This renowned aviation unit is home to the Army’s most elite helicopter pilots. Special Recon, Direct Action. This initial entry course lasts five weeks for enlisted soldiers and between 20 to 28 weeks for officers. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) or 160th SOAR (A) (Night Stalkers) , is a military unit specialized in providing aviation support to Army special operation forces. Each battalion also has a strategic composition of light, medium, and heavy helicopters, all highly modified in designed to meet the unit's unique mission requirements. With its larger payload, range, and higher operating speed, one Chinook can replace up to five MH-60s in this role as an air assault transport. They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision. It consists of three battalions, two white and one “black” (for classified missions). Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice. is located at Fort Lewis, Wash. The 160th SOAR provides unparalleled precision rotary wing special operations, ISR, and expertise to all DoD Special Operations Forces. Because special operations usually require specialized equipment, the Night Stalkers fly modified versions of U.S. Army helicopters. The Night Stalkers hide under the cover of darkness in order to avoid being detected by the enemy. Documents (72 pages) were located. Since that time, the unit has grown in size and participated in numerous combat related engagements. Crew: 3; pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer, Capacity: 33-55 troops or 28,000 pounds of cargo. 1st Battalion (1/160th SOAR (A)) Fort Campbell, KY 3.1. … When the new arrival joins their operational unit they are considered Basic Mission Qualified. Upon selection, commissioned and warrant officers and enlisted Soldiers complete respective Basic Mission Qualification courses, known as Green Platoon, which are facilitated by the Special Operations Aviation Training Company. They continue to fly in support of Delta, Navy SEAL and CIA missions against Taliban insurgents. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is an element of U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (ARSOAC), itself part of United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne)(USASOC(A)), a component of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Special operations usually require aircraft with special capabilities. Because of the nature of its mission, the 160th recruits women only for staff positions. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at night, at … And, if you want to be a part of a generally top-notch team, then 160th SOAR — AKA the “Night Stalkers” — checks the box. This engagement resulted in the downing of two MH-60 Blackhawks and became the subject of the book and film entitled Blackhawk Down. The aircraft can perform a variety of other missions including shipboard, platform, urban, water, parachute, forward arming and refueling point (FARP), mass casualty, and combat search and rescue. These aircraft are the MH-47G Chinook, the MH-60M Black Hawk and the MH/AH-6M Little Bird. Robinson tells the story of the Special Forces through the eyes of a few of its more colorful personalities, men with call signs like Rawhide and Killer. The newest generation combat suit is being shown at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference and Exhibition (SOFIC) at... 308th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen perform a military freefall from the back of an HC-130P/N Combat King aircraft. They are called upon to perform the toughest duties in the armed forces, and their actions directly affect the protection of America's freedom. The aircraft’s external stub wings have been modified to mount 7.62mm mini guns or 30mm cannon, 2.75 inch aerial rocket pods and precision guided munitions such as the Hellfire missile. This mission was canceled when the hostages were released in January 1981. Luttrell fought valiantly beside his teammates until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all … She follows them around the world from Panama and El Salvador to Somalia, Kosovo, and, finally, Afghanistan and Iraq. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice. They undergo the toughest flying conditions while training. 160TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION REGIMENT (SOAR) The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) is the designated aviation unit for Special Operations. The regiment then became an airborne unit in October 1986 and was re-designated the 160th Special Operations Aviation Group (Airborne). The aircraft are unique to the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Now, the XVIII Airborne Wants In, Air Force Unveils Design of New PT Uniforms, Paratroopers in Alaska Are Wearing Wrist Sensors to Track Their Stress Levels, Why It's Going to Be Much Harder to Make Expert Under the Marines' New Rifle Qual Standard, One Shot, One Kill: Marines Begin Fielding New Precision Rifle Optic, Sig Sauer Faces $10 Million Lawsuit over P320 Pistol After Alleged Accidental Discharge Wounds Federal Agent, Sig Sauer Delivers Final Next-Generation Squad Weapon Prototypes to Army. If you're looking to become a Navy SEAL one