After 57 years of functioning as a training platform for student rotary wing aviators, the venerable US Navy Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger training helicopter has been sent into retirement. A phase out that began back in 2023 was completed on 19 September 2025 when the last active duty TH-57C with BuNo 162668/E-106 was flown to the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola for future display. On 30 July another TH-57C, 162684/E-122 was flown to the USS Lexington Museum in Corpus Christi (TX).

 

As mentioned, the phase out began in 2023 when the Leonardo TH-73A Thrasher was introduced to become the new training tool for US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard helicopter students. The Thrasher, which is the US Navy training variant of the commercial AW119, came into service in June 2021 and deliveries were completed by August 2025. In total, 130 airframes have been delivered to TAW-5 based at NAS Whiting Field South (FL).

 

Have all TH-57 Sea Rangers been given a send-off? No; two of them (162013 and 162016) will soldier on for the foreseable future with HX-21 at NAS Patuxent River (MD). Although they are no longer being used for tests but instead their useage lies in readiness flights.

 

Photo by US Navy.