Combat Aviation Brigade
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A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. B ...
-sized unit in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (
Boeing AH-64 Apache The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night visi ...
), medium-lift helicopters (
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System ( ...
), heavy-lift helicopters (
Boeing CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Ch ...
), and
MEDEVAC Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...
capability.


History

Combat aviation brigades (CABs) were introduced during the
transformation of the United States Army The reorganization plan of the United States Army is a current modernization (2017–2028) and reorganization (2006–2016) plan of the United States Army that was implemented (2006–2016) under the direction of Brigade Modernization Command. Thi ...
to a modular force. There were three types of combat aviation brigades. Heavy combat aviation brigades * Headquarters Company * Two x attack reconnaissance battalions (ARB) (each with 24
Boeing AH-64 Apache The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night visi ...
) * One x Assault helicopter battalion (AHB) (30
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System ( ...
) * One x General support aviation battalion or GSAB (8 UH-60 Command Aviation, 12
Boeing CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Ch ...
and 15 Sikorsky HH-60M Black Hawk) * One x UAV company * One x Aviation support battalion (ASB) Medium combat aviation brigades * Headquarters Company * One x Attack reconnaissance battalion (ARB) (24 AH-64 Apache) * One x Attack reconnaissance squadrons (ARS) (30 Bell OH-58 Kiowa) * One x Assault helicopter battalion (AHB) (30 UH-60 Black Hawk) * One x General support aviation battalion (GSAB) (8 UH-60 Command Aviation, 12 CH-47 Chinook and 15 HH-60M) * One x UAV company * One x Aviation support battalion (ASB) Light combat aviation brigades * Headquarters Company * Two x attack reconnaissance squadrons (ARS) (each with 30 OH-58) * One x Assault helicopter battalion (AHB) (30 UH-60 Black Hawk) * One x General support aviation battalion (GSAB) (8 UH-60 Command Aviation, 12 CH-47 Chinook and 15 HH-60M) * One x UAV company John Lheureux (May 16, 2019) Accomplishing the UAS mission safely
/ref> * One x Aviation support battalion (ASB)


Full spectrum capability

Starting in 2010, the Army began to replace the medium and light CABs with multipurpose brigades, called "full spectrum CABs". The ultimate goal is eight full spectrum CABs and four heavy CABs in active service, and respectively six and two CABs in the Army National Guard. Four brigades must be deployment-ready on a permanent basis. The Army stated that they need the CAB to be modular designed to enable task organization and optimize aviation capability for specific mission of specified duration. Full spectrum CAB will standardize the CAB design across the branch to deliver maximum aviation capability in the most timely and flexible manner. The Army also said that the new CAB design is doctrinally sound which delivers the combat, combat support, and combat service support to "enable steady state" operations required in an era of persistent conflict, and this new CAB will be constructed to deliver combat power while maximizing efficiencies in training, maintenance and support across the Army. Full spectrum combat aviation brigades design includes: * Headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) * Attack reconnaissance squadron (ARS) (three troops with 7 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior each, and a UAS company with two platoons with 4 AAI RQ-7B Shadow UAV each) * Attack reconnaissance battalion (ARB) (three companies with 8 AH-64 Apache each) * Assault helicopter battalion (AHB) (three companies with 10 UH-60 Black Hawk each, and a
pathfinder Pathfinder may refer to: Businesses * Pathfinder Energy Services, a division of Smith International * Pathfinder Press, a publisher of socialist literature Computing and information science * Path Finder, a Macintosh file browser * Pathfinder ( ...
company) * General support aviation battalion (GSAB) (a command aviation company or CAC with 4 UH-60 Black Hawk and 4 EH-60 equipped with AN/ASC-38 Army Airborne Command and Control System 2C2S a heavy helicopter company (HvyHC) with three platoons with 4 CH-47 Chinook each, an air ambulance medical company (AAMC) with five forward support MEDEVAC platoons (FSMP) with 3 HH-60M each equipped with MEDEVAC mission equipment, and an air traffic services (ATS) company consisting of a two tactical tower control teams, a mobile tower team, an airspace control flight following team and a local surveillance and ground controlled approach (GCA) radar team) * UAS company (three platoons with 4
General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle The General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle (previously the Warrior; also called Sky Warrior and ERMP or Extended-Range Multi-Purpose) is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS). It was developed by General Atomics Aer ...
UAV each) * Aviation support battalion (ASB)


Active component

With the retirement of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters in 2017 the army concentrated all AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the active CABs, which now are all Heavy. As of 2018 each CAB fields: * 1x Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) * 1x Air Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (ACRS) (24 × AH-64E Apache and 12 ×
RQ-7 Shadow The AAI RQ-7 Shadow is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used by the United States Army, Australian Army, Swedish Army, Turkish Air Force and Italian Army for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle damage assessment ...
) * 1x Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) (24 × AH-64E Apache) * 1x Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB) (30 × UH-60 Black Hawk) * 1x General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) (8 × UH-60 Command Aviation, 12 × CH-47F Chinook, 12 × HH-60M and ATS) * 1x UAS Company (12 x MQ-1C) * 1x Aviation Support Battalion (ASB)


