Fundamentals of Air-Ground Integration in Division Cavalry Operations

by Captain John l. Gifford Lieutenant General Paul E. Funk's article, "Future Thrusts" (Jan-Feb 1994 ARMOR), provides a wonderful introduction to the 21st century cavalry scout. However, he did not treat in any detail one of the most important elements of cavalry operations: the air cavalry. General Funk touches on the topic, stating, "When possible, air and ground cavalry should be employed together... " I The major premise of this paper is that in division cavalry, air and ground cavalry must be employed together in order to achieve victory on current and future battlefields. Division cavalry is a unique battIe group. It is the only battalion-level structure in the U. S. Army with organic air and ground maneuver assets. Because the air cavalry troops frequently perform the same missions over the same ground that the ground troops are assigned, techniques and procedures must be developed to facilitate smooth combined arms operations. These techniques must be trained, practiced, and refined to guarantee success. In the 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, (Quarterhorse), we have found that the key fundamentals of successful air-ground cavalry operations are: (1) rapid, accurate communications, (2) constant coordination between the air and ground troops throughout mission planning, and (3) aggressive execution. Following a review of the division cavalry organization and missions, this article will examine an approach to training that a unit can use to achieve proficiency in air-ground operations. Second, the paper will discuss the most essential element of coordination: communications. Third, the article will discuss integrated mission planning and execution. And, lastly, the conclusion will explore some thoughts on the future of cavalry and the structure of air-ground cavalry operations.

Organization and Missions Presently, the Quarterhorse is organized with two ground troops, two air troops, an air maintenance troop, and a headquarters troop. (A third ground troop is expected to be added to the squadron's MTOE in FY9S.) Each ground troop is equipped with nine MIAI tanks, 13 M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and two M I06A2 107-mm mortar carriers. Each air troop includes four AH-IF Cobra attack helicopters and six OH-S8C Kiowa scout helicopters. The ground troops, A and B, are paired with respective air troops, C and D, and work with their sister troop during all training events (see Figures I through 3). The division cavalry organization provides a division commander with an optimal mix of forces for reconnaissance, security, and economy of force operations. The limitations of the air assets are offset by the capabilities of the ground forces, and vice-versa. Thus, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Air cavalry assets are best suited to conducting general reconnaissance. Although it is difficult for an aeroscout to provide as much detail as his ground cavalry counterpart, the aero-scout's mobility allows him to cover a considerable amount of terrain quickly. Conversely, ground cavalry provides the squadron commander with a significant amount of detail concerning the assigned reconnaissance objective. Because of the time required to develop detailed reconnaissance, and because ground maneuver is more restrictive, ground cavalry will be able to cover much less terrain. By pairing air and ground assets, commanders capitalize on the best capabilities of each. Thus reconnaissance can be accomplished rapidly over a large area while at the same time providing the necessary detail concerning critical areas? It is often necessary for the cavalry to fight for information on the modem battlefield. Currently, the aircraft in the division cavalry are limited in their ability to sustain an independent fight with the enemy. Of course, when MIA I tanks from the ground troop take the brunt of the fight, the AH-lis deadly from the flanks and rear. Routine missions for the division cavalry squadron include zone reconnaissance, movement to contact, stationary guard, advance guard, and moving flank guard. Each of these missions requires different formations, communications nets, and task organizations for the air troop and ground troop. Every air crew and ground soldier must be familiar with how and where the troops will operate together for a given mission. For this reason, it takes time to train the troops to work together. Ad hoc task organization of air-ground organizations that have not had time to work together and develop SOPs will simply not achieve success on the battlefield. Training Air-ground coordination is developed over time by working with the sister element on a regular basis. This includes OPD sessions, classroom discussions, sandtable exercises, rehearsals, and FfXs. SOPs must be developed, disseminated, and practiced to enhance tactical operations. One of the first steps our unit used was the development of squadron and troop air-ground battle drills. From squadron to platoon levels, tactics for fire and maneuver were translated into a series of drills. These rehearsed responses for actions on contact were consolidated and disseminated in a battle drill book and refined as train- 15

