FORT DRUM, N.Y. (WWTI/WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Soldiers will be conducting air-assault training around Fort Drum and Utica this week.
Beginning in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 31, the 10th Mountain Division will conduct air-assault training in the vicinity of Fort Drum and the Griffiss International Airport in Rome, according to Fort Drum Public Affairs.
An air assault is the movement of a ground-based military force by a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, such as a helicopter, to seize and hold key terrain, Public Affairs explained.
During this specific training, over 20 UH-60 Black Hawks and four AH-74 Apache helicopters will fly between Fort Drum and Utica.
The public can expect to see high densities of these helicopters between the two locations. The crews are expected to make multiple landings at each location, officials said.
“Training air-assault exercises like this are extremely important for the preparation of our wartime mission,” 10th Combat Aviation Brigade Executive Officer Major Derek P. Brown, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade said in the press release. “Flying from Fort Drum to Griffiss International Airport allows us to increase flight distances and training complexity to better model real-world scenarios.”
According to Public Affairs, the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team and 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment will conduct the training.
This training will begin around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31 and end around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 1.