Out with the Old: Refining Air Assault Operations to Prepare for LSCO

The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) has a historic and well-preserved background as being the only air assault division in the world. Standing behind that fact, it is required to adjust to capabilities of the present and future fight. The 101st cannot hold onto the mantra “this is how we have always done it” and expect the rest of the world to accept those terms. We must be willing to innovate, step out of our comfort zone, and try new ideas that can better improve our lethality. Leveraging the willingness of our leaders and Soldiers to incorporate new equipment and ideas into the fight can have the biggest impact on how we plan and execute our missions. This article will discuss some of the lessons learned while modernizing and refining air assault operations in preparation for use in large-scale combat operations (LSCO) scenarios.

The 101st’s 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team was called upon to execute the 24-03 Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation and achieve what hadn’t been done before — a long-range, large-scale air assault (L2A2). This mission originated at Fort Campbell, KY, and traveled more than 500 nautical miles to Fort Johnson, LA, straight into the box. This air assault incorporated the use of 76 aircraft consisting of CH-47s, UH-60s, and AH-64s, which transported more than 1,000 Soldiers and 100 pieces of equipment.1 The planning for such an operation took a vast amount of time and consideration; this wasn’t something that could be thrown together and work flawlessly.

We spent the months prior to execution rehearsing and troubleshooting everything from pickup zone (PZ) operations to cold loading the CH-47 to perfect our approach, but it went even further at the subordinate level. For several weeks, we trained on how to best load the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) and M119A3 howitzer onto a CH-47 to determine which method would be the most expedient means of infilling the battlefield — backed in or pulled in. Backing in would seem like the logical choice so when you hit the landing zone (LZ) that crew can drive straight off and execute. This wasn’t the case, however, as it took well over an hour to properly position the load, and disconnecting the howitzer from the ISV to have personnel push it up the ramp increased the safety risk. This process may also differ depending on what flight crew is executing the operation. The battery trained with three different flight crews, and all three had different views on how the load would be situated on the aircraft. After some lessons learned, pulling straight into the CH-47 offered both efficiency and effectiveness. Even under night vision, this method can be executed within minutes for both loading and unloading.

Soldiers in Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment (FAR), displayed their air assault proficiency by loading an M119A3 attached to an M1301 ISV inside a CH-47, also known as a belly load. We were authorized a seats-out waiver, which meant we were able to sit within the ISV during transportation. This unique air assault configuration led to our ability to hit the landing zone (LZ), back out of the CH-47, and immediately head towards the firing point. We did discover some issues that had to be addressed when the CH-47 touched down, however. Terrain will always play a role when executing any mission, and touching down on a landing zone that bares the title “Big Sandy” tested the limitations of the ISV. The ISV is fully capable of towing the howitzer on easy-to-moderate terrain but may struggle on harsher terrain. While attempting to get out of the sand, two ISVs suffered mechanical issues; we successfully conducted self-recovery though, and the howitzers were put back in the fight. This led to another challenge of utilizing ISVs for field artillery operations: the inability to escape the elements and haul additional items needed for sustainability. Without having the ability to utilize the different variations of the ISV that are now available, we could not haul additional personal items to stave off the cold or transport our own ammunition.

Field Artillery has expanded and evolved over the years. Today, we have digital gunnery that would have been unrealistic to light artillery back in 2007. We now have tactical platforms that expand our ability to plan, communicate, and execute missions on a vast network. The Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) delivers a network that is simplified, independent, and mobile that can facilitate mission command and situational awareness as well as integrate air-to-ground communication.2 The ITN systems being used at the battery level include the AN/PRC-158 and AN/PRC-163 radios, which have the capability of simultaneous voice and data communications that can be utilized on multiple channels.

Even with these capabilities, the struggle of getting away from other communication means is increasingly present. During our recent JRTC 24-10 rotation, the primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency (PACE) plan included features of the new systems, but they were ultimately not used in favor of Microsoft Teams and signal. There are a few reasons for this: unfamiliarity of equipment, lack of user profiles for Mobile User Objective Systems (MOUS), and not having the ability to recall specifics of a conversation (like you can with a chat thread). Whatever the reason, leaders need to adapt to the changes in technology and exploit every benefit of these new systems to become a better fighting force. For 1-320th FAR, implementing these lessons learned into our training and rehearsals will prepare us for future operations.

Whether it is finding new ways of approaching complex operations or fielding new equipment, staying stagnate in time only sets us further back. Today’s Army has more advanced ways of executing its missions than ever before. The technology, the equipment, and even our Soldiers give us an opportunity to better train and fight. We, as an enterprise, need to lean in on those opportunities so that tomorrow’s Army is equipped and ready to face our enemies.

These early iterations of practicing air assault operations show that there is significant room to innovate as well as opportunities to do so to best incorporate lessons learned and the latest technology into these operations. It is recommended that the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) continues to test, refine, and share knowledge as it conducts air assault operations in various training environments and potentially in real-world scenarios.

Notes

1 2LT Dalton Worley, “101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Conducts Long-Range, Large-Scale Air Assault,” Army News Service, 25 January 2024, https://www.army.mil/article/273195/101st_airborne_division_air_assault_conducts_a_long_range_large_scale_air_assault.

2 “Integrated Tactical Network,” Project Executive Officer Command, Control, Communications and Network (PEO-C3N), https://peoc3n.army.mil/Organizations/PM-Tactical-Radios/Integrated-Tactical-Network/.

1SG Jessie A. Abrams currently serves as the first sergeant of B Battery, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment (FAR), 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY. His previous assignments include serving as ammunition team chief for A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, AK; ammunition team chief and gunner in A Battery, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX; Howitzer section chief, B Battery, 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA; detailed recruiter with Lynchburg Company, Richmond Recruiting Battalion, Lynchburg, VA; platoon sergeant with A/1-320 FAR; and 13B professional development NCO, Operations Division, Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, KY. 1SG Abrams is a graduate of the Basic Airborne Course, Unit Armorer Course, Combatives Level I, Basic Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course, Master Leaders Course, Equal Opportunity Leaders Course, Army Recruiter Course, SHARP Foundation Course, Common Faculty Development Instructor Course, and Sabalauski Air Assault School.

This article appeared as a bonus article in the Winter 2024-2025 issue of Infantry. View this issue at https://www.moore.army.mil/Infantry/Magazine/issues/2024/Winter/