Chapter 3

MANEUVER

Section V. AVIATION

3-14. DOCTRINE

    a. Principles.

        (1) Fight as an integral part of the combined arms team.

            (a) The aviation brigade must be integrated into the overall scheme of maneuver.
            (b) Aviation provides the commander with speed, flexibility, and firepower throughout the entire battlefield.
            (c) Aviation perfoms well with other branches (combat, combat support, and combat service support).
            (d) The aviation brigade increases the tempo of operations.
            (e) The use of aviation helps ensure the enemy has to fight in more than one direction.

        (2) Exploit the capabilities of other branches and services.

            (a) Tactical air, naval gunfire, and EW strengthen and support aviation capabilities.
            (b) Combined effects of Sister services and allied forces amplify aviation lethality and survivability.

        (3) Capitalize on intelligence-gathering capabilities.

            (a) Aviation provides real-time information on the enemy, weather, and terrain.
            (b) Aviation brigade requires external intelligence sources for thorough mission planning.

        (4) Suppress enemy weapons and acquisition means.

            (a) Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) is accomplished using attack helicopters, ground weapons, EW, Fire Support (FS), and other service air assets.
            (b) Aircraft survivability equipment (jammers, chaff, flares) enhances survivability.

        (5) Exploit firepower. Use aviation to:

            (a) Destroy point targets.
            (b) Provide area suppressive fires.
            (c) Observe and adjust indirect fires.
            (d) Strike decisively at the enemy from any direction.
            (e) Move, position, and resupply infantry, air defense, antitank, and artillery.
            (f) Provide rapid aerial resupply of critical combat assets.

        (6) Exploit range and target standoff.

            (a) Hellfire missiles provide lethal fires to targets inaccessible to shorter range weapons systems.
            (b) Standoff enhances aviation survivability.

        (7) Exploit mobility.

            (a) Move to strike the enemy from almost any direction.
            (b) Air assaults and air movements can concentrate or disperse forces rapidly.

        (8) Exploit surprise. Surprise the enemy with firepower and mobility.

        (9) Mass effects. Reposition at critical points on the battlefield to exploit enemy weaknesses.

        (10) Use terrain for survivability. Minimize exposure to direct fire and target acquisition for survivability and to conceal friendly locations or intentions.

        (11) Displace forward elements frequently. Relocate HQ, Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP), and assembly areas to reduce detection and increase survivability.

        (12) Maintain flexibility. Aviation:

            (a) Allows commanders the flexibility to adapt rapidly to developing situations.
            (b) Can respond quickly to disrupt the enemy with effective firepower.

        (13) Support deception. Aviation can support deception plans in a variety of missions.

        (14) Exercise staying power. Aviation can provide continuous operations in nearly all weather conditions when provided adequate service support.

    b. Combat missions.

        (1) Reconnaissance and security. Conduct raids, feints, demonstrations, counterattacks, joint air attack team (JAAT) operations, covering force operations, and reconnaissance-in-force operations.

        (2) Attack. Attack against concentrated armor or light forces, provide aerial security, perform JAAT operations, overwatch ground forces during movement or passage of lines, reinforce ground forces by fire, and provide SEAD.

        (3) Air assault. Conduct raids; bypass obstacles; reinforce encircled forces; extract stay-behind forces; conduct deception operations; support retrograde operations; support breakout of encirclement; conduct counterattacks and reliefs; establish an airhead in the enemy rear area; insert or extract long-range surveillance forces; rapidly react to rear area threats; block movement of enemy forces; seize and retain key terrain; and support exploitation, pursuit, lodgments, linkup, and river-crossing operations.

        (4) Theater missile defense (emerging doctrine). This is a joint mission using deep attacks to destroy missile launch platforms, C4I nodes, and missile stocks.

        (5) Special operations. Special operations are conducted by special operations aviation (SOA) units with specialized aircraft. These units support strategic and operational objectives. Examples of missions include deep reconnaissance, limited deep attacks, insertion of special operations forces (SOF), combat search and rescue, and special intelligence gathering.

    c. Employment.

        (1) The attack helicopter battalion (AHB) has three eight-ship attack helicopter companies. AHBs are employed in three manners:

            (a) Maximum destruction. Simultaneous three-company attacks on one EA.
            (b) Phased. One company attacks, it is quickly followed by a second company, and a third company relieves the first company on station.
            (c) Continuous. One company attacking, one enroute, and one in the FARP.

        (2) The attack helicopter battalion has the primary mission of attacking enemy armored/artillery formations. Deep attack is the primary mission of corps AHBs.

        (3) The aviation group provides C2 aircraft and assault and cargo helicopter support to the corps.

        (4) The Command Aviation Battalion (CAB) provides GS to the corps HQ, the separate combat brigades, and the corps CS HQ. It also contains aerial observer aircraft for corps artillery.

        (5) The Assault Helicopter Battalion has two 15-ship assault helicopter companies (UH-60). The corps may employ either an assault helicopter company or an entire assault helicopter battalion to support an MSC. The battalion can also augment the medium helicopter battalion for logistic transport operations.

        (6) The Medium Helicopter Battalion contains four 16-ship medium helicopter companies (CH-47). These companies must perform the bulk of the air movement missions within the corps AO.

        (7) The CSAB provides dedicated support to the attack helicopter regiment and utility support to the corps.

        (8) Attack helicopters are most effective when employed against moving targets. (FM 17-95, p 5-6)

        (9) In the close battle, greater distances and obstacles to vision (smoke, dust, etc) reduce the crew's ability to conduct target identification; potential for fratricide increases.