Although it is uncommon for Army helicopters to operate from Navy warships—Marine Corps assets fly from Navy warships all the time—it is not unheard of, especially during contingencies.
Last week, a US Navy warship, Army attack and transport helicopters, and Marine Corps transport helicopters came together for a joint mission—an unusual instance of inter-service cooperation across the three branches of the military, in preparation for a future near-peer conflict with China.
The USS America, an amphibious assault ship, hosted and worked with both Army and Marine Corps rotary aviation units during the series of drills near the US naval installation at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Inter-Service Standardization Operations Are Rare, but Important
Across two days of drills, Army CH-47F Chinook transport helicopters, Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey transport helicopters executed more than 200 deck landings on the USS America near the coast of Pearl Harbor.
The Navy warship served as a floating airbase for the helicopters of the Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) and Marine Corps’ Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268.
“This training is extremely valuable for the 25th Infantry Division and the 25th CAB,” Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael James, senior standardization instructor pilot for 3-25 AVN Regiment, said in a press release. “It allows us to be proficient in deck landing operations, which increases our lethality and operability with our Navy and Marine partners. Overall, it increases the US Military’s combat power.”
Aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships—essentially small aircraft carriers—have a set of procedures for safe air operations. Training events such as the ones in Hawaii allow Army pilots and crews to familiarize themselves with these procedures, earn deck landing qualifications, and be able to safely operate from a Navy warship should the need arise in the future.
“My training goal for the 25th CAB was to increase our proficiency and build more competent air crews in an overwater environment. Our crews need to be able to operate from ship to shore. During this training, we were able to learn more about LHA operations, their flight deck patterns and the ship’s capabilities,” James added.
The CH-47 Chinook is the Army’s main heavy lift transport helicopter. Similarly, the AH-64 Apache is the Army’s main attack helicopter. Finally, the Marine Corps relies on the MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft for ferrying infantry units. All three aircraft are crucial for the US military’s overall operations.
The Army and Navy Sometimes Need to Work Together
Although it is uncommon for Army helicopters to operate from Navy warships—Marine Corps assets fly from Navy warships all the time—it is not unheard of, especially during contingencies. For example, the Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, “the Night Stalkers,” operated from Navy warships during the opening stages of the invasion of Afghanistan, ferrying SEAL Team Six and Delta Force operators to the battlefield. The special operations unit frequently trains with Navy warships.
In a potential clash with China in the Indo-Pacific, the Army would need to be able to operate from Navy warships due to the vast distances characteristic of the area of operations. If, for example, the US decides to reinforce Taiwan in the face of a Chinese invasion, Army units would need to be able to get there fast. In addition to airborne drops, transfer by helicopter would be one reliable option.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
_22_departs_from_the_amphibious_assault_ship_USS_America_(LHA_6)_Sept_140905-N-MD297-122.jpg){kind=link}