AMCOM delivers aviation support equipment in rapid fashion

Courtesy Photo | Standard, non-standard and commercial-off-the-shelf equipment is warehoused by the Aviation and Missile Command’s Army Aviation Rapid Deployment Equipment Program, and ready for packaging and rapid deployment anywhere in the world. (Photo by Mitch Delk)  

REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, UNITED STATES

10.31.2017

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command

By the Aviation and Missile Command Field Support Directorate

Over the past decade of conflict, experience has shown the need for Army aviation units to operate from a number of disparate locations to meet mission requirements.

These geographically dispersed Task Force operations have stretched the organic support capabilities and caused aviation units to need additional maintenance and support equipment to generate the necessary combat power. Analysis of potential future conflicts indicates the potential for similar operations in the future.

This was the thought process in 2014 when, as part of the Aviation Restructuring Initiative, the Chief of Staff of the Army directed the establishment of an enhanced forward based maintenance capability to support three Combat Aviation Brigades operationally dispersed in as many as four locations. This support package termed “Aviation Support Battalion-Modularity” – or better known as ASB-M -- provides additional Aviation Ground Support Equipment, Special Tools and Test Equipment organic to an aviation unit.

No new procurement was authorized for this effort, so the ASB-M was formed through the consolidation of existing Army property. Equipment transferred from deactivating units, organizations with excess items, or items bound for or recovered from the Defense Reutilization Marketing Office yielded the initial fill of the ASB-M package.

The Aviation and Missile Command was directed to assemble, maintain and store the ASB-M, and, on order, be ready to rapidly prepare and ship the equipment.

To gain efficiencies, AMCOM consolidated the overall management of ASB-M with two other previously directed support packages, the Theater Aviation Maintenance Program’s Theater Equipment Package (TEP) and Mission Equipment Package (MEP). The TEP consists of non-standard commercial off-the-shelf equipment that supports deployed Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Groups that perform depot level repairs. The MEP consists of aircraft specific kits and/or upgrades owned by the Program Managers, such as External Stores Support Systems. Together the three packages make up what is now known as the Army Aviation Rapid Deployment Equipment Program, better known as AARDEP.

“AARDEP provides tailorable equipment packages to augment field and sustainment level capability gaps for contingency operations,” said Don Nitti, director of AMCOM Logistic Center’s Field Support Directorate. “Based on mission needs, deploying Aviation units can select specific support equipment required to augment maintenance capabilities. AMCOM works with the deploying unit to customize a mix of equipment and assists with approval and release authority from the Department of the Army.”

The equipment is packed into a series of shipping containers and modularized workshop containers and shipped by vessel or the Department of Defense’s Strategic Air Command to the requested destination. Once returned, the equipment is Reset and prepared for future Army requirements. AMCOM has coordinated AARDEP establishment across the Army Aviation Enterprise.

Equipment maintenance and management is performed by a team of government civilians and contractors.

Although early in its existence, the AARDEP has already been utilized numerous times to support contingency operations. AARDEP equipment was sent to Africa with the 101st Airborne Division Task Force during Ebola support and to Djibouti with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade in support of an AFRICOM mission. More recently, AMCOM personnel rapidly assembled, inspected, packed and shipped nearly 50 containers of equipment from the AARDEP for emerging Army requirements. All this was done within a few weeks of notification.

“AARDEP is just one more way that AMCOM improves readiness and meets the support requirements of the aviation warfighter, proving that readiness is a team sport that supports combatant commander requirements,” Nitti said.

• Date Taken: 10.31.2017
• Date Posted: 10.31.2017 15:47
• Story ID: 253652
• Location: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US
• Hometown: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US