Back
Runway 28 Runway 28 Runway 28 Runway 28

1st Combat Aviation Brigade in Europe; Eindhoven, October 14, 2019

1st Combat Aviation Brigade, part 1; Text and Photograph's by Alex van Noye

The deployment of the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division is the fourth division deployment in Europe in the context of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The unit would withdraw to the United States in October 2019. The unit will leave Europe via the port of Rotterdam and will be relieved by the 3CAB.

Operation Atlantic Resolve is a military deployment in Europe. Although it is not a "real" military operation, it is an operation that means that many American units are stationed in Europe. Operation Atlantic Resolve is an ongoing effort in response to Russia's actions in the Ukraine. It is partly about the war in Donbass in eastern Ukraine around Donetsk. Operation Atlantic Resolve is being developed by the European Deterrence Initiative. In the aftermath of the Russian intervention in the Ukraine in 2014, the United States took several immediate steps to improve deterrence along the eastern flank of NATO borders. Carried out increasing the presence of air, ground and sea forces in the region and improving previously planned international exercises with European partners. The United States is taking measures to improve NATOs military plans and defense capabilities. The country is and remains determined to maintain a permanent presence in Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The Atlantic Resolve rotations are controlled by a regionally aligned headquarters in Europe. In March 2015, a US Army spokesperson announced in Wiesbaden that a convoy of armored combat vehicles (including Strykers) would move all over the road to their garrison in Vilseck after maneuvers in Poland, Estonia and Lithuania. The air activities are usually planned at Ämari Air Base (Estonia), Graf Ignatievo Air Base (Bulgaria), Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport (Romania) and Papa Air Base (Hungary). These fields house both units of the American Air Force and the Army.

The deployment of the 1st Infantry Division is already the fourth division deployment of the US Army since the start of Operation Atlantic Resolve in February 2017. From January 2017, there were more than 3,500 troops of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) of the 4th Infantry division active in Europe. There were in total 87 tanks and 144 Bradley combat vehicles at their disposal to execute the genomes. The units first assembled in Poland before the units spread to a total of seven countries ranging

from Estonia to Bulgaria. The ABCT that operates for Operation Atlantic Resolve has its headquarters in Germany at the United States Army Europe. An ABCT rotates the deployment of different divisions every nine months. The equipment of this unit was permanently established in Żagań in western Poland together with a Polish armored division. Since then, the units have always been relieved by new divisions that are being sent from the United States to Europe. A total of four US Army combat regiments flew through Germany and Eastern Europe. The first unit was the Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division that served between February 2017 and November 2017. This unit was relieved by the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division between November 2017 and April 2018. Later the Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division took it over between April 2018 and February 2019. The last deployment so far was done by the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division from February 2019 to the present.

The helicopters of the 1st Infantry Division arrived in February 2019 in the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. A special compound was set up on the quay for the helicopters. The helicopters would fly via Chievres to Germany where Ansbach would become their new temporary home. The 1CAB was equipped with no less than 50 Blackhawk helicopters of the types UH-60L, UH-60M and HH-60M on arrival. The brigade also contained 24 Apaches from the 1st Squadron of the 6th Cavalry. Finally, another 14 Chinooks were unloaded in Zeebrugge. In addition to the helicopters, more than 1500 vehicles were unloaded, all of which would be moved to Eastern Europe. The 1CAB would station a total of thirteen helicopters and more than 60 staff in Latvia in the Baltic States. In addition to Latvia, 17 helicopters in Poland would also be stationed at Powidz for nine months. These helicopters were accompanied by approximately 150 soldiers. Finally, part of the helicopters in Romania were stationed at Mikhail Kogălniceanu in the east of the country. 100 soldiers were deployed in Romania to support the helicopters. The helicopters would train in all these countries with the local units of the relevant host countries. The cooperation with NATO partners in Europe ensures that the American units can collaborate much better in the future. People learn from each other by practicing procedures and they learn to deal with each other's equipment.

For the withdrawal of the soldiers and the material from the 1st Infantry Division, the Netherlands will act as host country. This Dutch Defense deployment falls under the so-called Host Nation Support. NATO allies support each other in military movements across each other's territory. It involves the relocation of more than 5200 soldiers, 85 Abrams battle tanks, 58 helicopters and hundreds of other vehicles and equipment. The Dutch Defense supports the transports with dozens of soldiers, among others. The helicopters that are being relocated consist of more than 55 UH-60 Blackhawks, AH-64 Apaches and CH-47 Chinooks. The helicopters fly a route from Germany where they go via Eindhoven Air Base to the Botlek in the Rotterdam port area. The helicopters then travel by ship to their home base in Fort Riley in Kansas. The mechanized brigade of the 1st Infantry Division will leave the country by ship via the port of Vlissingen. This caravan travels through the Netherlands by road, by train and for the first time also with barge vessels. Dutch personnel from the army and the Defense Surveillance and Security Organization, among other things, secure the port areas in Rotterdam and Vlissingen. In addition, the Ministry of Defense supplies fuel and transports part of the American equipment with trucks. The Marechaussee guides the military columns on the Dutch roads. The Americans also use Defense locations as accommodation and office spaces. The navy provides port protection on and under water, including diving vessels with diving teams, ships, quay and port inspections.




Contact Facebook Youtube Airfighters Google+ Google Maps About Runway 28 Blurb
© Copyright 2000-2020 AAM van Noye, All Rights Reserved


Flag Counter