea King cabins during ASW missions accumulated exposure to the asbestos-containing interior insulation materials throughout their Sea King duty period
  • Fire barrier and fireproof insulation — helicopter cabin interiors used asbestos-containing fire barrier insulation around engine compartment firewalls and in cabin wall construction in aircraft manufactured in the 1960s and early 1970s. AWs working in close proximity to these fire barriers during crew operations were in the exposure zone for asbestos-containing materials
  • P-3 Orion patrol aircraft — the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, in service from the early 1960s, used asbestos-containing insulation in the fuselage interior structure in early-production aircraft. AWs serving as tactical coordinators and acoustic sensor operators aboard P-3 Orion aircraft accumulated exposure to aircraft interior insulation during the extended patrol flights characteristic of maritime patrol operations

Maintenance Environment Asbestos Exposure

AWs performing crew system maintenance on their assigned aircraft encountered asbestos-containing materials in aircraft maintenance tasks:

  • Engine compartment access — AWs aboard shipboard helicopters performed crew-level maintenance on helicopter engine compartments and engine bay components, with asbestos-insulated engine firewall and engine bay insulation materials present in older Sea King and UH-1 helicopter variants
  • Search and rescue equipment maintenance — rescue hoist and associated rescue equipment mounted in helicopter cabin doorways required periodic maintenance with AWs working in the helicopter cabin interior

Shipboard Operating Environment

AWs assigned to ship-based helicopter detachments aboard anti-submarine escorts operated in the ship’s asbestos-containing engineering and berthing spaces:

  • Anti-submarine warfare helicopter detachments assigned to destroyer, frigate, and cruiser ships berthed aboard ship in WWII-era and early Cold War ships with asbestos-containing berthing and engineering space construction consistent with the ship construction era

VA Claims for AW Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure in naval aviation service. Aircrewmen who served aboard SH-3 Sea King or other 1960s-era helicopters and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.