Air Assault OperationsCPT Jaron Wharton

Purpose

The purpose of this brief is to teach/re-familiarize leaders with Air Assault planning TTPs and fundamentals.

* BNs are the lowest level that can resource an AASLT, but the contemporary operating environment may require a squad to conduct an operation as part of a QRF, TCP establishment, etc.

References

FM 90-4, AASLT Operations

Gold Book, 101st ABN Division (AASLT)

101st Airborne (AASLT) Leaders Training Program

Agenda

Definitions

Five Stages of an Air Assault

Ground Tactical Plan

Landing Plan

Air Movement Plan

Loading Plan

Staging Plan

Summary

Questions

Air Assault Tenets

Integration of assault forces and helicopter assets

Maneuver under the control of the ground or air commander

Engage and destroy enemy forces

To seize and hold key terrain

Deliberate, precisely planned, vigorously executed

Allow friendly forces to strike over extended distances

Attack the enemy when and where he is most vulnerable

Air Movement Tenets

Operations other than AASLTS – many of the same facets, but not an ASLT

Move troops and equipment

Emplace artillery pieces and ADA systems

Transport ammo, fuel, and supplies

Large scale operations still require detailed planning

Aviation is not task-organized but are released to return to their parent units upon mission completion

Definitions

AATFC – AASLT TF commander (guy overall in charge of the operation)

AMC – air mission commander, usually an aviation commander (ATK or LIFT Battalion CDR)

GTC – ground tactical commander (guy on the ground)

AMCM – air mission coordination meeting, initial AASLT COA

AMB – air mission brief, OPORD for AASLT, PZ to LZ

FARP – forward rearming and refueling point, aircraft CSS location

DART – downed aircraft recovery team

SEAD – suppression of enemy air defense

Tadpole Diagram – describes lift compositions

ALNO – aviation officer, aviation officer at BDE to plan

Bump Plan – if an aircraft cannot fly, the leader’s new load plan for getting mission essential personnel to the fight

Lift/Serial/Load

Five Stages of an AASLT

Ground Tactical Plan (GTP) – Drives the AASLT; all other considerations are subordinate to placing forces where they need to be to fight the way they need to fight.

Landing Plan

Air Movement Plan

Loading Plan

Staging Plan

AIR ASSAULT PLANNINGMETHODOLOGY

ASSYAREA

CAA

CAA

LP1

LP2

LP3

LP4

PZ

PZ

LZ

LZ

STAGING PLAN

LOADINGPLAN

AIR MOVEMENT PLAN LANDINGPLAN

GROUNDTACTICAL PLAN

PLANNING

EXECUTION

ESTIMATEBACKWARDS PLANREHEARSALS(W/WO ACF)

RECONSECURITY GUIDES C2SEQUENCE

PZ SELECTIONPZ CONTROLPZ C2MVMT TABLEBUMP PLAN SEQUENCINGPZ POSTURE

FLIGHT PLANNING IAW LNO & AMC ROUTES, AXIS SP/RP LOCATIONSC2 CONTROL MEASURESMVMT TABLE SEAD TIMINGS REFUEL/REARM FLIGHT MODES

LZ CONSIDERATIONS SINGLE MULTIPLE SELECTION

SECURITYSPTING FIRESORIENTATIONC2 FORMATIONCSS RESUPPLY CASEVAC

WHAT HASCHANGED?

Five Stages of an AASLT

Five stages/plans tie together in this way:

-GTP drives LZ selection

-LZ selection drives the landing plan and air movement plan

-Flight routes and current friendly locations dictate the loading plan and PZ locations

-Loading plan defines the requirements that become the staging plan

-Good GTP takes into account the limitations of LZ’s, aircraft available, routes, etc. to mass combat power at the decisive point

The Ground Tactical Plan

Foundation of the AASLT and developed by the GTC IAW doctrine, TTPs, and METT-T.

GTP drives LZ selection (false LZs).

GTP ComponentsMission objectivesPrimary/alternate LZsTask OrganizationD-day/H-hour timesForces required/availableSpecial equipment required (kick-off bundles)Fire Support Plan (including prep fires)ATK aviation missions (CAS or CCA)Means of identifying LZsLanding formationsOffloading Procedures (right/left door exit, assemble en route?)CASEVAC and CSS issues

The Landing Plan

Generally one primary LZ and one alternate LZ per maneuver BN (each serial must be ready to execute at either)

Forces must land ready to fightOrganize on the PZ, not the LZFly and land in the order of march/assaultEach serial is able to fight as a team/tactical integrityProvide inbound guidance to a/c both radio and visualGround forces exit one or both doors (METT-T)Vehicles and ground forces clear LZ quickly

* Rehearse off-load during cold load training, which is mandated. Not all of your soldiers have been on a UH-60 or CH-47.

The Landing Plan

The landing is a critical component of the AASLT because it is here that forces are most vulnerable so the conditions must be set.

