The Army Aviation Objective Force 2020: A Strategic Vision for Transforming US Army Aviation

This essay recommends a strategic vision for the Army Aviation objective force of 2020. It formulates a comprehensive operational and organizational concept as well as a strategy for the development of future Army Aviation systems. It is described in the context of Joint Vision 2020 and the Army Transformation and the Objective Force. The Army Aviation Force of 2020 will be a fully integrated member of the pre-eminent and totally transformed land force, exploiting advancements in information and aerospace technology and employing complimentary air and ground future combat systems (FCS) as a system of systems. Army Aviation systems will be reduced to two manned platforms and one un-manned platform. The soldiers and the systems will be organized into Aviation Units of Action (AUA). These AUA will enable the Brigade Combat Team, Corps or JTF commander to weight the main effort, attack and maneuver at operational depths in non-linear, non-contiguous battlespace and deliver massed effects at the place and time of his choosing. This bold vision for the Army Aviation Objective Force holds the promise of providing future commanders the tools necessary to conduct rapid and decisive operations across the full spectrum when committed by the Secretary of Defense.