UK 16th Air Assault Brigade

Mr. David C. Tarbutton and MAJ(P) John E. Angevine

Introduction

On 3 September 1999, the British 16th Air Assault Brigade (AAB) (see figure 1) was created by merging the 5th Airborne Brigade, 24th Airmobile Brigade, and 9th Regiment,¹ Army Air Corps (AAC). Unique within the British order of battle, the 16th AAB will serve as the cornerstone of the United Kingdom's rapid reaction forces, responding quickly to crises worldwide. The primary wartime role is to conduct strike operations to secure or open points of entry for other land or air elements, usually in depth over protracted distances. These operations could include parachute drops. The 16th AAB will exploit the WAH-64's (a modified GKN Westland Apache Longbow) great maneuverability and firepower. Over the next few years, new equipment mixes and doctrine and tactics will need to be developed. Problems such as personnel shortages (pilots, paratroopers, logisticians) must be addressed before the 16th AAB can be utilized to its full operational potential.

Figure 1. The 16th Air Assault Brigade Patch,
"Striking Eagle," Represents the Offensive
Nature of Air Maneuver Operations

Discussion

Assigned to NATO's Multinational Division (Central) [MND(C)] as part of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), the 8000-man 16th AAB (see table 1) carries on the proud traditions of its predecessor units. These include the 5th Airborne Brigade (whose lineage goes back to World War II with the 1st Parachute Brigade ["Red Devils"] fighting in Tunisia, and the 1st Airborne Division dropping onto Arnhem) and the 24th Air Mobile Brigade (first formed as the 24th Infantry Brigade fighting on the Western Front in World War I), which became air-mobile in 1986.

The 16th AAB is operationally subordinate to the newly created Joint Helicopter Command and is being designed to meet a wide range of contingency operations (out-of-area operations) such as rapid reinforcement of dependent territories, evacuation of UK nationals from overseas trouble spots, providing assistance to friendly governments, and conducting international peacekeeping operations. Fighting within a divisional or corps offensive battle, the 16th AAB can conduct aviation deep attack, seize-and-hold operations, large-scale raids, and area interdiction operations, as well as providing support to special forces. The 16th AAB has a mission similar to that of the U.S. 229th Attack Helicopter Brigade, XVII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, for deep operations, but the 16th AAB also possesses an additional capability to conduct airborne and air assault operations with its assigned infantry battalions.

The 16th AAB will conduct deep attack missions similar to what the U.S. Army AH-64 units did in the Gulf War. The 16th AAB concepts for deep operation include attacking, screening, guard operations, and providing a counterstrike force. The British will conduct close operations with the Apache, including guarding ground maneuver formations during the defense, delaying actions, and passages of lines. Enhancing ground forces' freedom of action and maneuver by protecting units' flanks, the Apache will also be used for counterattack and deception operations. The commander will also be ready to act as a reserve or reinforcing element.

Initially, a Leading Parachute Battalion Group (LPBG) (airborne battalion, artillery battery, engineer, signals, medical and logistics detachments) could be delivered 2 to 5 days after a "Notice to Move" is given. The unit will then conduct early entry operations, with the remainder of the Brigade deployable within 30 days. An air assault infantry battalion has 680 soldiers, including 38 officers. It is organized into three rifle companies, a fire support company, and a headquarters and support company. It fields 63 Land Rovers, 19 x 4-ton trucks, 23 x 8-ton trucks, 14 medium utility trucks (heavy duty), 30 ground mobile weapons platforms (modified Land Rovers), 13 ATMPs (all-terrain multipurpose vehicles), 2 x 4-ton unit bulk refueling equipment (UBRE), and 114 trailers.

To test the unit's readiness, 2000 personnel from the 16th AAB participated in exercise Gryphon's Eye in October 1999, on the Salisbury Plain training area. Three hundred vehicles, 25 Army and Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopters, and 15 C130 Hercules aircraft supported a 4-day test of airborne and air assault operations, which included a drop by about 500 Paras (a nickname for airborne soldiers).

