Current Issue Articles
Uncertain Times – Preparing for Future Operations
USASOAC Commander / By BG Allan M. Pepin: A year ago, nobody predicted the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. It reinforces the reality we will not know with certainty all the conditions impacting our future missions. Soldiers board a C-27J aircraft from the USASOC Flight Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne), at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in April 2020. The UFC used its unique C-27J capability to transport Soldiers from the Medical Center of Excellence to their next duty assignment. Flight crews from the UFC have conducted numerous controlled air movements to maintain readiness and reduce the potential spread...
Learn MoreThe Team
Army Aviation Branch Chief’s Corner / By MG David J. Francis: I am extremely proud of our Special Operations Aviation and the close working relationship that exists between them and our conventional Army Aviation forces. This relationship that developed over many years of shared lessons learned in training and combat, established a common understanding and trust between the two organizations. Special Operations Command Pacific units from Naval Special Warfare, 1SFG, 160th SOAR and 353rd SOG conducted Exercise Tempest Wind 2019 (TW19). TW19 involved tactical training with weapons, close-quarter combat, helicopter insertions, maritime boat operations, mission planning, communications, and development. / U.S. NAVY...
Learn MoreThe ARSOA and Conventional Army Aviation Team
President’s Cockpit / By MG Jeff Schloesser, U.S. Army Retired: Our focus for June is Army Special Operations Aviation – ARSOA. From the outside looking in, ARSOA may seem to be much, much different than conventional Army Aviation. Those of us who have served in both know that ARSOA and conventional Army Aviation are in fact complementary. A Soldier with the 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, conducts routine maintenance on an AH-64 Apache helicopter on May 6, 2020, at Fort Riley, KS. Soldiers with the CAB continue to support mission-readiness while simultaneously preventing the spread of...
Learn MoreModernizing and Integrating Sustainment Solutions for Today and Tomorrow
AMCOM 2020 / By MG K. Todd Royar: Army Aviation is at a strategic crossroad as we transition to a modernized aviation force that fully supports Multi Domain Operations (MDO) on a near-peer/peer threat, Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) battlefield. It is an exciting time to be part of the development of future Army Aviation systems and developing robust, modernized sustainment solutions that will support both our enduring fleets and the modernized fleet that is Future Vertical Lift (FVL). The Aviation Enterprise is working together to modernize and integrate aviation sustainment solutions that will improve Army Aviation’s support to the future...
Learn MorePEO Aviation: Balancing the Current and Future Fleets
Aviation Leadership / By Mr. Patrick H. Mason: Program Executive Office Aviation remains focused on ensuring the readiness and relevance of the enduring fleet while simultaneously developing new capabilities supporting Large Scale Combat Operations and the Army’s transformation to a Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) ready and capable force. Accomplishing this objective requires alignment across the aviation enterprise as we methodically balance investments between our current portfolio of capabilities and those of the future. Through this effort we will achieve targeted modernization of our enduring systems while delivering enhanced lethality, survivability, and mobility across the battlespace. U.S. Army helicopters, assigned to the...
Learn More