ETrp *ThIrd ground troop FY95 Figure 1. Squadron Organization I 2x6 M3 I I,;; 2 x4 M1A1 I I •• rn 2 M106A2 I •• HQ 1 M1A1 1 M3 1 M577 Figure 2. Ground Troop Organization I i I ••• the ground troop, and the other five aeroscouts will push as far forward as possible and work on the squadron 0/1 net. In most situations, air troops will rotate forward of the ground troops one troop at a time. This allows forward scout weapon teams (SWTs) to develop minor enemy situations while one air troop is held in reserve. In the latter instance, the SWTs communicate with the ground troop they are forward of on platoon nets, while the AMC stays on the troop net. These examples are not all-inclusive and not the only way to execute the mission. The main point is that the forward aircraft in any mission must be able to relay their infonnation to the appropriate C2 node immediately with as few intennediaries as possible.. In one setting, an aeroscout may relay infonnation to a specific ground scout that there is an RPG team 50 meters to his north. In another, critical targets are reported by aeroscouts directly to the squadron commander on his command net. This is especially true in the early phase of operations when the aeroscouts are the first to make contact and are positioned to influence the battle with indirect fire. In addition, there must be a redundancy of nets so that the message gets through no matter what. Ground troop executive officers play a key role in the troop TOC by gathering reports from both the air and the ground and sending them higher and lower. The troop XO assists the commander in coordinating and clearing fires. He also ensures that the air troops are updated with the current ground FLOT. The troop TOC is a crucial C2 node. The FIST and the XO's M3 Bradley must be cross-trained to take over this mission in case the TOC is destroyed. Mission Planning Following the squadron operations order, the air and ground troop commanders conduct initial coordination. They review the squadron maneuver plan, develop their troop scheme of maneuver, and wargame where and how to kill the enemy. This is not time consuming, as there are standard formations and tactics for each type of mission. After a brief IPB, the two troop commanders standardize internal graphics, such as checkpoints, air maneuver corridors, and downed pilot pickup points. Responsibility for named areas of interest (NAIs) in difficult terrain will nonnally be given to the air troop because of its enhanced mobility. Also, the ground troop commander

H8V V e will specifically look for identified enemy ADA positions to assist in Figure 4. SWT Configurations protecting the air troop. Throughout this planning process, the ground troop commander must keep in mind that he must be able to execute the mission with ground troops alone. A plan that cannot work without air assets must be changed, since all air operations are vulnerable to severe weather. Fonnations and the current task organization for each unit must be understood by all troopers to minimize fratricide risk and maximize command and control. During this initial coordination between the troop commanders, the ground troop commander shows the air troop commander how his troop wiIl be laid out on the ground. For instance, for a zone reconnaissance in open terrain the ground troop will nonnally be in a vee fonnation with two scout platoons abreast, mortars forward behind the scouts, and tanks center of zone in platoon wedges or in a troop wedge. It is important that the air troop commander understand and disseminate this fonnation to all of his pilots to ensure force identification and enhance command and control. On the air side, the air troop commander explains his task organization in tenns of pink. white, or red teams. Scout-weapons teams (SWTs) are fonned with various combinations of OH-58s and AH-ls (see Figure 4). It is important to explain this task organization to all the ground troopers so that they will recognize and look for specific combinations of friendly aircraft, and be alert for enemy aircraft infiltrating friendly fonnations. Communications planning is important. Commanders must study the terrain for line-of-sight and plan locations for the TOC and any necessary radio relays. An OP (ground or air) that cannot communicate what it observes is useless. Finally, visual signals must be agreed upon for flank elements, platoon leader vehicles, and the ground troop commander's vehicle. Our unit uses a combination of flags and tactical vehicle markings that are readily visible from the air. Although the tactical vehicle markings sacrifice some concealment (they are red and white, shaped differently for each troop. and approximately two feet square), their visibility from the air pays off tenfold for rapid recognition. The initial coordination following the squadron operations order concludes by wargaming several air-ground punch drills at potential enemy locations. Each troop commander then returns to his unit to conduct troop-leading procedures. If time allows, it is extremely valuable for the ground troop commander to conduct an aerial reconnaissance of the area of operations. The troop commander must be able to develop his operations order rapidly. After giving a troop operations order and receiving a backbrief, it is usually time to return to squadron for a rehearsal. At this rehearsal. the air and ground troop commanders compare final troop orders and note any changes. After the rehearsal, they refine coordination and make any necessary changes to their plan to ensure that it meets the squadron commander's intent. Also, any update in the enemy situation is incorporated into the plan. The next step in the planning phase is the troop-level rehearsal. In the best case, these are joint rehearsals with vehicle commanders and pilots rehearsing together: At worst case, the air troop commander and possibly his scout and gun platoon leaders attend 17 the ground troop rehearsal prior