"Strategy is the art of making use of time and space.  I am less concerned about the latter than the former.  Space we can recover; lost time never."
 Napoleon Bonaparte

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LAST MONTH

In our last article, we continued keying on the inter – linking plans of an air assault operation with a focus on the landing plan.  As with all the phases, the landing plan must be developed to support the ground tactical plan.  To achieve this, it must sequence tactical units into the objective area at the right time and place in order for them to accomplish their assigned task and purpose.  In our discussion, we went into great detail on the three critical components of the landing plan – sequencing, timing, and location.  Always remember — A brilliant Ground Tactical Plan will fail if the Landing Plan is poorly conceived. 

THIS MONTH

In continuing our dissection of an air assault operation, we will delve into the air movement plan this month.  In our discussion, we will address both the art and science of the air movement plan.  This will include ensuring you understand the terminology, highlighting the key control measures utilized in air movement, and providing you some keys to success in executing air movement.  Let’s begin!

INTRODUCTION

Of the five air assault plans, the air movement plan is the one most tied to science, tight timing, and technical precision.  An air movement plan brings Soldiers and machines together in a precisely choreographed sequence of events that picks up and delivers combat power to the battlefield.  These processes usually require the use and coordination of multiple pick up and drop off points and multiple routes for dispersed units to take to get to the birds.  It’s rare when all the helicopters can line up alongside all the troops.  Even when this is physically possible it is usually not advisable.  That large a concentration of troops and helicopters would draw the attention of enemy reconnaissance. 

Usually there is a precise sequencing of troops, equipment and birds that takes place over  time in one or more confined spaces—troops and helicopters must be ‘racked and stacked’.  Helicopters and units need to be separated in both time and space so that a unit can hit the LZ, clear it and deploy while the aircraft move out…all before the next group of birds arrives.  If there is a logjam at the LZ, the incoming groups have to go into circular patterns awaiting clearance to land.  This obviously telegraphs the LZ and objective to the enemy and exposes the troops at their most vulnerable — when they’re packed into birds in the sky.  The air movement plan must be precise.  It merges the technical science of the aviation planners with the tactical art of the ground operations planners. 

The air movement plan is similar in principal to Von Moltke the Elder’s railroad planning which gave birth to the technical expert staff officer.  If troops could be mobilized and marched to the right railhead which, in turn, delivered them to the correct assembly area along the border, then victory was half way in the bag.  It’s the same for the air assault use of helicopters to insert troops into the battlespace; if you get it right you’re not guaranteed victory, but if you get it wrong you’re almost certain of defeat.      

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