Air Assault Operations
CPT 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 PLANNING
METHODOLOGY
STAGING
PLAN
LOADING
PLAN
AIR MOVEMENT PLAN
LANDING
PLAN
GROUND
TACTICAL PLAN
PLANNING
LP1
CAA
ASSY
AREA
PZ
LZ
LP2
LP3
CAA
PZ
LZ
LP4
EXECUTION
RECON
SECURITY
GUIDES
C2
SEQUENCE
ESTIMATE
BACKWARDS PLAN
REHEARSALS
(W/WO ACF)
PZ SELECTION
PZ CONTROL
PZ C2
MVMT TABLE
BUMP PLAN
SEQUENCING
PZ POSTURE
FLIGHT PLANNING
IAW LNO & AMC
ROUTES, AXIS
SP/RP LOCATIONS
C2 CONTROL MEASURES
MVMT TABLE
SEAD
TIMINGS
REFUEL/REARM
FLIGHT MODES
LZ CONSIDERATIONS
SINGLE
MULTIPLE
SELECTION
SECURITY
SPTING FIRES
ORIENTATION
C2 FORMATION
CSS
RESUPPLY
CASEVAC
WHAT HAS
CHANGED?
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 Components
Mission objectives
Primary/alternate LZs
Task Organization
D-day/H-hour times
Forces required/available
Special equipment required (kick-off bundles)
Fire Support Plan (including prep fires)
ATK aviation missions (CAS or CCA)
Means of identifying LZs
Landing formations
Offloading 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 fight
Organize on the PZ, not the LZ
Fly and land in the order of
march/assault
Each serial is able to fight as a
team/tactical integrity
Provide inbound guidance to a/c both
radio and visual
Ground 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 12345678
Land Heading: 0 degrees
Marking: IR Strobe
Left Door Exit
AVN Call sign: Hardcore 6
Door Gunner instructions
Distance/Direction to OBJ
NFA locations
IRF
OBJ
*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
N
Situational Awareness
Hot LZ procedures – battle drills
Critical 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 LZ
Required Items to have or know:
Marked air route map
Compass
PLUGR or Garmin
Commo card
Air Movement table, tadpole diagram, PZ/LZ sketch
FM radio
Location 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 Plan
Ensures that troops, equipment and supplies are loaded on the
correct aircraft
Aircraft loads are placed in priority to establish a bump plan
Planning must cover:
Organization and operation of the PZ
Load positions
Day and night markings
Communications
*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 checkin)
-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
Chalk Card – 3 x 5 card
Front
PZ Name
LZ Grid w/same datum as used
by a/c
ALT LZ grid
Lift
Serial
Chalk
OBJ Name
Back
Full Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
No Bump
Chalk LDR
3rd PL
Breach Kit
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?