to conducting their own rehearsal with the remainder of the air troop's pilots. By walking through the mission, every leader understands his role in the overall plan. Also, this reinforces the bonding of the air and ground elements by linking faces to voices normally heard on the radio. This builds teamwork and understanding between the two units. Mission Execution During the execution of any mission, there are several key points for coordination between air and ground. These are: during initial entry into zone or sector, awaiting LD, relief on station, and actions on contact. As the air troop deploys into zone or sector, the ground troop is normally already established in position. The air troop commander comes up on the ground troop command net and informs the ground troop commander that he is entering the area and what vicinity he is entering at. He also informs him of any task organization changes or changes to the plan. The ground troop commander in turn updates the air troop commander with enemy intelligence, formation changes, and any special requests for reconnaissance. For instance, if contact had been gained and lost with an enemy reconnaissance element, the ground troop commander would ask the air troop commander to conduct a quick reconnaissance of the troop zone or sector as SWTs approach the area where the enemy was last seen. Awaiting LD. If there will be a delay while awaiting LD time, the air troop commander may land for a fmal face-to-face coordination with the ground troop commander. This is especially useful if there is a large amount of information to pass. In some cases, the ground troop commander will fly with the air troop commander prior to a mission in order to gain a better appreciation for the terrain he is about to maneuver on. This is especially helpful on wooded or broken terrain. However, the ground troop commander should execute the mission in his tank from a vantage point on the ground where he 18 can directly and personally influence the action. Relief on Station. As aircraft run low on fuel or ammunition, they must conduct relief on station. Depending on the size of the sector, the air troop may maintain two pink teams forward and two in the FARP. On the ground troop command net, the air troop commander informs the ground troop that he is conducting relief on station through a checkpoint. The aircraft move along the troop boundaries to stay clear of the mortars, and pass in the vicinity of the ground checkpoint. This allows the ground elements to understand the aircraft movement overhead and helps prevent fratricide. The air-to-air coordination is conducted via UHF or VHF. This includes a sector brief that covers the friendly and enemy situation, and any FRAGOs in effect. It is important to note that positive target hand-off of enemy contact must be completed prior to an aircraft breaking station. Actions on Contact Early Warning. Air assets are extremely valuable for providing early warning. Normally, air scouts recon at least one phase line in front of the ground scouts. Flying Nap of the Earth (NOE), the air scouts angle of view will disclose any enemy forces in a subtle reverse slope defense prior to the ground scouts moving into the engagement area. In a zone reconnaissance, the best situation is when the air scouts determine the approximate locations of the enemy flI"St, so that ground forces can rapidly reposition to take maximum advantage of any discovered weak points or flanks. Indirect Fire. Aeroscouts are also very effective when used to call for indirect fire. On a security mission, the use of readily identifiable TRPs on the expected enemy avenue of approach allows the air scouts to engage with indirect fITe long before the enemy is within direct fire range. This is especially true in desert environments where visibility can be as far as 50 kilometers. (Of course, the range of available artillery is a limiting factor.) With practice, air scouts are excellent at timing the call for fire with the arrival of the enemy at the TRP. Preplanned linear targets allow excellent target effect in this situation. Indirect fITes not only impede the advance of the enemy but mark his location for CAS and for ground troops. When both the air and the ground are in contact, the air makes an excellent platform for controlling the indirect fITes while the ground forces concentrate on direct fires. (Ground troop commanders still clear indirect fires.) However, during a reconnaissance or offensive mission, there will be many instances where artillery will be unavailable due to conflicting priorities or lack of range. In this case, the troop mortars can range out to nearly seven kilometers with devastating effects. Target Band-off. Target hand-off is a crucial event during actions on contact. During reconnaissance or offensive operations, the forward momentum of the operation is maintained through effective target hand-off. This applies mainly to small enemy recon elements and dispersed enemy forces in the security belt. The aeroscout identifies the enemy force, and assists the ground scouts in locating it. In some cases the aeroscout leads the ground force to the most assailable flank of the enemy by flying NOE with the ground elements following. In close terrain, the air scouts are very effective at facilitating ground scout and tank mobility by locating trafficable covered or concealed routes, and guiding ground scouts and tanks to them if necessary. Other options for target hand-off include dropping a smoke grenade, or using mortar WP to mark the target. If the enemy force is more substantial than a BRDM or dismounts, then the AH-l can be employed to fix the enemy while the ground troop deploys to destroy it. During target hand-off, the aeroscout speaks directly with the closest ground scout on FM. The aeroscout can guide the ground element with his aircraft to a concealed attack route while an AH-I fixes the enemy with rockets and 20mm. During security operations, target hand-off adds depth to the squadron formation. Air scouts are pushed as far forward as possible. Ground scouts are arrayed in depth, with tanks positioned to destroy infiltrating enemy forces. This allows the ground scouts to report without disclosing their position. When the air scouts report incoming enemy forces, the ground

