MORRISVILLE, N.C. — Soldiers assigned to the 449th Combat Aviation Brigade conducted annual training across North Carolina from April to June, strengthening aviation capabilities and improving readiness for future state and federal missions.
The training focused on realistic, mission-essential tasks that challenged Soldiers to operate away from their home stations, sustain aviation operations and maintain command and control in remote environments.
Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 130th Attack Battalion, trained with the AH-64E Version 6 Apache helicopter. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 130th Airfield Operations Battalion, focused on air traffic control and remote site operations.
"The primary training objectives during our 2026 annual training were expeditionary deployment operations, aerial gunnery qualification, Forward Arming and Refueling Point operations, and dispersed mission command and sustainment operations," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. C. Warren Green, 1st Battalion, 130th Attack Battalion commander.
During the training, 15 AH-64E crews qualified on Table VI gunnery, six crews qualified on platoon-level Table IX gunnery, 1,700 maintenance hours were completed with a 90% fully mission capable rate, and 22,000 miles were logged on tactical vehicles. These efforts helped the battalion sustain operations while operating away from its home station.
“All primary training focuses on Department of War missions and tasks,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jack Potvin, 2nd Battalion, 130th Airfield Operations Battalion commander. “Whether its aircrew members flying aircraft to conduct air assault, air movement, cargo or supply deliveries and even medical transportation and medical resupply on the battlefield.”
The battalions trained through realistic scenarios designed to build those skills under challenging conditions. The added complexity helped Soldiers improve communication and information sharing.
"This year we expanded training for our Tactical Terminal Control System team by providing missions at off-site locations," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jack Potvin, 2nd Battalion, 130th Airfield Operations Battalion commander. "Remote locations gave Soldiers opportunities to work through communication challenges and information sharing."
The training environment mirrored conditions Soldiers may face during real-world missions, including limited resources, dispersed operations and greater distance from support elements. The skills practiced during annual training support both federal warfighting requirements and state response missions.
"This annual training was different because we focused on operating in an environment away from our home station,” said Green. “Operating as a cohesive unit in austere environments increases our readiness and ability to continue building a lethal force capable of deploying, fighting, and sustaining itself anywhere in the world.”