Air Cavalry Tactics

Article by war history online.

Air cavalry tactics. As each rank came into range the soldiers would turn away discharge their pistols at the target retire to reload and then repeat the manoeuvre. The first cavalry was designed to increase troop mobility and included more than four times the number of aircraft in a standard army division. Post vietnam there also existed one independent brigade sized air cavalry organization the 6th air. Enemy to make decisions that will disrupt its initial plan.

Air cavalry is a us army term that refers to helicopter equipped units that perform reconnaissance security and economy of force missions. In 1963 the 11 th air assault was called to field test that concept the unit had to function like any other light infantry unit but with helicopters replacing their wheeled and tracked vehicles. It is organized and equipped to perform reconnaissance and screening operations in support of the overall scheme of maneuver. In early times they had an advantage in firepower but infantry.

The air cavalry was formed on 16 june 1965 when the u s. In addition to regular infantry training air assault units usually receive training in rappelling and air transportation and their equipment is sometimes designed or field modified to allow better transportation within aircraft. While air cavalry tactics can be executed by army rangers navy seals or marine or air force special operations forces such as in the 2011 raid that killed osama bin laden future military planning should create true air cavalry units such as the vietnam era 1st cavalry division composed of specially trained and equipped personnel not out of nostalgia but out of a sense of what is most. Two distances that appear the same in a flat tactical map may be very different when moving infantry divisions over difficult or treacherous terrain like.

The air cavalry provides crucial information by performing reconnaissance and security operations. Air cavalry is a us army term that refers to helicopter equipped units that perform reconnaissance security and economy of force missions. For more than two years all aspects of this theory were refined and field tested in several war games and by june 1965 a permanent unit was organized. The air cavalry reconnaissance troop is an organic element of the regimental aviation squadron cavalry squadron reconnaissance squadron or air reconnaissance squadron.

One of the cavalry tactics employed in such encounters was the caracole developed in the mid 16th century in an attempt to integrate gunpowder weapons into cavalry tactics. The 1st cavalry division airmobile or 1st aircav. Air cavalry tactics in vietnam. By effectively using air cavalry the maneuver commander takes the initiative away from the enemy and conducts combat operations on his own terms.

The term and unit designation properly only refers to those squadrons i e battalion level organizations and some independent troops i e companies affiliated with historical us cavalry regiments that perform the traditional cavalry mission. After the vietnam war there also existed one independent brigade sized air cavalry organization the. By knowing and integrating the essential characteristics of army. Successful employment of this organization on the modem battlefield depends heavily on the.

Army received department of defense authorization to organize the first cavalry division airmobile. Equipped with one or two wheellock pistols cavalrymen would advance on their target at less than a gallop. Air assault is the movement of ground based military forces by vertical take off and landing aircraft such as the helicopter to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured and to directly engage enemy forces behind enemy lines.