Two types of landings driven by METT-T:

-Away from the OBJ (MTC)

-On the OBJ (raid, FLS seizure, cordon)

*There are many considerations for where you land, usually time/enemy sensitive.

The Landing Plan

Condition Setting:

-Higher level activity, usually BDE level activity

-Purpose: Attrition of enemy combat power that can affect the AASLT force

Targeting Teams: use of theater assets and organic assets that will assist in the arrival of the AASLT force with risk mitigated (COLTs, AVN assets, SCOUTs)

*Understand that “higher” tries to make your landing conditions favorable but it won’t always happen.

The Landing Plan

Grid: GL 12345678Land Heading: 0 degreesMarking: IR StrobeLeft Door ExitAVN Call sign: Hardcore 6Door Gunner instructionsDistance/Direction to OBJNFA locations

*Ranking man on a/c or chalk leader should be on the ‘dog bone’ and listen for a cherry or ice call.

*Who gets off first—LTC Hal Moore’s efforts were motivational but were they necessarily smart?

Wharton LZ

IRF

OBJ

N

Situational Awareness

Hot LZ procedures – battle drillsCritical from PZ to LZ

Where are we during flight?When will we land?What’s waiting for me at the LZ?

Ground element/chalk leader has responsibility from PZ to LZRequired Items to have or know:

Marked air route mapCompassPLUGR or GarminCommo cardAir Movement table, tadpole diagram, PZ/LZ sketchFM radioLocation of friendly forces in OBJ area

*Where Murphy pops up - the helicopter won’t always drop you in the correct location, GPS can’t track on board, too much metal to verify helicopter’s land heading on your compass.

The Air Movement Plan

Flight operation from PZ to LZ and return

Air Mission Commander (AMC) receives all Army aviation forces and enroute fires to include initiation of LZ preparatory fires.

One-way flight routes and air corridors are utilized.

Air Movement Table is the base document for the plan:A/C locations

# and type of a/c in each serial

Departure point, route to and from loading area and, lift-off and landing times

Flight Route Example

Air Movement Table Example

The Loading Plan

Based on the Air Movement PlanEnsures that troops, equipment and supplies are loaded on the correct aircraftAircraft loads are placed in priority to establish a bump planPlanning must cover:

Organization and operation of the PZLoad positionsDay and night markingsCommunications

*Loading plan knowledge critical when mixing internal and external loads or when mixing aircraft types.

*Additionally, the leader must identify who will fly on which aircraft, i.e. you don’t want to have all of your mortar tubes, MGs, key leaders on one a/c…must sync with GTP.

Situational Awareness

Chalk Leader Responsibilities:

-Usually an E-5/E-6

-Provides copies of manifest (1 x himself, 1SG, crew chief/pilot, PZ check-in)

-Rehearses cold load training and instructs personnel on how to correctly load/unload aircraft (UH-60s, 90 degrees from the side/CH-47s, 45 degrees from the rear)

-Monitors radio during flight

-Tracks all aerial checkpoints IOT verify location upon landing

-Ensures personnel prepared to dismount the helicopter NLT five minutes out

-Echoes execute command to exit aircraft

The Loading Plan

Front

PZ Name

LZ Grid w/same datum as used by a/c

ALT LZ grid

Lift

Serial

Chalk

OBJ Name

Back

Full Name No Bump

1. Chalk LDR

2.

3. 3rd PL

4.

5.

6.

7. Breach Kit

8.

Chalk Card – 3 x 5 card

Bump Plan

Ensures critical men and equipment are loaded on aircraft should mechanical or other problems limit planned air resources.

Each aircraft in a serial must have a bump priority and each soldier on a chalk must have bump priority.

If an aircraft on the PZ can not lift off and key personnel are on board, they will offload and reload another aircraft that has priority.

Staging Plan

Based on the Loading Plan and prescribes the arrival time of ground units (troops, equipment and supplies) at the PZ in the proper order of movement

Loads must be ready before aircraft arrive at the PZ

Ground units usually expected in PZ posture 15 minutes before aircraft arrives

Restates PZ organization, defines flight routes to the PZ and provides instructions for air link-up.

* Staging Plan may also follow the Ground Tactical Plan as part of a planned withdrawal.

Sub-unit Responsibilities

Send chalk leaders to PZ orientation if applicable

PAX/vehicle must know lift #,serial #, chalk #, LZ

Vehicles rigged by air assault qualified personnel

Use internal communications on the PZs

Identify chalk leaders and signalmen early in planning process

Summary

Five Stages to AASLT: Ground Tactical Plan, Landing Plan, Air Movement Plan, Loading Plan, Staging Plan

Leaders must incorporate time to rehearse loading and landing aircraft – introduce contingencies into these rehearsals

Quickly move off of LZs and maintain security in PZ posture at all times

Principles for air movement operations are similar to air assault operations

Questions?