The Landing Plan

"There is no type of human endeavor where it is so important that the leader understands all phases of his job as that of the profession of arms." – Major General James Fry

LAST MONTH
In our last article, we began focusing on the five nested sub-plans of conducting an air assault operation. Using backwards planning, we started with the Ground Tactical Plan (GTP). Clearly, everything we do in planning for an air assault sets the conditions for getting your Soldiers at the right place at the right time (the GTP).

In our discussion last month we keyed on answering the following questions: 1) What is the GTP? 2) How do we define the objective for the GTP? 3) What are the factors in Landing Zone (LZ) selection? 4) What are the GTP planning factors? 5) What are some of the key missions for air assault forces once they are on the ground? 6) How do you best utilize your assets in the GTP? and 7) How do you best consolidate and reorganize your forces within the GTP.

We are aware that it was a fairly detailed article. However, as you gleaned there is much to consider in not only the overall air assault plan, but in each sub-plan. We will continue this detail in each subsequent article involving the sub-plans.

THIS MONTH
As we continue to backwards plan we move to the next step—the landing plan. The landing plan is designed in support of the ground tactical plan. It sequences tactical units into the objective area at the right time and place in order for them to accomplish their assigned task and purpose. A brilliant Ground Tactical Plan will fail if the Landing Plan is poorly conceived. The critical components of the landing plan are:
- Sequencing
- Timing
- Location

This article will focus on areas related to these critical components of the landing plan.

INTRODUCTION – (OBLIGATORY WAR STORY)
My first mission as a Pathfinder Team Leader came at Pathfinder School at Fort Benning, Georgia, in the summer of 1987. We jumped into a postage sized DZ and headed off to find the proposed Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ). We hiked over hill and dale to find the site (I was young back then, so I did not mind!). I knew my mission; establish the LZ, make contact with the birds, and get them on the ground. I didn’t know who was coming, but it didn’t matter as long as the LZ was set up on time. It turned out that the LZ couldn’t handle the number of helicopters or the landing formation in the order. We took wind-speed and direction readings at ground level and altitude. We surveyed the entire LZ and determined the land heading and selected a new formation that would use the available space most effectively. I was an aspiring Pathfinder learning a new skill and my role in the operation was pretty narrow. In later years, I would understand that this was the culmination of the Landing Plan—one of the five plans required to execute an air assault.

YOU MAY (NO YOU MUST) CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
There are numerous considerations to take into account when developing the landing plan. We discussed the first one (LZ selection) during our discussion on the ground tactical plan—that’s because the five air assault plans overlap. This means that the planner must make assumptions about the landing plan in order to complete the ground tactical plan.

First you must consider the availability, location, and size of potential landing zones (LZ’s) as the dominant issue. Next, consider the vulnerability of the Air Assault Task Force (AATF) as the helicopters land. The aircraft must deliver units that contain tactical integrity. The troops in each bird must be kept up to date as to direction, orientation, and map location in order to reduce disorientation.

Help Armchair General by bookmarking to