Rethinking Strategic Brigade Airdrop

摘要

Strategic Brigade Airdrop has been an American force employment method for overfifty years. This paper looks at SBA's viability, now and in the future. A history of SBA analyzes the tragedies and triumphs of SBA over the years. Specifically noted are common threads through history that continue to effect SBA today. Problems within SBA as varied as doctrine, safety, equipment, personnel and acquisition politics signal the need for change. Three alternatives are provided to the present plan to airdrop a brigade size force from C-1 41, C-5 and C-17 aircraft. The first alternative is a response to changing warfighting doctrine and the political realities of battlefield casualties. It involves the shifting from an airdrop to an airland method of troop deployment. The second alternative offers a less expensive aircraft for the personnel portion of the airdrop mission. It provides more mass on the DZ in less time. The last alternative uses a brand new aircraft to deploy troops in a swarm of aircraft landing like helicopters on the DZ. Multiple corridors and many aircraft are used to increase flexibility while decreasing vulnerability over the DZ. This paper rethinks SBA from an 'outside the box' perspective. Its intention is to show weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the present SBA plan, at the same time offering thoughtful solutions to the problem of deploying Army troops from the fort to the DZ.