Moving the Rhod. Fire Force concept to Afghanistan?

[Ken White]

Thanks for those links Ken (post 9), I too had not seen some of them.

You're welcome -- and thanks again to the original provider who lurks occasionally.

I don’t know what the losses were for the Eagle Flights that Ken linked to...

All anecdotal though I suppose the stats are out there somewhere...

Went on four in 1966, one very successful, two somewhat so and one failure to make contact. Only pulled the mission for about two weeks to allow the Platoon that normally did it to train up some replacements. I can recall hearing about four or five others they pulled which were good hits. There were many more from other Bns in our Brigade, one tended to hear about them only if they were really great or really bad and to hear of few if any from other Bdes locally and none from units in other Corps areas. Though I do know the Aero Rifle platoons from the Cav Sqns did a great many.

Can recall about a dozen or so more of probably three or four times that many conducted that year in the Bde from my second tour (most of which I spent in the Bde 3 shop). IIRC, only one was a success beyond expectations, most did okay, three or four were dry with no hits and two went into hot LZs and lost birds and people necessitating the launch of backup flights from other units -- in both latter cases that was in late 1968 when the VC had adapted and were using 12.7mm DShKs specifically brought in but not exclusively used to ambush Eagle Flights -- thus your comment about enemy adaptation to any successful technique is correct.

[William F. Owen]

So boiling this down, it's essentially the use of an Airmobile Reserve, that requires

a.) A Support Helicopter - UH-60, AB-412, EH-101, CH-47?
b.) Airborne Command Post - AH-64, UH-60?
c.) Attack Helicopters and/or FGA. - AH-64, A-10?

Obviously a UAV or some of the aircraft being equipped with suitable EO Payloads would help as well.

A near identical set up was used to get SOG-Recon Teams in and out of their AO between 1966 and 72. It could take 12-14 aircraft to get an 8 man RT on the ground, and even more to get their QRF Hatchet Force platoons in or out if required.
The Airborne CP was usually an OV-10, O-2 or O-1 with a "Covey Rider" who controlled the whole show.