Aviation Operations Report

Army aviation operations definitely should be cohesive in order to properly support the ground commander’s intent. The FM 3-04 also says that, but in not so few words. “Army Aviation operations are always nested in the higher ground scheme of maneuver to protect the supported force from surprise and to enable the ground maneuver commander to develop the situation without premature commitment of combat power” (Headquarters, 2014, p. 1-6). Either way it is said, aviation operations require support from others within the aviation community to be successful in the overall mission. That support does not always need to be from other airframes. The aviation operations support could be from Downed Aircraft Recovery Teams (DART) or the Soldiers that

(July, 2015). Army Aviation (FM 3-04). Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office

Robert, I think that aeromedical evacuation is certainly one of the most important of the aviation operations. The support from Army aviation when conducting aeromedical evacuations is also evident in the use of escort aircraft to help provide security during the evacuation operations. I can’t think of any aviation operation that does not require or use support from other aviation components. Air assault operations require security from other aviation entities and all aviation operations receive support from aviation command and control assets.

The newest member of the aviation community, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), is rapidly demonstrating their value as supporting asset to both aviation and the ground forces. With the advent of the Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), the ability to provide direct support to aviators is very impressive. As you mentioned also, communications relay is another way that the UAS community is providing support. The ability to extend communications is in and of itself is a value added benefit. Now that some of the systems are also able to carry weapons and can engage targets without putting the lives of our aviators in danger, I think they will soon become the primary combat support option on the battlefield. The communications relay mixed with the enemy threat warning topped off with the ability to engage the enemy, they will

In the world of aviation, we support each other at all levels to provide that support to those Soldiers and commanders. Army aviation has seven core competencies that are executed through the following tactical, enabling, and sustaining tasks or operations: movement to contact, attack, reconnaissance, security, air assault, mission command support, personnel recovery (PR), air movement, and aeromedical evacuation (Headquarters, 2015, p. 3-1). Those nine aviation operations all require support from multiple outside sources to accomplish. For example, I provide support as the airspace officer through the division airspace