US Naval Aviation - Introduction to Naval Aviation - Chapter 9: Tactics and Flight Operations

US Navy: Naval Aviation Doctrine: Introduction to Naval Aviation, 1946 - Support Aircraft

INTRODUCTION TO NAVAL AVIATION - RESTRICTED - ISSUED BY AVIATION TRAINING DIVISION OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS U. S. NAVY. * JANUARY 1946 * OPNAV 33-NY-85; Chapter IX. Tactics and Flight Operations.

6. SUPPORT AIRCRAFT

Naval amphibious operations, aptly called "combined operations" in British military terminology, are the coordinated and timed use of land, sea, and air power in effecting a landing from the sea on enemy-held territory.

Amphibious landings are not new to history. But prior to World War II they were almost exclusively the province of the foot soldier and the supporting naval surface force. The Germans, in the Norwegian campaign, demonstrated the value of a third and new factor - the aircraft pilot. The use of air power in U. S. Navy operations started with the first amphibious landing at Guadalcanal in 1942. Since then, through successive landings from the southwestern Pacific islands to the Japanese homeland, the complex doctrine of close air support of ground troops was evolved to its present effective and masterly form.

There is a fundamental difference in the command problem for land and naval forces participating in an amphibious operation. The land commander enjoys a certain amount of leeway in time for improvising solutions to his military problems, with each unit down to the platoon capable of independent action. A naval commander, on the other hand, must make his decision and require instant response by all units under his command. The moment for victory or tactical advantage comes only at a given point in time because of the speed and mobility of opposing forces.

Air support of amphibious operation

In all amphibious operations, three types of attack weapons are available for use:

1. Ground weapons (artillery)

2. Naval gunfire

3. Aviation

All three have the primary mission of supporting the landing and the ground troops, and of protecting friendly forces from enemy attack. Operations of all three will be concurrent. A high degree of coordination therefore becomes essential between the Landing Force Commander, the Naval Task Force Commander, and the Aircraft Commander.

The coordination and the over-all authority for the use of naval aircraft in joint land-sea operation rests in the Commander Air Support Control Unit (some-times known as Commander Support Aircraft). He provides close support aviation at the call of front-line ground commanders, and coordinates this air support with naval gunfire and ground artillery through liaison with the Landing Force Commander and the naval Task Force Commander.

The key to this coordination and instant dispatch of aircraft call missions is communications. They are the heart of effective air support doctrine, and the most important single factor in all air support tactics. Only through instant response to the demands of ground commanders can close support be effectively rendered, and a highly integrated network of voice and radio communications is the vehicle.

Functions and Procedures

Support aircraft have a dual mission - to protect the attacking force from enemy action and to support landing forces.

Support aircraft will include all aircraft on station over the expeditionary force and will include combat air patrol, antisubmarine patrol, hunter-killer planes for submarine attack, search planes, strike and troop support planes, smoke planes, photo-graphic planes, air-sea rescue planes, and liaison planes.

There are two tactical procedures for the employment of close ground support aircraft.

The first method retains aircraft on the carriers, or at base, in a condition of alert known as "on call," in which they are subject to call by the Commander Support Aircraft and are dispatched according to schedule or to a particular mission.

The second method is to have aircraft in flight "on station" in the vicinity of the combat area for use at once in conjunction with an airborne air coordinator. By this method, aircraft orbit over a rendezvous point, available for directions on call missions by the air coordinator. This system is the one generally employed on most amphibious operations because the time factor is reduced to a minimum.

Attack missions are aided through use of gridded charts, and ground signal panels, mortar smoke shells, or smoke rockets. By controlled use of chart coordinates, naval gunfire and artillery barrages may also be controlled in any particular sector if attacking aircraft are endangered.

While requests for air support over voice radio are monitored by all related commands and agencies, including regimental combat team and division commands ashore, front line requests from battalion landing team commanders are honored by the Commander Air Support Control Unit without approval of higher echelons. Requests may, however, be cancelled or modified by intervening monitors on the authority of higher command.

The effectiveness of naval support aircraft, however, depends on the emphasis placed on immediate response to the requests of front-line commanders, thus obviating the time consuming procedure of going through channels.

War command room of a close support command ship

In the period prior to the actual landing and during pre-landing "softening up" operations by fast battleships and carriers of fast carrier task forces, an Advance Commander Air Support Control Unit (ship-based) sometimes coordinates air strikes against enemy-held shore installations with naval gunfire. When the landing is made and the beachhead established, tactical command is assumed by Commander Air Support Control Unit, whose aircraft in large amphibious operations usually will be supplied by escort carrier forces.

Air Support Command Organization

The command of an amphibious operation customarily is centered in a joint expeditionary headquarters - usually a command ship offshore. The headquarters ship brings together the Attack Force Commander, usually the commander of the task force; the Landing Force Comander, in command of all ground forces; and the Commander Air Support Control Unit. who is in command of all aircraft on station over the operating area.

For coordination of the various forces, close liaison is established between the Commander Air Support Control Unit and his counterparts in charge of naval gunfire control and artillery control, as well as the respective liaison parties ashore.

Air Liaison party hits the beach with combat troops

Through a system of radio networks, all requests and coordination of air, land, and surface response passes through the headquarters ship and is assigned to the proper responding force - air support, naval gunfire, land artillery, or possibly all three.

Principal air support control circuits, each under an officer responsible to Commander Air Support Control Unit, are:

1. Support Aircraft Request (SAR). is used by the Commander Air Support Control Unit for communication with carriers, shore-based air liaison parties, and the air coordinator on station with aircraft groups.

2. Support aircraft direction (SAD). This is used by control air support missions, and links the CSA, air coordinator, and supporting aircraft.

3. Support aircraft observation (SAO). This is used by air observers in flight to report on the ground situation ashore.

4. Warning and fighter-director circuits. Various circuits are established for fighter direction administration, and to relay air and surface warnings to the various commanders and ships in the force.

Functioning of the air support organization starts with an air liaison party ashore and operates through a wide number of responses. A simplified operations diagram is illustrated, outlining the functions of air support control.

The units involveed in an operation are:

1. Air Liaison Party (ALP). This is the front line liaison unit attached to the battalion landing team under an Air Liaison Officer. At the request of the ground commander, support aircraft are requested by radio, specifying the type of air support desired. description and location of the target. time limit of the requested support, and location of friendly troops in respect to the target.

2. Commander Air Support Control Unit (CASCU). Weighs ALP request with artillery and naval gunfire control commanders, and, if the request is an air function, assigns it to aircraft on station over the operations area. He is assisted by his ACI officer and numerous net control officers and enlisted radiomen. His Force Fighter Director controls the Combat Air Patrol.

Air support command, CIC

3. Air Coordinator. This officer, a Naval Aviator, is in flight over the combat area. He is directly in control of aircraft on station and coordinates the support groups at the direction of the CASCU, or may work directly with the ALP in the target area for expediency. The Air Coordinator usually leads in the attackers and himself pin-points the target with machine gun fire or other suitable means. He is the "eyes" of the CASCU.

Fighter-Director officer

4. Air Observer. The air observer maintains a constant flow of information on the general situation ashore and reports likely targets. The Air Observer is regarded as the "eyes" of the ground forces.

5. Supporting planes. Planes report on station and operate directly under the command of the Commander Air Support Control Unit. They include:

(a) Support air groups

(b) Combat air patrol

(d) Air-sea rescue planes (Dumbos)

(e) Photographic reconnaissance planes

(f) Smoke planes

(g) Liaison planes

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