Tag Archives: Aviation

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From Where Does the Task Force Aviation Commander Fight?

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During the continuous operations an aviation task force will encounter at the National Training Center, many task force commanders struggle with where they will be most effective fighting their organization from.  The Eagle Team OC-Ts will see commanders at echelon ask themselves the same questions rotation after rotation. How well have I trained my subordinates to handle the pace of operations and multitude of tasks required of my unit?  And, where can I be the most effective commander right now and where will I fight from?  

U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Justin Ashaw.
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Sustaining Aviation Combat Power

NTC Lessons on Maintaining at Pace

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The Aviation Task Force (AVTF) provides a lethal mixture of firepower and maneuverability. Depending on task force configuration, the AVTF consists of a varying quantity of AH-64, CH-47, UH-60, RQ-7B’s and MQ-1C. They all enable the ground force commander to find, fix, and destroy the enemy though fires and maneuver. However, this also presents the AVTF Commander with many unique maintenance challenges not typically found in any other unit. Here are some best practices to help with sustaining aviation combat power in the decisive action environment.

A prolonged exposure shows streaks of light from the headlamps of a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter crew while performing a preflight inspection on an aircraft prior to launching on a personnel movement mission Dec. 8, at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Peter Smedberg/Released)
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NTC Update (MAR 20)

Lift Aviation Assets in the Defense and Counterattack

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Defensive operations for a Brigade Combat Team (BCT) are complex operations requiring the synchronization of numerous units across multiple lines of effort. Critical to the success of any defensive operation and to subsequent counterattacks is the BCT’s ability to rapidly move personnel and equipment across the battlefield to support sustainment as well as movement and maneuver operations. Aviation assets are particularly valuable in the defense because of their speed, mobility, and versatility.[1] Directly or indirectly, lift aviation is able to support each of the fundamentals of the defense (disruption, flexibility, maneuver, massing effects, operations in depth, preparation, and security).[2] These valuable assets, require in depth planning and analysis prior to executing the defense to ensure efficient execution.

Army AH-64 Apache aircrews conduct formation practice at Camp Williams, Utah, June 5, 2019, before the funeral flyover for Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Lynn W. Hadfield, whose remains were recovered after being listed as missing in action for 74 years. (U.S. Army photo).
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NTC Update (NOV 19)

Attack Helicopter Company Observations & Best Practices

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When managed correctly, Army Attack Aviation represents the most flexible and powerful combat multiplier a Division Commander can direct to any area of operations. Unlike a counterinsurgency fight, attack aviation in a decisive action training environment must be conserved to affect the fight in accordance with the friendly scheme of maneuver in a synchronized manner. Most often, this implies employing attack aviation, en masse, as a maneuver element to destroy significant enemy capabilities. Whether committed to weight the main effort, employed as a separate maneuver formation as an economy of force or in the deep area, Commanders must specifically focus how attack aviation elements are employed. Today, our attack aviation companies can provide additional capabilities, unheard of during the counterinsurgency days of the early 2000’s. Yet, our ability to employ those capabilities is dependent upon a unit’s ability to train them effectively at home station. 

U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew-chief scans the horizon during a 20 multi-ship air assault to the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Island of Hawaii, Nov. 11, 2019. During the fire support coordination exercise at PTA, the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade is tasked with providing troop-lift, air-assault, and close air support.
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From Your Future Soldiers

#BranchSeries - Aviation

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There are few things more exciting, more freeing, and more attractive to humans than man-made flight. Many Soldiers have walked the broken ground of combat and looked to the sky. With a mixture of envy and anticipation, they search the horizon for their Chinook ride home, their Blackhawk MEDEVAC, or their Apache close-combat attack support. What does it take to be an Aviation lieutenant? The Aviation community expects its leaders to stay humble, maintain self-awareness, and identify metrics for success. Although these three components do not underpin all of the factors that the Aviation community expects from its young leaders, they do represent key themes that ultimately stress perhaps the best piece of advice I can give: LISTEN AND TALK TO YOUR SOLDIERS. Here is what your future Soldiers want you to know.