Military

a. In nearly every major conflict and operation since World War II, Army aviation has been assigned missions in the maritime environment. In these missions, aviation forces either were based off naval vessels for land attack or they operated from ships for sustained overwater missions. In recent years, the nature and complexity of those missions have changed dramatically. They now dictate that aviation units complete specialized preparatory and sustainment training. Recent worldwide deployments have shown that Army aviation has a versatile combination of equipment sophistication, deployability, and personnel. With these assets, aviation forces accomplish specific strategic missions that require operations in the maritime environment.

b. Army aviation units presently are taking part in many joint operations that require proficiency in shipboard operations to accomplish these and other missions:

c. FM 1-111 supports planners to prepare for air-sea missions. Specifically, it supports those missions that require landing on, and operating from, US Navy (USN) and Coast Guard air-capable ships. FM 100-5 stresses the need for training and preparing for shipboard operations. Chapter 4, Joint Operations, states, "A force projection army requires extraordinary flexibility in thinking about operations because of the variety of combinations of joint forces available and the range of possible circumstances for their employment. Army doctrine stresses unified air, land, sea, and special operations-all supported by space operations-throughout the theater of war."

d. The current document governing Army shipboard operations is the "Army/Air Force Deck Landing Operations Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU). The Army (USA), Air Force (USAF), and USN signed the manual in July 1988. Information from this MOU is supplemented, as necessary, to provide more comprehensive guidance in planning and conducting Army aviation shipboard flight operations.

e. FM 1-564 provides shipboard operations tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for Army aviation units. Published by the US Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, AL, it is available through the publication system of the US Army Publishing Agency (USAPA), ALEX VA. The manual contains more detailed information for staff and aircrew planning and training. The following paragraphs summarize planning considerations for shipboard operations.

a. Nearly all regional contingency plans, joint task force (JTF) plans, and counternarcotics operations contain shipboard or overwater specified tasks. Therefore, units must precisely define their missions. Shipboard missions require deck landings and support while operating from a ship. Overwater missions include operations over open water, but originate/end at a land base.

b. Scarce resources dictate that shipboard operations be a priority mission essential task for a unit to conduct this training. A higher command or the emergent nature of the training requirement designate the priority.

c. The Joint Force MOU identifies service responsibilities in support of shipboard operations.

a. The presail conference is the coordination meeting between the host ship and the operations unit for safety and operational planning. It takes place onboard the host ship.

b. Once a ship has been assigned to fill a specific Army request, the Navy approves direct coordination so the aviation unit can coordinate with the ship for an acceptable presail conference date. The Army Force Representative also can help in setting a date for the conference, which generally occurs as close as possible to the actual service date.

c. Every deployed amphibious group has an Army officer assigned as a liaison officer (LO). This officer normally is an Aviation Branch Major. The LO may be helpful in coordinating logistical and training requirements with the Navy.

a. Logistics Requirements. The logistics requirements to support a shipboard training service depend on the duration of the service and whether the unit embarks or maintains a shore base.

b. Publications. Army units can use the USAPA publications system to order joint publications. For information on Navy publications, use the following phone numbers to contact the Navy Publications Customer Service Center, Philadelphia, PA: DSN: 442-2997/2626/0160/2267.

c. Funding. The ship conducts deck services together with a normal training schedule; therefore, the Army does not incur use or fuel charges.

d. Fuel. Naval aircraft use JP-5 fuel only; therefore, Army units must ensure that they use JP-5 before embarkation so the fuel system does not contain residual JP-4. Units possessing unique refuel devices-such as Wiggins nozzles-must bring them onboard during their deck service period to ensure proper refueling procedures.

e. Embarked Unit Assignments. When an Army unit embarks on the Navy ship, it can expect to be assigned duties on the ship to augment the ship's company. These assignments may include security watch, cleaning details, fire watch, and mess support. Assignments will be made through the Army chain of command on the ship.

g. Ground Support Equipment (GSE). Embarking units must identify all equipment being brought onboard for safety and compatibility checks. This equipment includes ground handling wheels, tow bars, and blade folding kits.

a. During the presail conference, the number of Army aircraft that are physically able to be brought onboard the ship will be decided. It is implied that, when an Army unit is given the mission to embark on a Navy ship, the assigned ship will be able to carry the unit's aircraft or the number required by the directive.

b. The Navy ultimately will dictate the number of aircraft that can be deployed on the assigned ship. Considerations for this decision can include the following-

c. The ship for the mission is identified. Then the number of Army aircraft to be deployed is decided. Army planners may gain specific information on the ship from the Navy manual NAEC-ENG-7576. This manual contains diagrams of all Navy ships and their landing facilities. If there are additional questions, units may contact the Shipboard Aviation Facility Hot Line. This facility can confirm-

a. Army Aviators. Army aviators must be qualified and current according to AR 95-1.

b. Pilot in Command. The pilot in command (PC) will be DLQ and current.

c. Pilot Performing Deck Landing. The pilot performing the deck landing will be DLQ and current unless undergoing training.

d. Initial Qualification. Flight training must be conducted by an Army instructor pilot (IP) or unit trainer (UT) who is deck landing current in the aircraft and in the flight mode, or an approved Navy helicopter aircraft commander (HAC). Units just starting their DLQ program require a current IP from another unit to qualify the new IPs for the new unit to begin training.

e. Single-Spot Deck Landing Qualification Training. This training is the most demanding because of the size of the deck space and the size of the ship. Pilots qualified on single-spot ships are qualified on multispot ships, but the reverse is not true.

f. Aircraft Carriers. Routine DLQ training and operations normally will not be conducted on CV class ships. Operations on CV class ships will be on a case-by-case basis ; they require a special ground brief by Navy personnel, or Army/Air Force personnel designated by the Navy to give the briefing. Pilots qualified and current on single and multispot ships are considered qualified and current on CV class ships.

g. Techniques for Aircrew Currency. Once a unit is identified as requiring continual shipboard currency for its aircrews, the command should consider the following:

h. Other Training Requirements. While sometimes waivered by the Fleet Commander, the following are requirements by Navy regulations: