Taken on May 21 in Moses Lake, Washington, the above image shows Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen from Special Boat Team 12, stationed at Naval Base Coronado, in California, conducting Maritime External Air Transportation System (MEATS) training. They are accompanied by aviators from 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
MEATS is a way to move a watercraft using a U.S. Army MH-47G Chinook helicopter of the 160th SOAR (A) “Night Stalkers." The Night Stalkers are a U.S. Army special ops force which provides support for both general purpose and special operations forces. They fly Chinooks, MH-60L/K Black Hawks, A/MH-6M Little Birds choppers and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones, along with a few MH-X Silent Hawks (and perhaps a bunch of stealthy Chinooks and Little Birds as well).
In MEATS, the watercraft crewmen rig the boat to the chopper hovering above, and then climb a rope ladder to board the MH-47 before it moves to the final destination.
Upon arrival, they will slide down a rope to the boat before the helicopter disconnects the hoist cables.
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