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United States Army: Operation Atlantic Resolve
 
Latest update: May 2024
 
Operation Atlantic Resolve
 
In June 2014, the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) came into effect after a visit by President Barack Obama to Poland. ERI funds Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR) which demonstrates the United States commitment to peace, security and stability in Europe by deploying assets (air, land and sea) on a rotational basis. Most of the deployments are focused on the central and eastern European (NATO) countries with the deploying units commanded by US European Command (USEUCOM).

In January / February 2017 the US Army deployed its first brigades - Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) and Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) to Europe in support of OAR. The ABCT and CAB rotations are nine months. About two months prior to the start of a new rotation the US Army announces the brigades who will deploy.

CAB's are shipped to a port in Europe (main contingents arrived in Belgium, France, Germany and The Netherlands with some helicopters shipped to Greece or airlifted to Germany). From there they fly to an air base for refuel and checks and then continue to their destinations in southern Germany where the brigades are headquartered. The Blackhawks are forward deployed to the Baltic countries, Poland and Romania.
 
OAR rotation: 1 - 5
 
Rotationno. Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3 Rotation 4 Rotation 5
Division 10th Mountain Division 1st Cavalry Division 4th Infantry Division 1st Infantry Division 3rd Infantry Division
Base Fort Drum, NY Fort Hood, TX Fort Carson, CO Fort Riley, KS Fort Stewart, GA
CAB 10th CAB 1st ACB 4th CAB 1st CAB 3rd CAB
Air Field Wheeler Sack Airfield Killeen-Hood Airfield Butts Airfield Marshall Airfield Hunter Army Airfield
Aircraft Feb '17 - Oct '17 Oct '17 - Jun '18 Jun '18 - Mar '19 Mar '19 - Nov '19 Nov '19 - Jul '20
AH-64D 24   24   20
AH-64E   24   20  
CH-47F 12 12 12 10 10
UH-60L/M 38 38 37 35 35
HH-60M 15 15 15 15 15
           
Total 89 89 88 80 80
           
Arrival Bremerhaven, Germany Zeebrugge, Belgium Rotterdam, Netherlands Zeebrugge, Belgium Zeebrugge, Belgium
          Volos, Greece
Departure Rotterdam, Netherlands Zeebrugge, Belgium Rotterdam, Netherlands Rotterdam, Netherlands Rotterdam, Netherlands
           
Comment, CAB First OAR rotation First OAR rotation First OAR rotation First OAR rotation First OAR rotation
 
Comment(s):

The helicopter numbers are specified in the press releases. Blackhawk numbers are not split between the UH-60L, UH-60M and HH-60M versions. The "Dustoff" General Support Aviation Battalions are assigned 15 helicopters, the UH-60L companies have eight Blackhawks assigned with the remainder being the UH-60M's.

10th CAB deployed to Europe with AH-64Ds assigned to 1-501 AVN assigned to 1st AD, Combat Aviation Brigade stationed at Fort Bliss, TX. Biggs AAF, TX.
 
OAR rotation: 6 - 10
 
Rotationno. Rotation 6 Rotation 7 Rotation 8 Rotation 9 Rotation 10
Division 101st Airborne Division 1st Infantry Division 1st Cavalry Division 1st Armored Division 3rd Infantry Division
Base Fort Cambell, KY Fort Riley, KS Fort Hood, TX Fort Bliss, TX Fort Stewart, GA
CAB 101st CAB 1st CAB 1st ACB 1 AD, CAB 3rd CAB
Air Field Campbell AAF Marshall Airfield Killeen-Hood Airfield Biggs AAF Hunter Army Airfield
Aircraft Jul '20 - Apr '21 Apr '21 - Dec '21 Dec '21 - Aug '22 Aug '22 - May '23 May '23 -  Feb '24
AH-64D          
AH-64E 25 25 24 25  
CH-47F 4 10 12 10  
UH-60L/M 35 35 35 40  
HH-60M 15 15 15 15  
           
Total 79 85 86 90 0
           
Arrival La Rochelle, France Dunkirk, France Vlissingen, Netherlands Esbjerg, Denmark TBC
  Alexandroupoli, Greece Alexandroupoli, Greece Alexandroupoli, Greece Alexandroupoli, Greece  
Departure Rotterdam, Netherlands Vlissingen, Netherlands Bremerhaven, Germany To be announced TBC
    Alexandroupoli, Greece Alexandroupoli, Greece To be announced  
Comment, CAB First OAR rotation Second OAR rotation Second OAR rotation First OAR rotation Second OAR rotation
 
Comment(s):

The helicopter numbers are specified in the press releases. These don't divide the Blackhawk numbers between the UH-60L/M and HH-60M (Medevac) versions. Divided between the Blackhawk version the General Support Aviation Battalion company equipped with the HH-60M operates 15 helicopters. The other two UH-60 versions are roughly split between UH-60L (eight) and UH-60M (27 - 30).

101st CAB was reinforced by five CH-47F Chinooks assigned to Det 1. B/1-168 GSAB OR ARNG stationed at Pendleton Eastern Oregon RAP.
 
OAR rotation: 11 - 15
 
Rotationno. Rotation 11 Rotation 12 Rotation 13 Rotation 14 Rotation 15
Division 1st Infantry Division 1st Cavalry Division      
Base Fort Riley, KS Fort Hood, TX      
CAB 1st CAB 1st ACB      
Air Field Marshall Airfield Killeen-Hood Airfield      
Aircraft Nov '23 - Aug '24 Aug '24 - May '25      
AH-64D          
AH-64E 25        
CH-47F 4        
UH-60L/M 35        
HH-60M 15        
           
Total 79 0 0 0 0
           
Arrival Vlissingen, Netherlands Belgium?      
  Alexandroupoli, Greece        
Departure Belgium?        
           
Comment, CAB Third OAR rotation Third OAR rotation      
 
Comment(s):

 
US Army CAB structure
ACB: Air Cavalry Brigade
CAB: Combat Aviation Brigade.

The ACB and CAB's are composed of an Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB), General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB) and an Attack Reconnaissance Squadron (ARS) within an Cavalry Regiment (CAV). Each Battalion has three companies assigned.

Note: Except the flying companies an Headquarters and Headquarters Company (H&HC), Aviation Support Battalion (ASB)and maintenance companies are assigned to the CAB and/or Battalions.

The US Army has used below ports to rotate its CAB's to and from Europe.

Belgium: port of Zeebrugge, Chievre Air Base.
Denmark: port of Esbjerg.
France: ports of Dunkirk and La Rochelle.
Germany: port Bremerhaven.
Netherlands: port of Rotterdam, Eindhoven Air Base.
Greece: port of Alexandroupoli and Volos.

Details of the Combat Aviation Brigades can be found at the US Army section.
 
Rotation 01: 10th CAB - 2017 Rotation 03: 4th CAB - 2018 Rotation 04: 1st CAB - 2019
     
Rotation 05: 3rd CAB - 2019 Rotation 06: 101st CAB - 2020   Rotation 07: 1st CAB - 2021
 
     
Rotation 08: 1st ACB - 2021 Rotation 09: 1 AD, CAB Rotation 10: 3rd CAB
   
     
Rotation 11: 1st CAB Rotation 12: 1st ACB