PA Adjutant General

Pennsylvania ARNG Alternative Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI) Concept Plan

Meeting Army Aviation needs at home and abroad with input from the U.S. Army War College

Background: Why has HQDA approved ARI?

• • • • • • ARI is an DA developed and supported strategy to reduce and reconfigure Combat Aviation Brigades and restructure ARNG Aviation Brigades ARI is a resource-driven plan to sustain Aviation force structure, modernization, and program development in the current fiscal environment ARI eliminates 3 helicopter types (OH58, TH67, and AH64D) ARI moves all AH64s from ARNG (192 Apaches) to AC formations for increased combat capability and availability ARI meets ARNG DOMOPS requirements by providing for 168 ARNG AH64s to be replaced by 111 UH60As (legacy aircraft) ARI meets IERW requirements by requiring ARNG to potentially provide up to 50 LUH72s to USAACE.

ARNG & State leadership non-concur with ARI and have offered alternative solutions that have been rejected by HQDA

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Background: Why do ARNG & State leadership non-concur?

ARI is not supported by Force Design and is not structured to integrate ARNG Aviation seamlessly with their Active Component counterparts.

ARI leaves a large portion of the AH64 fleet not assigned to AC CABs (40 + ORF, 30+ USAACE, 24+ ROK) ARI eliminates the ARNG operational reserve of AH64s, thus eliminating the retention of highly-trained aircrews and maintainers to continue to serve after transitioning from the active service. This also eliminates the availability of aircrews for replacement of active duty aircrews in a high OPTEMPO environment.

ARI provides for AH64 formations to be at 24 aircraft each; a number that is considered to be more than necessary for the mission and capability for airframe and unit ARI claims the ARNG needs additional UH60 aircraft to meet domestic response mission. Such a requirement is neither validated or requested by the ARNG ARI requires the potential transfer of 50 ARNG LUH72 aircraft to meet their new Training Helicopter demand without consideration of ARNG LUH mission requirements

PAARNG Alternative ARI Concept Plan

• • • • • • • Utilizes U.S. Army War College Force Design and Force Structure Development analysis Represents a new approach to ARI that retains doctrinal force design and meets all defined

resourcing and operational requirements per POM 15-19 by…

– – Reduce and reconfigure CABs Eliminate 3 helicopter types – Retains modular design, standardization oversight, and Airfield management within Avn Bdes Creates new Attack Reconnaissance Squadron (ARS) design with only 12x AH-64’s and 2x Shadow Platoons (Interim solution for Armed Aerial Scout); but with Grey eagle (MQ-1C) organic to AC squadrons.

Creates 5 ARNG multi-compo ARSs with 50% AC pilots and AC FHP for increased availability and capitalize of USAF “associated-unit” success.

ARNG retains 120 AH-64s in 5 Atk Hel Bns in 5 CABs for retention of Avn combat capability in the ARNG and for use as operational reserve to AC.

Two RC Theater Aviation Command (TAC) HQs (1 NG, 1 AR) retained for mission command of theater aviation during large scale operations AC retains one Theater Aviation Bde HQs and several additional GSABs optimized for Combatant Commander’s daily requirements for assault, heavy lift and aeromedical evacuation missions

HQDA ARI

-Reduce Aviation force structure (3x Aviation Brigades) -Divest single engine legacy aircraft (OH58D, TH67, OH58A/C) 898 acft) while retaining modernized fleets -Reinvest KW Funds in acft procurement/modernization.

-Replace OH-58D KW scout fleet in AC and ARNG CABs with team of AH-64E and Shadow UAS displaced from Army force structure reductions

PAARNG Alternative ARI

-Reduce Aviation force structure (3x Aviation Brigades ) and retains AH64 force structure in ARNG -Divest single engine legacy aircraft (OH58D, TH67, OH58A/C) 898 acft) while retaining modernized fleets -Reinvest KW Funds in acft procurement/modernization.

-Replace OH-58D KW scout fleet in AC and ARNG CABs with team of AH-64E and Shadow UAS displaced from Army force structure reductions -Replace aged TH67 with existing UH72A repurposed from AC and NG -Redesign flight school around dual use engine, glass cockpit acft closely replicating modernized acft in Avn Bdes Replace aged TH67 with existing UH72A repurposed from AC and NG -Redesign flight school around dual use engine, glass cockpit acft closely replicating modernized acft in Avn Bdes - Increase dual use UH60s in NG by 111 acft - Removes 168 AH-64Ds in NG CABs (x5) to AC for strategic depth - Converts all ARNG CABs to Aviation Brigades (ABs) and builds large AH-64E Recon SQs (24 AH-64E, 2 x TUAS Plts, and 1x Grey Eagle Co) - Maintains CAB equipment set in ROK Retain 120 AH-64D/Es in NG CABs (x5) for strategic depth Create 5 dual AC/NG manned AH-64E Recon SQs (12 AH 64E, 2x TUAS Plt and 1x Grey eagle Co (AC Only)) - Rotate Avn Bde personnel (AC/NG) onto CAB equipment set in ROK and TAB eqp set in Middle East Standardize Aviation brigade structure -Maintain CAB structure in both AC and RC through use of Multi Compo/”right-sized” ARSs, and retention of AHBs in 5 ARNG CABs - Design new Homeland Defense Avn Bdes (x3) in NG -Provide for a standard (AC/RC) modular Theater Avn Brigade with tailored mix of Aslt Bns/GSABs

PA Alternative ARI Concept Plan Advantages

• Restructures/Redesigns the AVN force to maximize utility of avn assets with a doctrinally correct, Total Army Aviation structure: • Increases access to Attack/Recon platforms (15 vs 10 Combat Aviation Brigades) • Retains AH-64s in the ARNG to fully justify acquisition objective of 690 AH-64Es • Creates opportunities for AC/RC dual-compo units (similar to USAF Associate sqdns/I-Wings) • Provides RC a fleet composition compatible with AC and tailored to the range of their roles/missions • Achieves standardization of formations in both AC and RC • Retains Army Aviation’s most capable platforms (AH, UH, CH) • Divests three aircraft models (OH-58D, OH-58A/C, TH-67, AH-64D) for a total of 898 aircraft from the Army leaving only four models of helicopters (AH, UH, CH, LUH) • Provides interim solution for Armed Scout • Provides for new training helicopter (UH72) • Remains POM neutral in terms of equipping, training, and sustaining • Increases MCO demand satisfaction by optimizing AC/RC force mix; maintains critical role of RC in meeting projected demands, and retention of experienced aircrews and maintainers serving in RC (approximately 2,000 ARNG servicemembers)

PAARNG Recommendations

• • • • • Support retention of AH64s in ARNG IOT maintain operational and acquisition objectives Support retention of AH64s in ARNG IOT maintain a “continuum of service” for trained and ready crews and maintainers Maintain current ARI plan assumes “unnatural risk” by not having Force Design/Force Structure doctrine applied (ARS structure out of balance) Establishment of national commission to undertake comprehensive study of Army structure Delay of any ARI implementation until commission is completed