Army stands up Arctic aviation command

The Military’s activation of a brand new aviation command in Alaska marks the return of native air management over two battalions within the Arctic area after a five-year hiatus, because the service works to cement its footprint within the Excessive North.

It comes as the US army normally works to counter Russian presence and Chinese language curiosity within the area.

The eleventh Airborne Division, also referred to as the “Arctic Angels,” stood up its Arctic Aviation Command at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, on Thursday, the Military introduced.

The transfer places two active-duty aviation battalions below direct management of the command and the eleventh Airborne.

Beforehand, the command’s Alaska-based battalions, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, and 1st Battalion, twenty fifth Aviation Regiment, reported to items based mostly in Washington state and Hawaii.

Now, the 2 battalions will completely report back to the brand new native command whereas persevering with to help rotary wing operations throughout the area, Col. Russell Vanderlugt, not too long ago appointed head of the aviation command, instructed Military Occasions on Monday.

“The Arctic is clearly a strategically necessary area in for the US,” Vanderlugt mentioned. “What’s distinctive is that is our residence, we’re not a transient unit, we’re stakeholders within the area.”

By residing within the area and working aviation operations on web site, the colonel mentioned battalion troopers and crews can work within the extremes of an surroundings that challenges floor and air belongings on a near-daily foundation.

“We notice forces can’t simply present up within the Arctic and count on to function right here,” Vanderlugt mentioned. “The timing of this factor is essential, there’s a way of urgency as we proceed to remodel aviation throughout the Pacific.”

Th transfer follows the Pentagon’s launch final month an replace to the Protection Division’s Arctic technique, the primary since 2019.

Deputy Protection Secretary Kathleen Hicks mentioned in July that an elevated Arctic presence, upgrades to space installations and new tools — together with sensors and space-based applied sciences — could be essential.

The Military launched its Arctic technique in 2021, calling for brand new formations, soldier coaching and kit for the chilly climate local weather.

The Military reflagged U.S. Military Alaska because the revived eleventh Airborne Division in 2022. In February, greater than 8,000 troopers in Alaska carried out a large-scale train throughout the state.

Two main maneuvers in the course of the coaching highlighted the essential want for aviation belongings.

Throughout the train, troopers carried out a 150-mile Apache-led deep strike on a goal and moved a multi-launcher rocket system greater than 500 miles to a location above the Arctic Circle.

RELATED

“We did a 150-mile deep assault with our Apache division whereas avoiding air protection emitters that we put out,” Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, head of the eleventh Airborne, mentioned at hte time. “They needed to duck and weave over these 150 miles near the terrain to get to the goal and destroy it and get again safely.”

Although aviation management has been run from distant outposts in recent times, Vanderlugt famous that helicopters have been a part of the Military’s stock in Alaska since 1958.

That’s when the primary helicopter unit was assigned to U.S. Military Alaska, in response to the eleventh Airborne.

These plane had been CH-21 “Shawnee” helicopters from Fort Riley, Kansas.

In 1961, the Military activated its first aviation battalion, which was stationed at Fort Wainwright. An aviation regiment and varied different unit configurations maintained a presence within the state by the mid-2010s.

Throughout that interval aviation fell below the Military Alaska Aviation Job Power, which was deactivated in 2018.