Unlike its U.S. Army counterparts which have two battalions of 24 Apaches each, each of the three AAC regiments of the16th AAB contain 16 WAH-64's (see figure 2 and tables 2 and 3) in two squadrons of eight helicopters (employed in teams of two). Currently, each AAC regiment has 12 TOW-armed Lynx Mk 7 helicopters (see figure 3 and table 4), 12 Gazelle scout helicopters, and 11 Lynx Mk 9 light utility helicopters (LUH). While the TOW-equipped Lynx Mk 7 will be replaced by the Apache (the Lynx will retain its thermal-imaging TOW sight, becoming a scout platform with upgraded avionics), the function and unit mix of the Gazelle and Lynx Mk 9 is still evolving. In an LUH role, the Lynx Mk 9 will continue to be used to deploy air defense, reconnaissance, and special forces teams. Other possible Lynx missions include providing indirect fire support and forward air observation and deploying teams to guard attack helicopter forward operating bases (FOBs) and forward arming and refueling points (FARPs). Organizationally, each regiment could have two Apache squadrons, a battlefield support squadron (11 Lynx Mk 9's), and a scout/liaison troop (four Lynx Mk 7 and two Gazelle helicopters). Medium and heavy lift capacity will continue to be provided by an RAF support helicopter Force with Pumas and Chinooks.

Figure 2. WAH-64—UK Specific Changes From "D" Model (Figure Courtesy of Jane's Publishing Group)

Figure 3. GKN Westland Lynx Attack Helicopters, Mk 7 (Top) and Mk 9 (Photograph Courtesy of Jane's Publishing Group)

Compared to the Lynx Mk 7 TOW currently in service with the British Army, the WAH-64 offers improved integral surveillance and target acquisition systems, digitized communications (helicopters are linked to allow them to hunt as a pack), and impressive day/night (target designation sight/pilot night vision sensors) and bad weather capabilities. Designed to self-deploy over 900 miles without refueling, with four external ferry tanks, the WAH-64 also has folding blades to facilitate operations from the Royal Navy's new helicopter carrier, HMS Ocean. Sixty-seven Westland Apaches were purchased: 48 for "front line" use, 9 kept as reserves/floats, 8 used for training, and 2 for testing. It is planned, that, after 2004, one of the WAH-64 squadrons will also be earmarked to support amphibious deployments of the 3d Commando Brigade.

To increase the brigade's ability to hit an opponent hard and fast, several development and procurement programs are underway (see tables 5 and 6).

U.S. Army soldiers working in the future with the 16th AAB will find it to be very professional, well led, interoperable, and very capable of carrying out its assigned tasks. The 16th AAB has conducted a major training exercise with the rapid reaction Polish 25th Air Cavalry Brigade. These military-to-military exchanges and combined training exercises will enhance the interoperability among British, Polish, and American warriors.

Personnel shortages, particularly of pilots, are hampering the unit's ability to maintain war readiness. An aggressive British Army recruiting campaign (to include previously under-recruited minorities), increased reliance on Territorial Army (similar to U.S. Army Reserves) augmentation, privatization of base support functions (e.g., freeing soldiers from guard duties), establishment of a long-service plan in order to retain warrant officers and senior noncommissioned officers (NCOs) beyond the current 22 years of service required for retirement, and the opportunity for new "combat arms" AAC officers to achieve General Officer status are ways by which the UK Army aims to solve its personnel problems. A unique challenge for the British is whether they will be able to keep selecting junior NCOs as helicopter pilots (since January 1987, corporals have served as pilots), given the increase in systems complexity. Presently the plan is for warrant officers to occupy the rear Apache seat (pilot), with commissioned officers (usually captains) observing and controlling the weapons suite. Other training and operational problems facing the 16th AAB include unit relocations (particularly the increased distance the Paras need to travel to the C-130 base at RAF Lyneham, which is now 120 miles from their new home in Colchester), Army-wide funding shortfalls, and the lack of a medium and heavy dedicated lift capability (the 16th AAB has priority for calls upon the RAF Support Helicopter Force squadrons), which operate CH-47's and Pumas.