Arctic Aviation Command
About the Command
The 11th Airborne Division’s Arctic Aviation Command (AAC) provides command and control, risk management, and training oversight for all aviation elements assigned to the 11th Airborne Division in extreme cold weather, mountainous, and high latitude environments. In 2022, USARPAC redesignated the United Stated Army Alaska Headquarters as the 11th Airborne Division (Arctic). The subsequent activation of the Arctic Aviation Command on 8 AUG 2024 at Fort Wainwright aligned all Alaska-based, active-duty aviation units under a single O-6 CSL Command permanently assigned to 11th Airborne Division, the “Arctic Angels.” The following units are permanently assigned to the AAC: Arctic Aviation Command Company (Headquarters and Headquarters Company, AAC); 1-25 Aviation Regiment (Attack Battalion); 1-52 Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion); Company D, 25th Aviation Regiment (Gray Eagle); and 343d Aviation Support Detachment (Maintenance). In total, approximately 1,200 personnel are assigned to the AAC.
The AAC achieved Full Operational Capacity (FOC) as a brigade-level headquarters on 30 SEP 2024 IAW HQDA, USARPAC, and I Corps orders. Although the AAC Headquarters is a TDA organization, it participates in a wide array of missions including an annual CTC rotation at JMPRC-AK, Warfighter Exercises, and OPERATION PATHWAYS, deploying to locations throughout Alaska, the Arctic, and the USINDOPACOM AOR. The AAC “Wings of the Arctic” vision is: “We will empower and develop leaders of the 11th Airborne Division’s Arctic Aviation Command through the principles of Mission Command in the toughest environment in the world to fight and win for our Division, our Army, and our Nation.”
History of the Command
The Arctic Aviation Command was activated on 08 AUG 2024. Activation of the 11th Airborne Division’s Arctic Aviation Command (AAC) is a continuation of the rich history of rotary wing aviation in Alaska. The lineage of US Army Aviation Headquarters supporting ground forces in Alaska and the Arctic includes United States Army Alaska (USARAL) Aviation Battalion, 19th Aviation Battalion, 222nd Aviation Battalion (Combat), 6th Infantry Division (Light) Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), 4-123rd Aviation Battalion (Assault), Task Force 49, 16th CAB, and USARAK Aviation Task Force (UATF).
In 1958, the first helicopter unit assigned to USARAL, the 80th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter), arrived from Fort Riley, Kansas with CH-21 “Shawnee” aircraft. In 1961, the Air Force transferred possession of Ladd Air Force Base to the Army; it was renamed Ft. Wainwright with the airfield redesignated Ladd Army Airfield. That same year, the USARAL Aviation Battalion was activated with the addition of the 65th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) stationed at Ft. Wainwright. This provided USARAL with two helicopter companies in addition to U-1A (Otter) fixed wing capabilities. In 1964, the USARAL Aviation Battalion was deactivated, and its assets utilized to establish the 19th Aviation Battalion, which was geographically divided, with half of the unit stationed north of the Alaska Range at Fort Wainwright, and the remainder stationed south of the Alaska Range at Bryant Army Airfield on Fort Richardson. From 1969-1971, all CH-21 aircraft were replaced by CH-47 “Chinook” helicopters. Meanwhile, UH-1 “Huey”, CH-54 “Skycrane”, OH-58 “Kiowa”, and AH-1 “Cobra” helicopters were added to the fleet. In 1972, the 19th Aviation Battalion was deactivated and its aircraft transferred to the 222nd Aviation Battalion, a unit relocated to Alaska following the Vietnam War. Between 1972 and 1986, 222nd Aviation Battalion served as the Theater Aviation Battalion for 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate).
In 1986, 4-123rd Aviation Regiment (Assault) was reorganized and assigned to the Combat Aviation Brigade, 6th Infantry Division (Light) (6ID(L)), at Ft. Wainwright from elements of the 222nd Aviation Battalion. Under a 1994 reorganization, 4-123rd Aviation was assigned to the newly the formed Arctic Support Brigade and consisted of a Headquarters Company, B Company (CH-47), D Company (UH-60), C-123rd Aviation Support Company (AVIM), and 68th Medical Company (UH-60). In 1998, the Arctic Support Brigade was deactivated and 4-123rd remained under USARAK as a standalone Theater Aviation Battalion.
In 2005, while 4-123rd was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Task Force 49 (TF 49), a brigade-level Aviation Task Force named after the 49th State and the immediate predecessor to 16th CAB, was established at Ft. Wainwright. Upon redeployment from OIF in 2006, and as part of Army-wide Transformation, 4-123rd Aviation was deactivated and reorganized under TF 49 along with elements from 1-52nd Aviation Regiment moving from South Korea to form 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB). The same year, 6-17th Cavalry Regiment departed 25th Infantry Division (25th ID) in Hawaii and was restationed with itsOH-58 “Kiowa” helicopters to Ft. Wainwright, joining 1-52nd GSAB under TF 49. TF 49 now consisted of 1-52nd GSAB, 6-17th Cav, D-123nd Assault Company (UH-60), C-123rd ASC (AVIM), and elements from the 209th Aviation Support Battalion, 25th ID.
In 2007, HHC, Task Force 49, was restructured as a medium CAB headquarters and deployed along with several of its aviation units in support of OIF over the subsequent three years. While deployed in Theater, TF 49 Headquarters assumed the role of Multi-National Corps-Iraq Aviation brigade for 12 months.
In 2009, Task Force 49 was deactivated and used as a base organization for 16th CAB – a newly formed Army CAB – initially stationed in Alaska and subsequently restationed to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington, in 2011. While the brigade headquarters and elements of D/123 moved to JBLM, the split-based 16th CAB maintained a footprint in Alaska. As a result, UATF was established to provide command and control of aviation elements in Alaska, and to support the Soldiers of 1-52nd GSAB and 6-17th Cav stationed at Fort Wainwright. During the period from 2010-2011, 6-17th Cav deployed for 12 months in support of OIF.
UATF subsequently supported deployments of 1-52nd GSAB and 6-17th Cav to Afghanistan and Korea in 2014-2015. In 2015, as part of the Aviation Restructuring Initiative, 6-17th Cav was deactivated, and the 1-25th Attack Battalion (AB) was activated, bringing the AH-64 “Apache” to Alaska, along with the D-25 MQ-1C “Gray Eagle” company. Maintenance support for the two Aviation battalions was provided by slices from the 343rd AVIM Company and B Detachment, 209th ASB. 1-52th GSAB and 1-25th AB remained assigned to 16th CAB and 25th CAB in Washington and Hawaii, respectively, and attached to USARAK. In 2017, 1-52nd GSAB deployed again to Afghanistan, and in 2018 1-25th AB deployed as the rotational Heavy Attack Reconnaissance Squadron (HARS) to the Korean Peninsula.
In 2018, UATF was deactivated, with no replacement brigade-level Aviation organization remaining in Alaska. In 2022, USARAK headquarters was redesignated as the 11th Airborne Division (Arctic). 11th AAC was activated in August 2024; this aligns all active-duty Aviation units stationed in Alaska under a single Aviation brigade headquarters assigned to the Army’s newest war-fighting Division, the Arctic Angels.
“Wings of the Arctic! Above the Angels!”