Army aviation

Army aviation
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U.S. soldiers in OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 Apache helicopters conduct a combat air patrol in Iraq

An army aviation unit is an aviation-related unit of a nation's army, often described as an air corps. These units are generally separate from a nation's dedicated air force, and usually comprise helicopters and light support fixed-wing aircraft.

Tasks

Soldiers rappelling (abseiling) from a JGSDF UH-1H in 2007

File:ZH002 Britten-Norman Defender AL.2.jpg

A Defender command and control, surveillance and transport aircraft, of the British Army Air Corps

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A CH-53G helicopter of the German Army Aviation Corps during Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq

A French Army Light Aviation Eurocopter Cougar in Afghanistan

An Indian Army HAL Dhruv helicopter deploying US troops during a joint exercise

The tasks of each army's aviation units are defined slightly different, depending on nationality. Some general characteristics, however, apply to all army aviation units regardless of provenience:

• Logistic and battlefield support
• Tactical transport both internally and externally, of personnel and material
• Assault duties and anti-tank warfare
• Search and rescue
• Medical evacuation
• Reconnaissance and fire support in a combined arms team
• Surveillance
• Liaison
• Flying training
• Disaster relief

Equipment

In order to fulfill their manifold tasks, army aviation mostly uses helicopters. These helicopters can be classified into the following categories:

• Attack helicopters for close air support of ground troops and anti-tank role
• Transport helicopters
• Observation helicopters
• Utility helicopters
• CSAR, Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC)/MEDEVAC helicopters
• Training helicopters

In addition to helicopters, many armies also operate fixed-wing aircraft. They include the following categories:

• Reconnaissance
• Surveillance
• Transport
• Airborne command post

List of notable national army aviation components

An Argentine Army Cessna T-41D Mescalero AE-054, in 2009

• Argentine Army Aviation (Argentine Army)
• Army Air Corps (United Kingdom) (British Army)
• Army Aviation Corps (India) (Indian Army)
• Australian Army Aviation (Australian Army)
• Brazilian Army Aviation Command (Brazilian Army)
• Colombian National Army Aviation (Colombian Army)
• French Army Light Aviation (French Army)
• German Army Aviation Corps (German Army)
• Hellenic Army Aviation (Hellenic Army)
• Iranian Army Aviation (Iranian Army)
• Malaysian Army Aviation (Malaysian Army)
• Nepalese Army Air Service (Nepal Army)
• Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (Pakistan Army)
• Portuguese Army Light Aviation Unit (Portuguese Army)
• Spanish Army Airmobile Force (Spanish Army)
• Turkish Army Aviation (Turkish Army)
• United States Army Aviation Branch (US Army)

See also

• Military aircraft
• Naval aviation
• Timeline of military aviation

Further reading

• Allen, Matthew (1993), Military helicopter doctrines of the major powers, 1945-1992. Making decisions about air-land warfare, Westport (CT): Greenwood, ISBN 0-313-28522-5
• Gunston, Bill (1981), An illustrated guide to military helicopters, New York: Arco Publishing, ISBN 0-668-05345-3
• Halberstadt, Hans (1990), Army Aviation, Novato (CA): Presidio, ISBN 0-89141-251-4
• Sutton, John; Walker, John (1990), From horse to helicopter. Transporting the British Army in war and peace, London: Cooper, ISBN 0-85052-724-4
• Warner, Guy; Boyd, Alex (2004), Army Aviation in Ulster, Newtownards, Co. Down: Colourpoint Books, ISBN 1-904242-27-8
• Young, Ralph B. (2000), Army aviation in Vietnam. An illustrated history of unit insignia, aircraft camouflage and markings, Ramsey (NJ): Huey Co., ISBN 0-9671980-1-1