day, get in top shape with these 10 tips from SEAL and fitness guru Stew Smith. It was an open secret that groups were deployed probably operating in the western desert against Saddam’s forces and the Scud missile threat. The unit was detached from the 101st and re-designated the 160th Aviation Battalion on October 16, 1981. October 11, 2018 Helicopters, Special Operations. The officer corps of the regiment is made up entirely of volunteers. Keith Lucas, … Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive. This extensive, realistic training is the foundation of unit combat readiness. Today, Night Stalkers continue to develop and employ new technology and tactics, techniques and procedures for the battlefield. Night Stalkers are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with world-class precision. After another three to five years, the Night Stalker is eligible to be considered for the designation of flight leader. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and warfighting commanders. The 160th was the spearhead of the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Army historians consider the 281st to be the legacy unit for today's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR(A). The pilots of SOAR are the best in the World. special operations forces on the ground need close air support, they call upon the 160th SOAR’s MH-60L DAPs (Direct Action Penetrator). The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as the 160th SOAR (A) and also known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. Using the latest night-vision technology and tactics that allow them to fly low-level, the 160th SOAR specializes in delivering special operations forces safely into some of the most dangerous places in the world, whether in an enemy’s backyard or a high altitude mountain hideout. Special Operations Command (SOCOM): Overview, Behold the Python that Won a Purple Heart, Indonesian Navy Special Forces Divers Find Debris from Crashed Jet, Next-Gen Combat Suit Shown at Special Operations Exhibition (SOFIC), Trigger Finger Mittens on Marine Corps Cold Weather 'Snivel Gear' Wish List, Army Awards $50 Million Contract for New Special Operations Sniper Rifle, Goodbye, Tiger Stripe: Air Force Adopts OCP Uniform for Mandatory Wear, Autonomous Drones Proved Themselves in Army Ammo Resupply Tests. The regiment consists of: Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC) each have two MH-47 Chinook helicopter companies and one MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter company. Mathew Syktich. Known as Night Stalkers, these Soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations. This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, US Navy SEAL Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. The book also covers operations such as the spectacular rescue of POW Private Lynch and the secret operations to target Saddam and other leaders of his regime of terror. In 1986, the unit was re-designated as the 160th Aviation Group (Airborne). But his gritty firsthand account is packed with detail: from the slow ballet of “scoping roof tops and alley corners,” the excruciating tension of disarming IEDs and the frenetic choreography of urban combat to the children who are never far away and are always quick with a smile, a wave and an enthusiastic “Amerikee!” Several impressive accounts of the second Iraq War have appeared already from embedded journalists, but few are as personal and edgy as Tucker’s. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and ground force commanders. Known as Night Stalkers, these Soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations. His conversations with troopers are refreshingly authentic; his analysis of the politics of Iraq tends toward open advocacy for the Kurds and a separate state of Kurdistan. Soldiers of the 160th pioneered the Army's nighttime flying techniques. Headquarters & Headquarters Company(HHC) 2. They initially flew in support of the Northern Alliance in the overthrow of the Taliban. The 160th flew missions supporting U.S. and British Special Forces during the Tora Bora operation to capture Osama Bin Laden. (Tucker is the author of Hell Is Over: Voices of the Kurds After Saddam.) The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), also known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. I was an officer in the 101st Airborne Division and attended Division meetings in the 1982-84 time frame. Regiment Simulation NCOIC at 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) Greater Clarksville Area. The DAP acts as an attack helicopter providing area suppression or pin point attacks due to its laser designator. The regiment consists of: 1. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment's mission is to organize, equip, train, resource, and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. JSOC has an operational relationship with the CIA's Special Activities Center (SAC). Known as the “Night Stalkers” for their skills flying with night-vision and infrared devices, the pilots and crews of this elite unit excel in navigating through enemy territory, at very low altitude flying “nap-of-the-earth” and often in foul weather. In Iraq, as journalist Linda Robinson explains in Masters of Chaos: The Secret History of the Special Forces, Special Forces units were the main U.S. elements on the ground in the northern and western regions of the country, where they defeated government forces that outnumbered them many times over. The 160th SOAR (A) is a subordinate component of the US Army’s Special Operations Aviation Command. Lt. Michael P. Murphy led the team of PO2 Luttrell, PO2 Dietz and PO2 Axelso. