Photo By Sgt. Caitlin Wilkins | Soldiers from Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion,...... read more read more
Fort Stewart, GA - Pilots and aircrew members of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, sent rounds down range during an aerial gunnery exercise at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Feb. 8-9.
Aerial gunnery is a semiannual requirement for pilots and aircrew members to maintain their readiness and proficiency with a M240H machine gun. Aircrew members are required to pass a series of tests known as “tables” to achieve the qualification.
Gunnery tables I-III involve academics and simulator training. After honing their skills in the simulator, pilots and aircrew members proceed to the live-fire ground tables, completing both day and night iterations. Gunnery tables IV-VI are engagements from the helicopter to ground targets.
According to Spc. Bradley Patterson, a crew chief assigned to Bravo Co., 2nd Bn., 3rd GSAB, realism is the most important factor of aerial gunnery. Firing while in an operating aircraft is necessary to understand how wind and terrain can be an obstacle or advantage for the crew.
“Firing out of a helicopter is different from firing on the ground,” Patterson explained. “You have to maneuver and aim your weapon differently to be able to suppress your target.”
Pilots and aircrew members utilized both UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to effectively engage their targets.
“Aerial gunnery is a critical component of maintaining mission readiness by providing the training to support defensive actions in real-world missions,” said 1st Lt. David Meise, the officer in charge of the aerial gunnery. “By honing and sharpening our crewmembers ability to provide effective or suppressive fire during operation execution, we continue our dedicated support for the ground force and their mission success.”
Aerial gunnery requires a slew of tasks in order to function smoothly, from the overall planning process, to the sufficient amount of aircraft, to the range space available.
“While planning is a crucial piece of the operation, having professional and dedicated Soldiers that are ready to train and accomplish the mission is the key component to a smooth and successful gunnery,” Meise said. “Without their vital contributions, the aerial gunnery would not have executed as well as it did.”
Aerial gunnery is an essential qualification and training opportunity for pilots and crewmembers. It trains aircrew members to work under varying and complex constraints and certifies crewmembers as lethal professionals.
“Aerial gunnery is important because it trains us to work as a team,” said Patterson. “It also keeps us proficiently trained and ready to fight.”
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.15.2022 13:31 |
| Story ID: | 414669 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 143 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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