Thursday, June 19, 2025
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result
Home Defence & Military News Army News

Army to Increase Medevac Support, Add New CAB, more UAVs

by Army News Service
January 19, 2012
in Army News
2 min read
0
14
VIEWS

WASHINGTON: The Army’s top operations officer said yesterday that not only will the Army add a new combat aviation brigade to the warfight, it will also increase the number of aircraft in medical evacuation companies.

Speaking at the annual Association of the U.S. Army Aviation Symposium and Exhibition here, Lt. Gen. James D. Thurman, G-3/5/7, told members and contractors that no force-wide transformational change to the aviation force was more important or consequential than the decision to increase aircraft in medevac companies from 12 to 15.

“We’ve got to get our men and women off the battlefield – that’s non-negotiable,” Thurman said. “This demonstrates the Army’s resolve and commitment to troops in combat operations as well as their families and loved ones.”

“We’ve also added nine additional medevac companies to the reserve component,” said Thurman, who also formerly served as director of the Army Aviation Task Force.

“The Army will aggressively grow this strategic capability in order to improve air medical evacuation in combat,” he said. “The priority will be Afghanistan with the first transformed 15-ship company arriving late spring 2010.”

In an earlier AUSA session, the commander of the Aviation Center of Excellence, Maj. Gen. James O. Barclay III, told members about the stand-up of a new combat aviation brigade, though Army and Defense Department leaders had yet to decide where the brigade would be headquartered.

Thurman elaborated on the new CAB, saying it would be designated as the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade in honor of the 16th Aviation Group whose heritage dates back to the Vietnam War.

“The brigade will be formed by recognition of current assets from within the active component,” Thurman said, “and while all aircraft and crews required to establish the 16th… are already in the force, the Army must add approximately 700 Soldiers to the force to stand up the assault helicopter battalion and aviation support battalion structures.”

According to the general, the next major structural change in Army aviation under consideration by Army leadership involves a potential restructuring of four remaining active-component heavy combat aviation brigades and one light combat aviation brigade to full-spectrum design.

“This decision is being considered along with a decision to restructure the armed reconnaissance squadron to a design featuring three troops of OH-58 Kiowa Warriors and two platoons in Shadow tactical unmanned systems,” Thurman added.

“The manned/unmanned teaming concept will serve to provide real-time ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) support within the CAB and fully maximize the capabilities for both systems so we meet the ground commanders’ needs,” he said.

Thurman also addressed the 400-percent growth of unmanned aircraft systems flight hours, noting those hours to have increased from 500 hours flown by only three UAVs a decade ago to more than 180,000 flown hours by more than 1,700 UAVs in 2009.

Additionally, the aviation branch trained more than 1,800 unmanned operators in 2009 and expects to surpass 2,000 by the end of this year. Thurman said the exponential growth in the number of aircraft and trained professionals is coupled with providing more capable systems as the enemy adapts to current operations.

“Our unmanned aircraft systems are forecast to reach the milestone of 1 million total flight hours flown in the coming year of which 88 percent have been flown in support of combat operations, so it’s huge growth,” Thurman said. He said the Army expects to have all brigade combat teams fielded with Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft systems by 2011.

“We know the integration of unmanned aircraft systems with our maneuver forces into a single, cohesive combat capability is paramount,” he said.

Tags: CABMEDEVACmedical evacuationUnmanned Aerial Vehicleus army
Previous Post

Unmanned Aircraft Program Grows to Support Demand

Next Post

Turkey, Lebanon lash out at Israel

Related Posts

Indonesia Orders Additional CAESAR Artillery Systems

France to send more mobile artillery to Ukraine

February 1, 2023

France will ship 12 more Caesar truck-mounted howitzers and fresh air defence equipment to Ukraine to bolster the fight against...

Leopard tanks to arrive in Ukraine around late March: Germany

Leopard tanks to arrive in Ukraine around late March: Germany

January 27, 2023

Leopard tanks pledged by Germany to help Ukraine repel Russia's invasion will arrive in "late March, early April", Defence Minister...

Next Post

Turkey, Lebanon lash out at Israel

Latest Defense News

Britain, Germany jointly developing missiles: ministers

Britain, Germany jointly developing missiles: ministers

May 17, 2025
Trump announces ‘full and immediate’ India-Pakistan ceasefire

Trump announces ‘full and immediate’ India-Pakistan ceasefire

May 10, 2025
Pakistan says Indian missiles strike air bases as conflict spirals

Pakistan says Indian missiles strike air bases as conflict spirals

May 10, 2025
J-10C fighter jet

Pakistan says India has brought neighbours ‘closer to major conflict’

May 9, 2025
North Korea fires multiple suspected cruise missiles

North Korea fires flurry of short-range ballistic missiles

May 9, 2025
China says ‘closely watching’ Ukraine situation after Russian attack

China vows to stand with Russia in face of ‘hegemonic bullying’

May 9, 2025

Defense Forum Discussions

  • General Aviation Thread
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • Middle East Defence & Security
  • Australian Army Discussions and Updates
  • JAXA and Japanese space programs
  • Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • Korean Peninsula Developments
  • French Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace News & Discussion
  • Germany
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com