Posted on 08/01/2025 11:10:37 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
Thousands of Army Reserve soldiers are being forced to scramble for new assignments after the service abruptly ordered the dismantling of its helicopter units, a sweeping move that has caught commanders off guard and upended aviation operations across the country.
The cuts, which are set to eliminate all of the reserve's helicopter units by the end of the summer, are part of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George's broader push to modernize the force by shedding legacy formations and redirecting resources toward emerging technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence.
But the transition has left troops questioning both the pace and planning of the changes. Military.com spoke with 16 Army Reserve aviators, including commanders and senior noncommissioned officers, who expressed frustration with what they described as a chaotic and poorly communicated rollout. All requested anonymity, citing concerns about retaliation, as they were not authorized to speak publicly.
{snip]
Some reserve aviation units are now working to find alternative roles for their pilots and full-time personnel, including potential placements with federal agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Opportunities within the National Guard or the active-duty Army are limited and often require relocation, adding another layer of complexity for service members and their families.
For junior enlisted soldiers and part-time reservists in support roles such as mechanics, crew chiefs and administrative staff, the road ahead is even more complicated. Transferring into a new unit or occupational specialty can take months of retraining, a process that can be especially burdensome for reservists balancing military obligations with full-time civilian jobs or college coursework.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
give army aviation units all of the a-10 warthogs.
Regular v. Reserves v. NG?
I can see at least the NG needing to keep choppers for domestic services.
That would make too much sense. Minimal retraining for the mechanics, airframes people, and electricians and avionics guys. But then the A-10 is getting old and a lot of hours were put on the airframes in the last war.
The helicopter units might be useful for rescue: think LA & Maui fires, NC flooding, Texas flooding and Florida barrier island access.
The summer season is both a prime time for rescue and annual service.
It says the Reserves. No mention of the NG or regular Army.
Drones in many cases are replacing helicopters.
That would be the NG’s job. And they aren’t mentioned.
It’s only Reserve now but I wonder if this is the beginning of something bigger stemming from the DCA crash.
Blood of Tyrants wrote: “Looks like the Army is considering helicopters to be as obsolete as the battleship.”
The article is about reductions in the Army Reserve which is usually combat support. The Guard is where you find the combat units.
“give army aviation units all of the a-10 warthogs.”
I understand the love of the A-10, and it is amazing against primatives like in Afghanistan, but it’s a flying coffin against a moderately advanced enemy.
It’s time has come. China or someone we’d fight would immediately destroy them.
The Russian Su-25 (the Frogfoot) is the Russian equivalent of the A-10 and in some ways, superior (and inferior in others). It’s be a disaster in the Ukraine/Russia war, with them largely grounded at this point. By far, the most shot down plane on each side. (In Iraq, the Iraqis never bothered to air them against our forces.)
So much so that Ukraine TURNED DOWN A-10s.
Noticed that too. Not too many governors would put up with their Guard units having their aviation assets pulled. Too valuable when there are fires, floods and hurricane relief operations needed.
and oftentimes the maintenance is done by contract, not be soldiers. They don't even need to stage them at military bases.
Spoke with a young Guardsman the other day. He’s Bradley mechanic and they are phasing out the Bradley. He said he and the other Bradley Mechs were being moved to the infantry.
“The helicopter units might be useful for rescue: think LA & Maui fires, NC flooding, Texas flooding and Florida barrier island access.”
I was thinking useful for interrogating Antifa protesters.
Fallout from the investigation of the fatal crash is my guess.
They may not be thinking this through properly - have seen too many bone-headed personnel moves made by bean-counter managers vice real aviation people.
Once you've axed them, there is really no way back.
Yep, helicopter mechanics are a very specialized skill. You don’t become proficient in a few weeks. It takes years.
How would A10s do against Iranian massed speedboat attacks?
That would suck.
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