United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command

"The 160th SOAR(A) has the mission to organize, equip, train, resource, and employ Army Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA) forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. Known as "Night Stalkers."

Intro

"The 160th SOAR(A) has the mission to organize, equip, train, resource, and employ Army Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA) forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. Known as "Night Stalkers".

Typical Helliborne missions include:

• use of aerial attack/assaults platforms

• limited CAS to SOFs

• SOFs transport

• aerial reconnaissance

• FARPs

Most missions are conducted at night and while flying "NAP"

SOF Structure

SOCOM
SOCOM controls/directs all U.S. Special Forces branch commands (Army/Navy/Air Force/Marines)

USASOC
USASOC is the U.S. Army component of SOCOM
- Special Forces group/school; Military Intelligence; PSY-OPS; Civil affairs; 'Rangers'; SOAR; Support

Unit Structure

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment

• Regimental HQ

• Spec Ops training company

• UAV company E (MQ-1C)

• UAV company F (MQ-1C)

1st Battalion

• Battalion HQ

• Light attack heli (AH-6M) company

• Light assault heli (transport) (MH-6M) company

• Medium attack heli (MH-60M DAP)

• Medium assault heli (transport) (MH-60M)

• Medium assault heli (transport) (MH-60M)

• Aviation maintenance company

2nd Battalion

• Battalion HQ

• Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

• Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

• Aviation maintenance company

• UAV company

3rd Battalion

• Battalion HQ

• Medium assault heli (transport) (MH-60M)

• Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

• Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

• Aviation maintenance company

4th Battalion

• Battalion HQ

• Medium assault heli (transport) (MH-60M)

• Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

• Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

• Aviation maintenance company

(Does not include E/F Coy UAV)

Duty Position(s)

The vast majority of duty positions are:

• Pilots

• Crew Chiefs

• Support personnel
  
  • administrative (personnel)
    
  • combat/service support (cooks/drivers/fuel etc.)
    
  • maintenance
    
  • other (legal/spiritual etc.)

Rank Structure

Besides the traditional rank structure of any military unit, SOAR is heavily staffed by Warrant Officers

W.O. are considered officers with technical specialties and are in a rank structure of their own





W.O.s serve as pilots/co-pilots

Crew Chiefs are enlisted/NCOs

Section commanders are officers (aviation section/maintenance etc.)

Officer pilots can and do fly with W.O.s as they are the OIC of the aviation section


Captain Kimberly Hampton (1976-2004) shot down in her OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter by enemy ground fire in Fallujah, Iraq.

Basic/Fully Mission Qualification (BMQ/FMQ)

All new members report to the training section to participate in "Green Platoon" training

After several years of experience and additional training and leadership development, Soldiers may become Fully Mission Qualified (FMQ)

Being FMQ allows Soldiers try to become flight lead qualified.

Loadout

2 basic types are:

• Pilots/Crew Chiefs

• Combat Support/Service personnel

Pilot/Co-Pilots:
- ***LONG RIFLE with high velocity rounds and a 14.5" barrel (5.56mm or more)***
+ Short barrels offer LESS penetration/more noise/more muzzle flash
- Pistol
- "Dog" tags
- Map/GPS/compass/signal mirror/fire starter
- Full combat load (7 rifle and 3 pistol mags)
- Complete first aid kit for extended use (tourniquets/"combat pill-pack"/bandages etc.)
- 1 canteen
- VS-17 marker panel
- Small weapon cleaning kit/lubricant
- 1ea. red/green smoke grenade
- Multi-tool (pocket saw/pliers/screwdriver etc.)
- Earplugs
- SERE evasion route/rally points etc.
- Portable multi-frequency radio
- Pen-flare kit
- NVGs


