Air Assault Operations

Question 1

Air Assault operations defined

Answer 1

An air assault is the movement of friendly assault forces by rotary-wing aircraft to engage and destroy enemy forces or to seize and hold key terrain. It is a deliberately planned, precisely synchronized, and vigorously executed combat operation intended to surprise the enemy by conducting a vertical envelopment at an unexpected time and place.

Question 2

Roles:

Answer 2

Roles:
● Air Assault Task Force Commander (AATFC):
● Ground Tactical Commander (GTC):
● Air Assault Task Force Operations Staff Officer (AATF S3):
● Brigade Aviation Officer (BAO):
● Fire Support Officer (AATF FSO):
● Air Liaison Officer (ALO):
● Pickup Zone Control Officer (PZCO):
● Aviation Task Force Commander (ATFC):
● Aviation Liaison Officer:
● Air Mission Commander (AMC):
● Air Battle Commander (ABC): S
● Flight Lead:

Question 3

Roles:
● Air Assault Task Force Commander (AATFC):
● Ground Tactical Commander (GTC):
● Air Assault Task Force Operations Staff Officer (AATF S3):
● Brigade Aviation Officer (BAO):
● Fire Support Officer (AATF FSO):
● Air Liaison Officer (ALO):
● Pickup Zone Control Officer (PZCO):
● Aviation Task Force Commander (ATFC):
● Aviation Liaison Officer:
● Air Mission Commander (AMC):
● Air Battle Commander (ABC): S
● Flight Lead:

Answer 3

● Air Assault Task Force Commander (AATFC): normally maneuver BDE or BN CDR whose
subordinate echelon constitutes the assault force

● Ground Tactical Commander (GTC): senior leader of the largest ground maneuver force. Responsible for: Ground Tactical Plan, Loading Plan, Staging Plan

● Air Assault Task Force Operations Staff Officer (AATF S3): Assists AATFC with mission command. Responsible for AMCM and AMB

● Brigade Aviation Officer (BAO): advises the BCT CDR and AATFC on all matters relating to Army aviation. Leads the Brigade Aviation Element (BAE) which resides in the BCT

● Fire Support Officer (AATF FSO): Plans, coordinates, synchronizes fires (including suppressing enemy ADA)

● Air Liaison Officer (ALO): USAF officer who leads TACP, advises BC on joint air operations

● Pickup Zone Control Officer (PZCO): designated for each pick-up zone in an air assault. Provided by the supported unit.

● Aviation Task Force Commander (ATFC): Commands all aviation forces through all phases of the air assault and follow on ground tactical plan (when below BN level, also serves as AMC)

● Aviation Liaison Officer: Aviation LNO represents supporting aviation task force for specific operations (like a BAE, but not organic to the BCT)

● Air Mission Commander (AMC): Receives the CDR’s intent and executes all aviation operations.

● Air Battle Commander (ABC): Subordinates of the AMC for key elements of the aviation force (for large and complex air assaults)

● Flight Lead: Assists planners in selecting flight routes within the axis of advance, develops timing for routes, assists in selecting LZ’s. During the mission, navigates the routes and ensures times are met according to the air movement table.

Question 4

Reverse Planning Sequence:

Answer 4

Reverse Planning Sequence:
● Ground Tactical Plan
● Landing Plan
● Air Movement Plan
● Loading Plan
● Staging Plan

Question 5

Hasty (Time constrained) air assault:

Answer 5

Essential to the success of time constrained planning are unit SOPs, habitual relationships, combined training, familiarity with systems and the area of
operations, and rehearsals.

Question 6

Deliberate air assault:

Answer 6

Deliberate air assault: Based on a 96 hour timeline

Question 7

Reference:

Answer 7

Reference: ATP 3-04.1 Ch. 5