Combat Aviation Brigade

A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (UH-60 Black Hawk), heavy-lift helicopters (CH-47 Chinook), and MEDEVAC capability.

History

Combat Aviation Brigades (CABs) were introduced during the transformation of the United States Army to a modular force. There were three types of combat aviation brigades.

Heavy Combat Aviation Brigade Organizational Table

Heavy combat aviation brigades

Medium combat aviation brigades

Light combat aviation brigades

Full Spectrum Capability

Full Spectrum Combat Aviation Brigade Organizational Table

Starting in 2010, the Army began to replace the 3 types of CABs with multipurpose brigades, called "Full spectrum CABs". However, for specific reasons some Heavy CABs will remain. The ultimate goal is 8 Full spectrum CABs and 4 Heavy CABs in active service, and respectively 6 and 2 CABs in the Army National Guard. Four brigades must be deployment-ready on a permanent basis. Since then all Light CABs have been adapted into Full spectrum CABs and will soon disappear. The Army stated that they need the CAB to be modular designed to enable task organization and optimize aviation capability for specific mission of specified duration. Full spectrum CAB will standardize the CAB design across the branch to deliver maximum aviation capability in the most timely and flexible manner. The Army also said that the new CAB design is doctrinally sound which delivers the combat, combat support, and combat service support to "enable steady state" operations required in an era of persistent conflict, and this new CAB will be constructed to deliver combat power while maximizing efficiencies in training, maintenance and support across the Army.[1][2]

Full spectrum combat aviation brigades design includes:

Active Component

Divisional CABs

Separate CABs

Former CABs

Reserve Component

The Army National Guard (ARNG) fields eight combat aviation brigades within its eight divisions as well as one theater aviation command which oversees two additional aviation brigades. The Army Reserve fields one theater aviation command which oversees two brigades (one USAR and one ARNG). The Army National Guard brigade is different from the Army's full spectrum combat aviation brigade as it replaces the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior of attack reconnaissance squadron with the Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota and organized into Support and Security Battalion or S&S BN. Thus all ARNG aviation brigades consist of attack reconnaissance battalion (24 AH-64 Apache), security and support battalion (three companies with 8 UH-72 Lakota each), assault helicopter battalion (30 UH-60 Black Hawk), general support aviation battalion (8 UH-60, 12 CH-47 Chinook and 15 HH-60M), UAV company (12 MQ-1C Gray Eagle), and aviation support battalion.

Divisional CABs

Separate CABs

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Army Aviation: Full Spectrum Capability" (PDF). Army Aviation Association of America. 10 February 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Role played by US army aviation in the US tactical maneuver" (PDF). Doctrine Tactique. March 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2013.

External links

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