Combat Support/Service personnel:
- Full combat load with service rifle/sidearm
- 1ea. red/green smoke grenade
- 2 fragmentation grenades
- Map/GPS/compass/signal mirror/fire starter
- First aid kit (tourniquets/"combat pill-pack"/bandages etc.)
- 2 canteens
- VS-17 marker panel
- Small weapon cleaning kit/lubricant
- Multi-tool (pocket saw/pliers/screwdriver etc.)
- NVGs
- "Dog" tags
- Essential work tool/kits

Capabilities

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1213574999


"Over-the-horizon" insertion


Fast Rope/FRIES/SPIES


CAS


Reconnaissance


Insertion/Extraction


In-flight refueling

FARP

FARP - Forward Arming and Refueling Point

FARPs are essential for operations that cover extended distances which are more frequent for SOFs
They also have rearming points and can act like a small HQ if properly augmented






FARP "Night Owls"


"Fat Cow"; CH-47 with internal/external fuel storage


"Fat Cow"; CH-47 with internal/external fuel storage


This layout shows fuel/rearm points; sling-load zone and aerial test fire point

Equipment

The most common air-frames are:

• Assault/Attack Little Birds

• Black hawks (transport/DAP)

• Chinooks

• UAVs

HELICOPTERS

Light attack heli (AH-6M)


Medium assault heli (transport) (MH-60M)


Medium attack heli (MH-60M DAP)


Heavy assault heli company (MH-47G)

RADAR


WEAPONS

.50 caliber heavy MG


7.62 Mini-gun


7.62 Medium MG (M240B)

SENSORS
FLIR

Legacy

Modern day member

After the failure of Op Eagle Claw in 1980 (in large part due to poor night time flying abilities), a new unit Spec Ops aviation unit was created. Called Task Force 158, it soon became a permanent unit and changed its name to the 160th BTN.

Other important operations:
- 1983's Operation Urgent Fury (invasion of Grenada), the 160th saw its first combat deployment
- 1987/88's Operation Earnest Will/Prime Chance, to protect oil tankers in the Middle East
- In 1988, SOAR and other Spec Ops recovered a Russian made Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter from a remote location in Chad
- 1989's Operation Just Cause (invasion of Panama)
- 1991's Operation Desert Storm (Middle East)
- 1993's Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia
- 2001's invasion of Afghanistan (OEF)
- 2003's invasion of Iraq (OIF)
- 2011's Operation Neptune Spear (OBL)
- 2014's current Operation Inherent Resolve (Syria)


Somalia 1993


Well-known pilot


"Black Hawk Down"


Old unit patch that now still belongs to USASOC


Current unit patch

Unit Creed

SOATB - Spec Ops Training BTN

Special Operations Training Battalion



All 160th members must:

• attend the 6 week "Green Platoon" training course

• pass a "flight physical"

• maintain at least a "Secret" security clearance

• be Airborne qualified

"Green Platoon" training includes:

• physical training

• road marches

• first aid (TCCC)

• combatives

• land navigation

• additional weapon training (small arms and crew-served)

Also, specific training regarding:
- mission planning/preparation/briefing
- advanced skills for aircraft qualifications (FARP/maintenance etc.)
- aerial/environmental planning
- combat mission flight simulators


Water egress at the Allison Aquatics Training Facility


"Green Platoon" - 6 week new recruit training


"SERE" school



Night flying/training



In-flight Medic training is over 6 months (Special Operations Combat Medics course)

N.S.D.Q

Night Stalkers Don't Quit

Conclusion

The 160th SOAR is part of USASOC, which in-turn is part of SOCOM

SOAR is the SOFs aviation regiment that provides SOFs aerial support through highly modified aerial platforms

Regiment members are highly:

• assessed and selected

• trained

• experienced

[Fireeagle]

Okay, that's some quality work

[adriacula]

Do annual certificates next. Ex:Tarp

[Bo]

[Jägermeister]

<3

[Bored Robot]

This is an incredible resource, and not just for Arma! I definitely picked up a few details that will come in handy for writing fiction!

[pebol]

Every KOTH pilot thinks this is the unit they are in