
FORT STEWART, Ga. — The 3rd Infantry Division announced today that a new pilot unit dubbed the “Airborne Armor” will activate at Fort Stewart, Georgia, this month.
The 3rd ID has always been known for its innovation and willingness to embrace new technologies, as evidenced by the unit’s recent win at the XVIII Airborne Corps’ Dragon’s Lair competition.
The new Airborne Armor unit is comprised of modified tanks specially designed to withstand the shock of being dropped from an airplane at high altitudes.
“We are thrilled to unveil this new unit to the world,” said Col. Gavin Patton, the Army’s first Airborne Armor commander. “Our tanks are the best in the world and now they can literally fly and be dropped into hard-to-reach areas where they can quickly and efficiently take out the enemy. What more could you ask for?”
Soldiers assigned to this new unit will wear an Airborne Armor tab on their uniform to signify the importance of this new unit. Soldiers will have to submit a DA 4187 through their branch and achieve a 540 on the Army Combat Fitness Test to be considered for this unit.
“There is an incredible physical and intellectual skill required to join this unit,” said Spc. Holland Abrams, one of the first Soldiers to wear an Airborne Armor tab. “Soldiers will be cross functionally trained on airborne tank operations and how to tactically employ tanks.”
As the ranks of the Airborne Armor unit begins to fill, the Division has planned a rigorous training cycle to certify Airborne Armor crews. The Division redesigned crew gunnery tables to incorporate tanks dropping from a high altitude and the need for the crew to recover and assess the tank prior to its employment.
There is currently a small team of Soldiers working on Fort Stewart to prepare for the rest of the Soldiers to arrive. This new unit has provided them a chance to see history in the making.
“My tank and my crew are the best thing the Army can bring to any battle, but now we get the chance to drop into any battle, anywhere, which frankly is something I only thought could happen in the movies,” Abrams said. “The sight of a fleet of tanks raining down from the sky would be impressive to anyone, but more importantly, now there is a cup holder to hold my favorite beverage as we get ready to get after it.”
Social Sharing