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Maxwell flightline supports Army's 82nd Airbourne Division

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alexa Culbert
  • 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala --  Maxwell Air Force Base may be most notable for being the home of the Air Corps Tactical School, now Air University, but Maxwell's flightline has also experienced its share of notoriety, hosting aircraft such as Air Force One and NASA's Aero Spaceline Super Guppy, but recently, Maxwell served as a stopping point for 27 Army aircraft en route to Fort Polk, Louisiana. 

The 27 aircraft assigned to the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade included a CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black Hawks, AH-64 Apaches, and OH-58D Kiowa Warriors from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, landed on the here Oct. 22, 2015.

The training mission from Fort Bragg to the Joint Range Training Center at Fort Polk demonstrated the aircrafts' ability to travel more than 500 miles before refueling, validating their global response force capabilities.

According to Army Capt. Michael Skuza, 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Brigade commander, the training mission did more than show the reach of the aircraft, it also showcased the reach of the force.

"With the help of the Air Force, [airlift capabilities] we can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours of notification," said the Echo Company Commander.

Skuza went on to explain that the Army and Air Force rely on joint operations in order to achieve mission success on the battlefield.

In addition to needing Air Force aircraft to transport Army paratroopers to drop points, Skuza explained that during a combat mission, the multifunctional aviation task force, brigade infantry support element, would follow Air Force F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fighters, taking advantage of their integrated defense system capabilities prior to an assault.