Army Reserve Fixed Wing Aviation Ready, Relevant, Critical Capability

摘要

The first 42 days of Operation Iraqi Freedom commenced on March 20, 2003, and concluded on May 1 with President George W. Bush's declaration of the "end of major combat operations." Subsequent stability and support operations (SASO) required immediate logistics and key leader transportation in an immature operational area.To fulfil this requirement, the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) self-deployed four fixed wing aircraft that arrived in Balad, Iraq on June 4,2003.This mix of C-12 and UC-35 aircraft became critical enablers executing inter-theater operations between two or more geographic combatant commands or intra-theater missions to remote and austere areas not supported by civilian airlines or accessible by ground transportation.