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Squadron Updates: Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Three Welcomes New CO
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sara Eshleman, USN
The "Merlins” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 welcomed a new commanding officer during an official change of command ceremony held aboard Naval Air Station North Island, August 8, 2024.
During the ceremony, presided over by CAPT Will “Easy” Eastham, Commodore, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, Pacific, CDR Ian “Zoo” Adams relieved CAPT Thomas “Smokey” Butts as the 47th Commanding Officer of HSC-3.
Butts, who hails from Erlanger, Kentucky, led the Merlins from August 2023 to August 2024. During his tenure as HSC-3’s 46th Commanding Officer, Butts managed a complex command encompassing multiple units, operating the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter and MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter as the Pacific Fleet Replacement Squadron, including the Chief of Naval Operations Model Manager and the Reserve Fleet Support Detachment. He exceeded Commander, Naval Air Forces readiness goals, sending 131 Fleet Replacement Pilots and Aircrewmen in manned and unmanned aircraft to follow-on commands.
Under his astute leadership, Butts directed the efforts of over 1,000 squadron personnel in the maintenance and operation of nearly 40 permanently assigned aircraft, and surpassed 17,722 cumulative Class A mishap-free flight hours. Following the change of command, Butts departed HSC-3 and is slated to report to Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, Pacific as Deputy Commodore.
“It has been an incredible honor to lead the Merlin Team here at HSC-3,” said Butts. “Although leaving command is bittersweet, I’m thrilled to see CDR Ian "Zoo" Adams take the helm. He has prior FRS experience here at HSC-3 and with the HSC Community; he brings a deep understanding of community challenges. Under his leadership, I look forward to seeing the Merlins continue their rich tradition of being the HSC standard bearers and Naval Aviation Enterprise community leaders.”
Adams, a native of Fairfax, Virginia, is joining the Merlins from his position on the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) Staff. Specifically, he was Director of Aviation (N98) Requirements Officer for the MQ-8C Fire Scout and Future Vertical Lift (Maritime Strike) FVL Programs. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2005, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science with a minor in Japanese, and earned his wings of gold in May 2007. He also earned a master’s degree in Business from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and completed the Joint Warfighting School at National Defense University.
"As we stand at the forefront of defending our great nation, I am committed to upholding the highest standards of training and readiness,” said Adams. “Together, we will ensure that our pilots and aircrew are prepared to face any challenge with skill, courage, and unwavering resolve. I am immensely proud to serve alongside such a talented and dedicated team, and I am confident that together, we will continue to uphold the legacy that defines HSC-3. Thank you for your trust and support as we embark on this vital mission to operate safely, as a team, to deliver warfighting excellence!"
Adams’ previous assignments include tours as the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization Officer and Quality Assurance Officer with the “Blackjacks” of HSC21, and as flag aide to Carrier Strike Group 9 aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and USS George Washington (CVN 73). For his department head tour, he served as Maintenance Officer, and Operations Officer with the “Screaming Indians” of HSC-6, attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), and returned to HSC-21 to fulfill roles as both the Executive and the Commanding Officer. Adams’ current assignment to HSC-3 is not his first, as his shore tours include service to HSC-3 as an Instructor Pilot, U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany as a Joint Future Operations Planning Officer (J-35), and as the Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations, ACJ3, before reporting to OPNAV.
HSC-3 is the Navy’s West Coast MH-60S Fleet Replacement Squadron, responsible for training pilots and aircrewmen by providing the most capable warfighters to the Fleet. HSC squadrons deploy expeditionary helicopter detachments to carry out naval special warfare, search and rescue, theater security cooperation, strike coordination and reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief missions.
