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THE ROLE OF AVIATION IN THE ARMY
BY BRIGADIER GENERAL HAMILTON H. HOWZE
CHIEF, ARMY AVIATION DIVISION, G-3
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
IN THIS era of rapid scientific development, an era which has no parallel in history, the military planner is faced with terribly difficult problems. His effort to solve these problems is complicated by the many variables and unknowns which are part of them; what's more, his solutions cannot be proved or disproved mathematically, and are therefore subject to vehement disagreement and denunciation by his fellow professionals and by the non-military citizen as well. And then the planner is always haunted by the possibly grave consequences of pursuing the wrong line of endeavor of failing to see in true perspective the impact of science and technology on the conduct of battle.
   But in the military future-always a pretty obscure area- certain facts stand out clearly. One of these is that military forces can no longer afford to concentrate in small areas for long periods of time, for fear of annihilation by the so-called "area weapons". A second is that guided missiles of all types, short and long range, will have increasing effect on our tactics and technique. And a third factor is that aircraft have developed to the point that their integration into small unit tactics is not only possible but essential to the successful prosecution of the land battle.
   Combat operations of the next war are expected to be characterized by a great fluidity and increased dispersion, with units operating over large areas, both laterally and in depth. The battlefield envisaged will have large unoccupied patches in it, and an intermixture of units, friendly and hostile territory by a well-defined "front" may no longer obtain.
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 What is the role of the Army airplane in such a battle? For years the Army has operated with outstanding success in combat, light observation aircraft to locate targets for artillery and to adjust its fire on them, to study the terrain, and to obtain information on enemy forces not otherwise obtainable by our friends in the Air Forces. It is easy to imagine how vital will be the function of observation in new, rapidly moving warfare. Its efficiency can spell the difference between success and failure. 
   The troop-carrying helicopter has enormous possibilities, some of which may prove truly revolutionary. The veteran need only to ponder briefly on the delays imposed in World War II by terrain features such as rivers and escarpments to visualize what might have been done with helicopters capable of ferrying the first combat units to the far side before the enemy was set to meet the threat. And what great possibilities lie in the use of 'copters to permit seizure of small, critically important areas, either in the pursuit of a retreating enemy, or the protection of the flank of a rapidly moving army! How effective the helicopter in moving troops to exploit weaknesses in the enemy position, or to exploit the effect of our own airpower, missiles and artillery! And finally, should our forces be on the defensive, how useful to the commander will be the capability of moving tactical reserves quickly from one place to the next in meeting or counterattacking the points of enemy thrust. 
   In addition to troops, the helicopter can move critically needed supplies-ammunition and gasoline-to the precise spot they should go. This alone can change the outcome of many combat actions. 
   The use of aircraft for command is not new, but it is increasing in scope. It is hard to exaggerate the advantage to the field commander in providing him vehicle-sometimes an airplane, sometimes a helicopter-for his rapid transport across the wide areas of battlefield. The present system of command in the United States Army is directly dependant on the aircraft for its effective application. 
   And, finally, we come to evacuation of the wounded, by helicopter. A time-proven, battle-tested expedient, it is responsible for the life and health of many American citizens, one of whom may be in your family, many of whom are undoubtedly witnessing this National Air Show.
   This then is the Army's need for organic aviation. The United States Army must remain the most modern and versatile in the world, and this in turn demands that we take every advantage of the advances of science and technology. And to the American aviation industry we must turn for a vital ingredient of battle success: mobility.
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   Van Clausewitz, the great military teacher, said, "The theory of warfare tries to discover how we may gain a preponderance of physical forces and material advantages at the decisive point...In any specific action, we always have the choice between the most audacious and the most careful solution...It is the nature of war to advise the most decisive, that is, the most audacious." This has often been the key to American battle success. The airplane, in its modern form, will contribute greatly to the Army's ability to apply the theory effectively, again, should war come upon us. 
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NATIONAL AIRCRAFT SHOW