Photo By Staff Sgt. Maricris McLane | Soldiers with 4th Heavy Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 16th...... read more read more
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The 4th Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is one of the few units within the Army which was reflagged as an attack reconnaissance squadron during the 2015 Army Aviation Restructuring Initiative.
As a squadron assigned with manned and unmanned aircraft, the 4-6 ARS trained and improved its unit readiness during a live-fire gunnery qualification training at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., from Feb. 26 through Saturday. The squadron saw an opportunity to conduct the live-fire gunnery while in California in conjunction with Bayonet Focus 18-02.
“The aircrews are already down here (Fort Hunter Liggett), the aircraft are already down here and they also have the ranges set up here,” said Capt. Jay Laing, Bravo Troop Commander with 4-6 ARS. “So it is a good target of opportunity for us.”
As Bayonet Focus ends, the unit set up the plan to use the opportunity and qualify using live ammunition.
“This is a training event for an attack reconnaissance battalion or squadron like us,” Laing said. “So just like an infantryman has to be qualified in his M4, this is that kind of qualification for our aircrew.”
This gunnery training is one step for the squadron to build on their individual and collective tasks.
“What we are doing here is qualifying individual crews for each individual aircraft in their tasks to perform as Apache (AH-64) pilots,” said Capt. Ryan Coker, 4-6 ARS assistant operations officer.
The unit aims to train and be ready on all the mission essential tasks it needs in order to be combat ready as a squadron.
Along with accomplishing essential tasks, the squadron also used the opportunity to enhance the unit’s combat readiness as a whole.
“First, you get qualified to shoot your Apache and then qualify to shoot with other Apaches then qualify to shoot as a squadron,” Coker said. “As we progress further in the year, we’ll do more complex gunneries.”
The Soldiers qualify as a crew, then qualify as a platoon with four aircraft and then qualify as a troop or company of up to eight aircraft — all the way to qualifying as a whole squadron, Coker said. In addition to qualifying as aircrew, conducting the training in a different location benefits the unit.
“Being able to have experience in all types of environment is beneficial,” Laing said. The terrain in Fort Hunter Liggett mimics a high-desert terrain.”
Different environment and terrain add a benefit in increasing the unit’s experience variation.
“It is definitely beneficial to see a different flight profiles,” Laing said. “Because as crews are trying to qualify and gaining proficiency, we don’t necessarily know where our next fight is going to be.”
Trained and ready for combat is always a priority for this unit as they continue to improve their proficiency and combat readiness.
“First, you get qualified to shoot your Apache and then qualify to shoot with other Apaches then qualify to shoot as a squadron. As we progress further in the year, we’ll do more complex gunneries.”
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.09.2018 14:41 |
| Story ID: | 268834 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US |
| Hometown: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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