Aviation Restructuring Initiative (ARI)
By COL John M. Cyrulik and CPT John M. Commerford: The 1st Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB, 1ID) recently completed a significant milestone in ARI by modernizing the CAB’s Heavy Attack Reconnaissance Squadron (H-ARS). The 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment (1-6 H-ARS) at Fort Riley, Kansas is the first active component Army unit to transform its fleet of OH-58D Kiowa Warrior aircraft to the AH-64D Apache from the Army National Guard (ARNG). LTC Travis M. Habhab, commander, Gunfighters, 1-1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, arrives at Marshall Army Airfield, Oct. 15 at Fort Riley, Kansas....
Learn MoreInnovation In Today’s Fiscal Environment
Arming the Force / By MG L. Neil Thurgood and COL James S. Romero: PEO Missiles and Space (PEO M&S) and the Joint Attack Munition Systems (JAMS) Project Office are mission focused to develop, field, and sustain versatile weapon systems for the U.S. Army, the Joint Force, and our coalition Warfighters providing a decisive combat advantage. HELLFIRE launch illustration Production of these weapons and improving them remain key aspects of providing critical capabilities to Warfighters ensuring the Army can effectively destroy current and future threats. The challenge we continue to face is being able to conduct modernization of existing equipment,...
Learn MoreCCAD – Looking Beyond the Horizon
Aviation Maintenance / By COL Billingsley Garner Pogue III and CSM Stephen D. Odom: The Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) has a single unwavering mission: to support U.S. Army and Department of Defense Aviation with Joint helicopter readiness and sustainment. Our Joint Force’s helicopters are critical to national security around the globe where they provide transport, combat support, rescue, and humanitarian aid. In today’s complex security environment, our Nation’s Warfighters are called to respond to a growing number of never-before-seen challenges in Army Aviation as we face increasing threats from emergent adversaries employing the latest technology and weapon systems. With...
Learn MoreAMCOM’s Support to Soldiers
Aviation Maintenance / By Mr. Sammy Burns: While Soldiers are the forefront of the readiness equation, the Army remains reliant on external support to meet the high OPTEMPO inherent to aviation. The AMCOM Logistic Center’s (ALC) Aviation Field Maintenance Directorate (AFMD) enhances the Army’s Aviation maintenance support capabilities and aircraft readiness worldwide. As one of AMCOM’s key enablers to the field, AFMD provides augmentation to help meet requirements and continuously adapts to support dynamic global maintenance needs. A UH-60 covered at Dobbins AFB, GA. AMCOM employees provide a wide range of support, including deployment/redeployment, phase maintenance, transport, and other tasks...
Learn MoreReadiness is a Team Sport
Aviation Maintenance / By MG James M. Richardson: We make better decisions when we have less money. –Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder,Apple Computer: It is fifteen years since I deployed with my Apache battalion to Afghanistan during the earliest stages of Operation Enduring Freedom. At that moment in time, Army Aviation had spent the previous ten years training for combat at a reduced operational tempo (OPTEMPO), and essentially living off the parts purchased to support Operation Desert Storm. While we were trained and proficient in our battle tasks, Army Aviation as a whole was not prepared to sustain deployed forces in combat...
Learn MoreUAS Operations at Home Station – A Template For Safety
Combat Readiness Center / By CW5 (Ret.) Michael J. Carroll: Since 9/11, the world of unmanned aircraft systems has rapidly evolved to meet the needs of combatant commanders and our Army as a whole. Once a unique specialty of Military Intelligence, UAS are now fielded to combat aviation brigades (CABs) and brigade combat teams (BCTs) and utilized from squad/platoon levels up to division and corps. An RQ-7 Shadow (left) and MQ-1C Gray Eagle at Fort Huachuca, AZ. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY 2-13 AVN PUBLIC AFFAIRS Operating in potentially high-threat environments without risk to human crews, UAS are proving indispensable...
Learn MoreOn Course
President’s Cockpit / By BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret.: We are now only a few months away from the 2016 AAAA Annual Mission Solutions Summit and I will give you a brief situation report in a minute but first I want to review what we accomplished last month. CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper, our VP Membership; LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk, VP Chapters; and COL (Ret.) Mark Weiss, VP Reserve Component Affairs were able to visit the AAAA National HQ in Connecticut, December 16-17, 2015, meet the staff, and solidify plans for 2016. A full day of intense meetings covered everything from chapter...
Learn MoreFuture Vertical Lift – Getting Affordability into the Design
AMCOM Commander / By MG James M. Richardson: The Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort is gaining momentum across the Army and across the Department of Defense (DoD). It may be unprecedented in DoD procurement to have such a wide range of aviation users come together to participate in the development and acquisition of a family of systems. The H-60 rebuild line at Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). Army Aviation must leverage its knowledge of current system performance to build affordability into future aircraft designs. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CCAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS All DoD Services are contributing to the capabilities...
Learn MoreProject Warrior – Set Yourself Apart From Your Peers
Branch Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Eric C. Thom: Whenever I travel to our outstanding combat aviation brigades (CABs) I look forward to conducting a sensing session with our NCOs. Inevitably someone (sometimes it’s me) asks the question, “What can you do to get promoted?” SGT Swiegart, Co. B, 3rd Bn., 10th Avn. Regt., 10th Cbt. Avn. Bde. instructs Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 15 Field Artillery Regt., 2nd Bde. Cbt. Tm. on proper sling load procedures prior to their gun run. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO And I tell them they have to find a way to set themselves apart...
Learn MoreWarrant Officer Flight Training A Historical Perspective
Chief Warrant Officer / By CW5 Allen R. Godfrey: As of this December, the first LUH-72 Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) class is undergoing training. The model for IERW continually updates to take advantage of the resources, technology, and modernization of Army Aviation. Many years ago, flight school utilized a model know as Multi-track. WOC Thomas French and WOC Godfrey enjoying time away from TAC Officers. / PHOTO PROVIDED BY CW5 RANDY GODFREY This is an excerpt from a paper written on 18 Oct. 1989 based on the experiences gained during my stay at Fort Rucker. I graduated on 13...
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