# Organization ## Attack Reconnaissance Battalion Each heavy division combat aviation brigade (CAB) has two ARBs consisting of attack helicopter (AH)-64Ds only. Each light division CAB has two ARSs consisting of observation helicopter (OH)-58Ds only. Medium CABs, however, consist of one ARB (AH-64D) and one ARS (OH-58D). See FM 3-04.111 for more information on CAB’s organization. Each ARB has a headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), a forward support company (FSC), three attack reconnaissance companies (ARCs), and an aviation maintenance company. The distinction between ARCs and attack reconnaissance troops (ARTs) is an ARC consists of eight AH-64Ds, whereas, an ART consists of ten OH-58Ds. The ARB receives maintenance support from the CAB’s aviation support battalion (ASB)
The battalion is dependent upon the CAB or division for Army airspace command and control (A2C2), FS, weather, and specific personnel and administrative services. ### Headquarters and Headquarters Company The ARB HHC consists of the command group, staff, company headquarters section, supply section, communications/automation section, medical treatment squad, and unit ministry team (UMT). The HHC provides personnel and equipment for C2 functions of the battalion, and security and defense of the command post (CP). The HHC also provides the following types of support—unit-level personnel service, UMT, logistics, medical, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN).
### Battalion Staff Organization As described in FM 6-0, the battalion staff is organized into personal staff, coordinating staff, and special staff. The following paragraphs provide brief descriptions of essential battalion staff elements. Where necessary and appropriate, further discussion is contained in chapter 2.
The battalion staff consists of officers and enlisted personnel who plan, supervise, and synchronize operations according to the battalion commander's concept and intent. Except in scope, duties, and responsibilities, the battalion staff is similar to those of higher echelon staff. Essential personnel must be positioned on the battlefield where they can carry out their duties. See chapter 2 for more information on staff duties and responsibilities. #### *Personal staff* The personal staff works under the commander’s immediate control, but may work through the executive officer (XO) or a specific coordinating staff officer for coordination and control purposes. Members of the personal staff normally have a direct line of communications (LOC) to the commander due to the confidential nature and broad scope of their assigned duties. #### *Special staff* Special staff officers help the battalion commander and other staff members perform their functional responsibilities. #### *Coordinating staff* The coordinating staff is composed of the commander’s principal assistants responsible for one or a combination of broad fields of interest (personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, planning, and communications). Coordinating staff members help the commander coordinate and supervise execution of plans, operations, and activities. Collectively, through the XO, they are accountable for the commander’s entire field of responsibility. ### Attack Reconnaissance Company The ARC consists of a company headquarters and two attack reconnaissance platoons with four AH-64D aircraft each. The ART consists of a headquarters element and two attack reconnaissance platoons of five OH-58D aircraft each.
### The Attack Reconnaissance Platoons The ARC has two attack reconnaissance platoons consisting of four AH-64D aircraft. One attack reconnaissance platoon is organized with three AH-64D non-fire control radar (FCR) aircraft and one AH-64D FCR aircraft. The second attack reconnaissance platoon is organized with two AH-64D non-FCR aircraft and two AH-64D FCR aircraft. Each platoon utilizes two headquarters section aviators to employ all assigned aircraft. The ART has two attack reconnaissance platoons consisting of five OH-58D aircraft. As with the ARC, each platoon utilizes headquarters section aviators to employ all assigned aircraft. ### Forward Support Company The ARB FSC has a company headquarters, a field feeding section, a distribution platoon, and a ground maintenance platoon. The FSC provides field feeding, transportation, refueling, ground maintenance support, and coordinates with the ASB for additional support as required. See chapter 4 for additional information.
### Aviation Maintenance Company The aviation maintenance company consists of a company headquarters, production control and quality assurance (QA) sections, aircraft maintenance platoon, and an aircraft component repair platoon (CRP). The aviation maintenance company also provides necessary maneuver sustainment to operate autonomously throughout the divisional operational environment. See chapter 4 for additional information. ## Air Cavalry Squadron The ACS augments and extends the capabilities of the BCTs. The ACS contains a headquarters and headquarters troop (HHT), forward support troop (FST), three ACTs, one AHT, one aviation support troop, and one aviation maintenance troop. The ACS is equipped with 24 AH-64s or 30 OH-58Ds, and 10 utility helicopters (UH)-60s. The squadron is dependent upon the Stryker brigade combat team (SBCT), division, or higher for A2C2, weather, legal, finance, and sustainment functions. ### Headquarters and Headquarters Troop The HHT provides personnel and equipment for the battle command functions of the squadron, and security and defense of the CP. The HHT also provides UMT, logistics, CBRN, and unit-level personnel service support.
### Forward Support Troop The FST comprises a headquarters platoon, distribution platoon, and ground maintenance platoon. It provides field feeding, transportation, refueling, and ground maintenance support, coordinating with the SBCT brigade support battalion for additional support as required. ### Air Cavalry Troop The ACT consists of a headquarters section and two platoons of five OH-58D or four AH-64 aircraft each. ### Assault Helicopter Troop The AHT comprises a headquarters section and two flight platoons with five UH-60 aircraft each. ### Aviation Maintenance Troop The aviation maintenance troop includes a troop headquarters, production control and QA sections, aircraft maintenance platoon, and aircraft CRP. It provides necessary maneuver sustainment to operate autonomously throughout the divisional operational environment. ### Aviation Support Troop The aviation support troop consists of a headquarters platoon, airframe repair platoon (ARP), and CRP. It conducts intermediate maintenance, serves as back-up unit maintenance for the aviation maintenance troop, performs production control and QA, manages maintenance, provides maintenance test pilot (MP) functions, and offers aviation and ground equipment maintenance for the squadron. See chapter 4 for more information. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://229.gitbook.io/229-hub/knowledge/attack-reconnaissance-helicopter-operations/missions-and-organization/organization.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.