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Goodbye to the Huey!

[On September 8, 2001,] the Army announced a significant acceleration of its aviation modernization plan. The plan, the result of a two-year effort, contains specific guidance to accelerate the retirement of older, Vietnam-era helicopters and the recapitalization of other types of helicopters remaining in the fleet. It allows the Army to compress the procurement timeline of the Comanche aircraft and moves newer helicopters sooner into the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. The plan includes the Chief of Staff of the Army's guidance to conduct feasibility studies and refine implementation plans for several initiatives. The aviation modernization plan accounts for the increased capabilities of modern military helicopters while creating a more maintainable fleet with improved operational readiness rates. It reduces previously projected unfunded requirements. The plan also embraces a holistic view of doctrine, organization, training and materiel, as well as soldier and leader development. The Army leadership, active and reserve, collaborated closely in the development of the plan.

"This Aviation Modernization Plan supports Army Transformation by posturing our aviation force for transitioning to the Objective Force," said Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki. "As in all things associated with Army Transformation, the intent is to transform the force and do it quickly without breaking readiness. These adjustments will improve our posture as a warfighting force."

The Army's plan will reduce the total number of aircraft by more than 400 in the active force and by more than 600 in the reserve forces. This will include accelerating the retirement of the Vietnam-era UH-1 "Huey" helicopters and AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters. The acceleration will divest Army aviation of these "legacy" aircraft by 2004. These aging aircraft are difficult and expensive to maintain and are far less effective than their modern successors, the UH-60 Blackhawk and the AH-64 Apache. The plan significantly modernizes U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve aviation by moving some 240 aircraft from active component units to reserve component units. It restructures and standardizes lift and attack formations in both components. In general, the revised plan focuses lift assets in reserve forces units and attack assets in active units. The plan distributes aviation resources amongst active, Army National Guard and Army Reserve units to produce a more effective fighting force.

"This is a major step forward for Army aviation," said Director of the Army National Guard Lt. Gen. Roger Schultz. "Aviation formations are justified on warfighting requirements; however, in the Guard, our cargo and utility aircraft are used daily in response to local and state emergencies. The good news with this plan is that the Guard receives modern aircraft earlier than originally planned. For the Guard, turning in the legacy aircraft as we migrate to modernized aircraft is welcome news indeed. Our obligation today is to prepare for the future of Army aviation. This aviation modernization plan does just that."

"Aviation modernization is a good news story for the Army Reserve," said Chief of the Army Reserve Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Plewes. "It brings us the medium-lift capabilities of UH-60 Blackhawk companies, enabling us to more effectively support Army missions, and modernizes much of our current aircraft, including our Chinooks and Apaches." By the end of 2004 the operational fleet will consist of only four types of helicopters: the AH-64 Apache, the UH-60 Blackhawk, the OH-58 Kiowa, and the CH-47 Chinook. The reduction in the number of types of helicopters will yield significant savings in terms of spare parts inventories, operating costs and schoolhouse requirements to train pilots, crews and maintenance personnel. Reducing the number of aircraft will allow the Army to aggressively pursue recapitalization throughout the fleet. Recapitalization programs include model upgrades, as well as the refurbishment of aircraft to a "like new" or "zero hour" condition.

The AH-64 Apache is the Army's attack helicopter. The increased effectiveness of the AH-64D model over the A model, as well as enhanced Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, gives the Army the ability to reduce the numbers of attack helicopters while retaining the ability to fight and win decisively in the current and near-term. For those reasons, by the end of 2002, attack helicopter battalions in heavy divisions will be restructured from 24 to 18 AH-64 Apaches. Corps-level attack battalions will be converted from 24 to a maximum of 21 Apaches.

For the long-term, Comanche remains the Army's highest aviation priority and is the centerpiece of Army aviation transformation. Comanche will provide the tactical commander more timely and accurate information about the tactical situation. It provides the ability to orchestrate devastating firepower and synchronize mobile security, even in the most challenging operational environments.

The UH-60 Blackhawk will remain the foundation of the Army's utility helicopter fleet. The CH-47 Chinook will continue to provide medium/heavy lift capability for the foreseeable future. To have the capability required for the Objective Force, the Army will continue to upgrade and recapitalize these aircraft to the UH-60L/M and CH-47F models. The plan also requires the development of options for the best crew manning-to-aircraft ratio for each type of aircraft to maximize warfighting potential. Manning at greater than a one-to-one crew-to-aircraft ratio in selected units will allow units to maintain a higher operational tempo (OPTEMPO) for longer periods of time.

Army commanders will assess and report the implications for manning, personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO), training and leader development, and the impact on maintenance support structures and the repair parts system. The Army has established a goal of maintaining a 90 percent operational readiness rate by 2004 as opposed to the current fleet average of 75 percent. The plan will accomplish this goal by several means. First, the Army is retaining the same number of maintenance units to maintain a reduced number of aircraft. Second, the plan retires many of the old, legacy aircraft that are adversely affecting readiness rates. Third, the monetary savings from the retirement of the legacy aircraft will be used to recapitalize more of the existing fleet to "zero hours" condition. Fourth, the plan increases the number of crewmembers per aircraft in selected units to enhance crew maintenance of the aircraft. Finally, it permits compressing the procurement timeline of Comanche. By increasing both aircraft availability and crew availability, the commander gains an increase in usable aviation assets. This plan makes maximum use of training technologies to maintain crew proficiency while minimizing costs. It requires commanders to make maximum use of simulator and simulations prior to robust live fire exercises. The plan also represents a commitment to investing in Training Aides Devices Simulators and Simulations (TADSS) and training range upgrades at the same priority level as investment in major weapons platforms. This will make it possible to train pilots and crews to maximum proficiency. In October 1999, the Army announced its Vision for a Transformed Army and leaders at all levels have been working to make that Transformation a reality.