An Army Aviation Question

[Roger H]

Prior to the reorganization of the US Army divisional combat aviation assets from battalion to brigade , were attack helicopter companies “ Cobra pure” or were their Kiowa scouts and Huey and Blackhawk lift ships integrated as they were when these companies became battalions as the result of AOE?

[Cav Dog]

Hi Roger,

Having been in H series Attack Battalions in the early 80s, they were organized with 3 Attack Helicopter Companies, each with three gun platoons of 7 AH-1s and a scout platoon of 12 OH-58s. They also had 3 UH-1s in the HQ for the Company Commander, S3 and Maintenance Officer.

We would task organize for combat into three 3X5 teams with 3 scouts and 5 gunships, which were further organized as a 1 X 2 light team and a 1 X 3 heavy team under the control of the third OH acting as Air Battle Captain.

When AOE and J series was implemented we basically took that organization and formed 3 Attack Companies and called it an Attack Battalion.