A suspicious "go-fast" vessel is spotted racing through the Caribbean Sea, headed straight for Florida. The Coast Guard is alerted and the chase begins.

As the drug smugglers speed through the water, a helicopter aircrew is deployed from a nearby Coast Guard cutter setting off at speeds up to 160 mph with clear directions to stop the boat before it can reach the US. Aware that a helicopter is in hot pursuit, the smugglers have two choices: give up now or attempt to evade authorities and make it to shore.

Unprepared to surrender, the criminals flee, ignoring all orders from the aircrew. That's when the helicopter crew readies the RC50 laser-sighted, .50 caliber precision rifle. One, maybe two shots fired and the chase is suddenly over. The only thing wounded onboard is the boat's engine.

Scenes like this have played out over and over again since the Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) was introduced in 1998 to prevent illegal South American cocaine shipments from reaching American shores. A specially trained US military unit, the Jacksonville-based HITRON is the only military unit authorized to fire on civilian boats in order to shut down their engines.

HITRON patrols everything from the eastern Pacific to the Caribbean with a small fleet of only eight helicopters. They also help provide security for national events like the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

"When the orange flag goes up, we get deployed all over the place," Petty Officer 1st Class Rick Stuteville, a HITRON gunner's mate, told the Pacific Area Public Affairs.  "We've been everywhere from Florida to Alaska to the South Pacific, back to New York."

Some HITRON crewmembers say that the area they protect is too large for just eight helicopters, especially when some of the helicopters are being repaired.

"It's like having two cops to give parking tickets for the whole nation," a HITRON crew member told Men's Vogue. 

But the fleet has been extremely successful preventing drug smugglers from reaching American shores. Since 1998, HITRON has intercepted approximately $9 billion worth of cocaine, which amounts to between 10 and 20 percent of all cocaine seized by federal officials in the past decade. In 131 cases, HITRON has only been outrun by one boat, and only one smuggler has ever been injured (from shrapnel) during a chase.

Their success can be partly attributed to guidelines that the Justice Department enacted to direct the helicopter gunmen who receive extensive training. Targeted boats must be moving, suspected of smuggling drugs and cannot have a flag. Following these rules helps the Coast Guard protect innocent boaters and its own reputation.

Of course, enthusiasm for one's job is always an indicator of success. And HITRON team members certainly enjoy the challenge of their work.

"I love going out on drug interdiction operations," Stuteville said.  "My adrenaline runs through the roof when we're chasing a go-fast vessel, but when it's time to shoot I calm down and relax."


Traffickers have the opportunity to surrender before being fired upon, but some smugglers, familiar with HITRON, instead use their bodies to shield the boats' engines, knowing that gunmen won't shoot at them. HITRON crew members explained that these tactics rarely work in high speed chases and usually result in the smuggler getting launched into the water.

They also said that traffickers are much better off not opening fire on HITRON helicopters. Coast Guard pilot Dan Roberts told Men's Vogue that no smugglers have ever fired back at him, since he began flying with HITRON. "If they downed a chopper, the wrath of hell would be upon them," he said.    

Roberts's job may not be a walk in the park, but it isn't bloodbath either. As long as they can shoot out an engine, apprehending the criminals and cocaine is the easy part.

"The driver just threw his hands up," Roberts said about one capture. "Mission complete, no one was hurt, and the cavalry is on the horizon to take the bad guys into custody. This is a gentleman's war."

For counter drug operations, HITRON aircrews forward deploy aboard Coast Guard cutters for 30-60 day deployments, and aircrews are typically deployed about 120 days a year total. Crewmembers represent a small (around 70), elite group of Coast Guard members. Those interested in the mission must first enter the Coast Guard.

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