Divisional CABs

*
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 1st Cavalry Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 1st Armored Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 1st Infantry Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 2d Infantry Division – based in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
*
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 3d Infantry Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 4th Infantry Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 10th Mountain Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 25th Infantry Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 82d Airborne Division *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
,
101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
* 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, 7th Infantry Division


Separate CABs

* 12th Combat Aviation Brigade – based in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
– reduced organic strength to 1x Attack Battalion and 1-214th, a TDA organization that provides lift, assault, and VIP movement support.


Former CABs

* 159th Combat Aviation Brigade,
101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...


Reserve component

The
Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
(ARNG) fields eight combat aviation brigades within its eight divisions as well as one theater aviation command which oversees two additional aviation brigades. The
Army Reserve A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
fields one theater aviation command which oversees two brigades (one USAR and one ARNG). The Army National Guard brigade is different from the Army's full spectrum combat aviation brigade as it replaces the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior of attack reconnaissance squadron with the
Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) UH-72 Lakota is a twin-engine helicopter with a single, four-bladed main rotor. The UH-72 is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145, built by American Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters, Inc.), a ...
and organized into support and security battalion (S&S BN). Thus all ARNG aviation brigades consist of attack reconnaissance battalion (24 AH-64 Apache), security and support battalion (24 UH-72 Lakota), assault helicopter battalion (30 UH-60 Black Hawk), general support aviation battalion (8 UH-60, 12 CH-47 Chinook and 15 HH-60M), UAV company (12 MQ-1C Gray Eagle), and aviation support battalion.


Divisional CABs

* Combat Aviation Brigade, 28th Infantry Division (
Pennsylvania Army National Guard The Pennsylvania Army National Guard, abbreviated PAARNG, is part of the United States Army National Guard and is based in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, it is directed by the Pennsylvan ...
and
New Jersey Army National Guard The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of more than 6,000 Citizen-Soldiers. The New Jersey Army National Guard is currently engaged in multiple worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germ ...
) (Heavy CAB) *
Combat Aviation Brigade, 29th Infantry Division The 29th Infantry Division (29th ID), also known as the "Blue and Gray Division", is an infantry division of the United States Army based in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. It is currently a formation of the U.S. Army National Guard and contains unit ...
( MD ARNG and VA ARNG) (Heavy CAB) * 34th Combat Aviation Brigade ( MN ARNG, ND ARNG and ID ARNG) *
Combat Aviation Brigade, 35th Infantry Division The Combat Aviation Brigade, 35th Infantry Division Shoulder sleeve insignia The division's shoulder patch, a white Santa Fe cross on a blue disc with a green border, was originally approved for the 35th Division on 29 October 1918. History ...
, ( MO ARNG, NE ARNG and UT ARNG) * Combat Aviation Brigade, 36th Infantry Division ( TX ARNG, CO ARNG, AL ARNG and KS ARNG) * Combat Aviation Brigade, 38th Infantry Division ( IN ARNG) * Combat Aviation Brigade, 40th Infantry Division ( CA ARNG) *
Combat Aviation Brigade A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
, 42nd Infantry Division ( NY NG)


Separate CABs

*
11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade The 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade in the United States Army Reserve. The unit's lineage can be traced to the prior lineage and insignia of the 11th Aviation Group which was last headquartered in Illesheim, ...
(
Army Reserve A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
) * 63rd Aviation Brigade ( KY ARNG) (one GSAB, one theater aviation battalion) * 77th Combat Aviation Brigade ( AR ARNG) (three AHBs, one GSAB) * 185th Aviation Brigade ( MS ARNG) (two GSABs) *
244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade The 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade in the United States Army Reserve. It is one of two aviation brigades in the Army Reserve Aviation Command. The brigade moved from Fort Sheridan, IL to Aurora, IL i ...
(
Army Reserve A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
) * 449th Combat Aviation Brigade ( NC ARNG) (Light CAB)


See also

* 110th Aviation Brigade *
List of United States Army aircraft battalions This is a list of United States Army aircraft battalions. The aviation battalions in the US Army are generally attached to divisions, corps and armies and mostly consist of helicopters, both attack and reconnaissance. The helicopter battalions ar ...
* Reorganization plan of United States Army *
United States Army Aviation Branch The United States Army Aviation Branch is the administrative organization within the United States Army responsible for doctrine, manning and configuration for all army aviation units. After the United States Army Air Corps grew into the Army ...


References

{{Reflist


External links


FM 3-04.111 Aviation BrigadesTorchbearer National Security Reports:U.S. Army Aviation and Full-Spectrum Operations