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• •• [9[9 Figure 5. Troop Air-Ground Punch Drill forces positIOn to focus maximum firepower on the route of advance without concentrating vehicles in one location. (Vehicle dispersion helps avoid death by artillery or rocket fire.) Target hand-off from air to ground allows the air to again focus their effort on follow-on forces. In addition, air can assist if the enemy manages to slip through the ground force. A technique that the NTC OPFOR uses is to distract the ground scouts with multiple BMPs, and then push a BRDM through the screen at high speed. In this case, the air troop can move a scout or scramble an AH-l from the FARP to intercept the "leaker" at the rear of the sector. Punch Drills. Punch drills are battle drills designed to force the enemy to fight in two directions simultaneously. One force, nonnally a ground scout platoon, fixes the enemy from an attack by fire position. The troop mortars execute a hips hoot drill to place immediate suppressive indirect fue on the enemy. The other scout platoon deploys to identify enemy in depth and provide flank security for the ground punch force. The tank platoons and ground troop commander move to an assailable flank guided by the ground or air scouts and attack the enemy position violently from the flank or rear ("punch"). Simultaneously, the AH-ls attack using running fire from a different angle. The ground troop commander coordinates the timing of all forces in conjunction with the air troop commander. The scout platoon leader in the fixing force shifts the mortar fue in time for the tanks to assault safely. Ground forces are given strict limits of ad- vance to prevent fratricide from the attack helicopters (see Figure 5). These drills must be practiced repeatedly in different types of terrain to develop the timing and understand the space considerations necessary for successful execution. Final Thoughts As General Funk noted, technological improvements will enhance the current organization and capabilities of the all-arms cavalry battlegroup. The introduction of the Kiowa Warrior, and eventually the Comanche, will vastly improve the digital communication, firepower, and stand-off capabilities of the air troops. Unmanned aerial vehicles will enhance the real-time intelligence gathering ability of reconnaissance forces. These capabilities must be integrated in the same manner as the future ground weapons that General Funk mentions in "Future Thrusts." All cavalry forces, and for that matter any combat organization involved in reconnaissance and security, must train and think in three dimensions in order to gain victory on the battlefield. In force projection scenarios, alight ACR or a future "rapidly deployable" division cavalry organization would provide the ideal advance guard force while the main body is in transit. Currently, regimental cavalry organizations seldom train in the manner described in this article. ACRs must adopt closer integration of the air and ground squadrons in training, or they will be at a disadvantage in combat. In conclusion, by closely integrating air and ground assets in the division cavalry squadron, a formidable fighting force emerges. This integration is achieved through intensive training and repetitive coordination. Once SOPs are developed, they must be practiced and refined. The key fundamental of all air-ground cavalry operations is still rapid, accurate communications. The ability to report information quickly to the correct leader sets this organization apart. In this setting, the leaders at all levels are able to make quick, informed decisions because the air and ground elements working together develop the situation rapidly. The enemy reconnaissance is stripped away through aggressive security operations, effectively blinding him. Thus, the enemy is deceived into thinking he is fighting a much larger force. Soon, the cavalry overtakes the enemy decision cycle, wins the initiative, and forces him to fight simultaneously in multiple directions. Based on our observations at the NTC, in any fluid setting, this is a fight the enemy cannot win. Notes Ipunk, LTG Paul E., "Future Thrusts," ARMOR, January-February 1994, pp. 47-50. 2See PM 1-116, Taclics, Techniques, and Procedures Jor lhe Air CavalrylReconnaissance Troop for further discussion of capabilities and limitations, pp. 1-6 through 1-7. 31-4 Cavalry attained suCcess using effective air-ground integration at NTC rotation 94-02 with four separate victories against the OPFOR. Captain John L. Gifford wrote this article while commanding B Troop, 1-4 Cavalry at Ft. Riley, Kan. He received his armor commission from the U. S. Military Academy in 1987. A graduate of AOBC, AOAC, and the Cavalry Leaders Course, he has served as a tank and scout platoon leader, and as troop XO tor E Troop, 212 ACR during the Battle of 73 Easting. He is currently attending CAS3 enroute to Princeton University. 19