On the frigid morning of Jan. 8, 2014, an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter, call sign Vulcan 543, rose from the tarmac at Naval Station Norfolk, its two massive rotors biting the cold air as it left on a training mission over the slate-gray Atlantic.

The largest, most powerful chopper in the Pentagon’s fleet, the Sea Dragon transports personnel and supplies and performs minesweeping operations. Its three turbo-shaft engines allow it to drag mine-detection gear the size of a Humvee through ocean waves.

Hear the full conversation from the John and Ray show on Friday morning:

Read more from Bloomberg: The U.S. Military’s Most Powerful Helicopters Keep Killing Troops in Fiery Crashes