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is widely considered to be the best unit of its kind in the world. Currently, 1st Bn. As a result of that failed attempt, the Holloway Commission, chaired by the former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James L. Holloway, mandated a re-organization of the nation’s special operations capabilities, placed emphasis on interoperability, and focused on establishing a dedicated Special Operations Aviation force. Known as the “Night Stalkers” for their skills flying with night-vision and infrared devices, the pilots and crews of this elite unit excel in navigating through enemy territory, at very low altitude flying “na… Each battalion also has a Headquarters and Headquarters Company and a maintenance company. These three highly advanced helicopters give the 160th SOAR the ability to support ongoing, often clandestine, missions in Afghanistan. has one AH-6 Little Bird helicopter company, one MH-6 Little Bird helicopter company and three companies of MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters; 2nd Bn. Originally created as Task Force 160, the unit was formed from Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. Special Operation Aviation Training Company(SOATC) 3. The majority of the regimental assets are stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY. Known to recruit only the best pilots the US Army has to offer to fly its MH-60 Black Hawks, MH-6 Little Birds and MH-47 Chinooks, the 160th routinely flies in support of America's most elite troops — Green Berets, Delta Force operators, Army Rangers, and the like. The modern day 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) was officially activated in June 1990. The MH-60M and MH/AH-6M have weapon system capabilities not found in regular aviation units. The SOAR has served in almost every U.S. conflict around the world, conducting critical missions, sensitive in nature, and often classified. Using special mission equipment and night vision devices, MH-47 aircrews can operate in hostile mission environments over all types of terrain at low altitudes during periods of low visibility and low ambient lighting conditions with pinpoint navigation accuracy. Units from the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment are controlled by JSOC when deployed as part of JSOC Task Forces such as Task Force 121 and Task Force 145. Jeff Tomaselli. The professionalism and capabilities of Army special operations aviation are developed through a "train as you fight" mentality. During 1987 and 1988, the Night Stalkers flew in support of the mission to protect re-flagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Changes to Special Ops Firing Ranges Appear to Reduce Lead Levels in Soldiers, Study Shows, Fort Sill Army Trainers Suspended Amid Allegations of Trainee's Sexual Assault, Top 10 Things You Need to Know Before Going to BUD/S. The unit became known as the "Night Stalkers" because of its capability to strike undetected during the hours of darkness and its unprecedented combat successes. To become Fully Mission Qualified, the individual soldier must pass a series of test qualifications, gain the requisite experience and demonstrate superior leadership characteristics. An MH-47G Chinook helicopter from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment hovers above a group of US Air Force Special Tactics Operators conducting fast-rope training as part of the Special Tactics Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fl., February 19, 2020. The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. Regiment reorganization modifying the 160th fleet composition was approved in October 2007 and will be implemented over the next several years. The 160th SOAR is comprised of a headquarters company, a special operations training company and four aviation battalions. … The MH-60L does not carry troops. Soldiers of the 160th have been actively and continuously engaged in the combat operations since October 2001. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) is an Air-Cavalry unit in the United States Army.1 Nicknamed the "Night Stalkers", the Regiment has served with distinction in conflicts from the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, to Operation Neptune's Spear in 2011 which killed Osama bin Laden. Are you one of them? The modern day 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) was officially activated in June 1990. Members of this unit are three-time volunteers: for the Army, for airborne training, and for the regiment. These are thrilling tales of incredible daring and endurance told by men whose courage and military skills are inspiring. 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