{"id":25044,"date":"2019-09-05T17:37:28","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T17:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/09\/05\/could-armored-cavalry-squadrons-be-home-for-the-future-attack-recon-helo\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:10:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:10:37","slug":"could-armored-cavalry-squadrons-be-home-for-the-future-attack-recon-helo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2019\/09\/05\/could-armored-cavalry-squadrons-be-home-for-the-future-attack-recon-helo\/","title":{"rendered":"What squadron will the future attack recon helo call home?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

UPDATE – This story has been updated to clarify statements made by Maj. Gen. Francis at the AUSA Aviation Hot Topic in response to a specific question posed by Defense News.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. Army aviation branch is considering whether the future attack reconnaissance aircraft \u2014 expected to be fielded in 2030 \u2014 would be housed in cavalry squadrons in lieu of attack reconnaissance squadrons, according to the Army Aviation Center of Excellence commander at Fort Rucker, Alabama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Army is looking at whether or not we have a requirement to build reconnaissance and security capabilities into the corps and division level and, if we do, I believe those would include aviation and that could mean FARA is included in those formations, but it is way too early to determine that.\u201d Maj. Gen. David Francis said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army previously used organic cavalry squadrons for reconnaissance and surveillance functions, Francis said at the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s Aviation Hot Topic forum on Sept. 5. The question now, he said, is \u201cdo we need that capability at those echelons, and, if so, how are we going to fill it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue is something the Army is now grappling with, although it\u2019s still \u201cat the very front end of that discussion right now across the Army,\u201d Francis said at the event, \u201cbut it is, in fact, an issue that is being pursued\u201d and is considered a high priority for Army leadership in terms of how the service will source new formations and how many are needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army last week held a reconnaissance and security summit in Fort Hood, Texas, that included all core commanders in the service and almost all of the division commanders \u2014 including some Army National Guard division commanders \u2014 to identify necessary future capabilities, and the organizational issue was brought up, according to Francis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will tell you also that every one of those discussions has a component of aviation in it. We don\u2019t think there will be a cavalry squadron that is not an air-ground element or organization as we move into the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the possible advent of two new helicopters \u2014 the future attack reconnaissance aircraft and the future long-range assault aircraft<\/a> \u2014 the Army must identify the types of formations that these aircraft will call home and from which they will carry out missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\t