Air Cavalry may dominate future land warfare.  Unfortunately, the US Army has focused only on larger, more expensive, and more powerful attack helicopters.  Meanwhile, civilian aviation has developed tiny helicopters like the ASI Ultrasport 496 that cost just $50,000. This type of aircraft is key to future warfare.

     The US Army only has AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.  They are very capable, but require extensive logistical support.  Moreover, they are limited in numbers and very expensive to maintain and replace.  While costly stealth technologies help protect them from distant anti-air systems, thousands of helicopters have been shot down while unknowingly flying near well-armed infantrymen.  Fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq seriously damaged several "armored" Apaches while a dozen have been shot down. 

     The US Army can leap into the future by using tiny helicopters as the core of true air cavalry brigades.  Today's air cavalry in the 101st Air Assault Division fight like soldiers riding in stagecoaches, i.e. Blackhawk helicopters. They are vulnerable while airborne and must dismount to fight.  If the Army provides each soldier with his own Pegasus winged horse, air cavalry will rule the open battlefield.  A modern air cavalry brigade will have 300 of these tiny  helicopters, which will attack like a swarm of hornets piloted by enlisted troopers with no co-pilot.  Cavalry battalions (squadrons) will develop formations and tactics to coordinate dozens of attacking helicopters.  Each helicopter will carry one pilot who also operates one of these four weapons' packages:

- .50 caliber heavy machine gun

- two Hellfire missiles with a laser designator, or two 70mm FFAR rocket pods, or one of each

- 7.62mm electric rapid-fire gatling gun

- Mk-19 40mm grenade machine gun

     These packages are interchangeable so the brigade can tailor its firepower to match its opponents.  Close-in fighting will be done by tiny "disposable" helicopters like the Ultrasport 496, fighting in large groups like the larger "Little Birds" shown above.  Hundreds can swarm in and destroy a large heavy armored unit in minutes, and gun down infantrymen in the open.  A small, agile helicopter with little heat signature will be difficult to hit.  Most importantly, these helicopters cost less than some spare parts for today's big Apache attack helos.  Medics will fly their own helicopters and land to treat and possibly evacuate wounded.  It may take years for the Army to develop tactics to coordinate hundreds of helicopters swarming onto an enemy force from all directions.  Of course a soldier flying an unarmored helicopter around the battlefield is vulnerable, but less vulnerable than a soldier running across a field with 40 pounds of gear.

   - Headquarters & Service battalion 

   - 4 x Cavalry battalions - each with 74 cavalrymen mounted on 74 tiny helicopter horses

   - Aviation Artillery battalion - 16 AH-64 Apaches, 8 RAH-60

   - Aviation Support battalion - 6 CH-60Q, 6 EH-60, 12 CH-60M

     The four cavalry battalions with almost 300 tiny helos will engage the enemy up close, while Apaches overwatch from a safe distance and engage targets of opportunity.  The great mobility of true Air Cav allows it to quickly concentrate effort.  In a typical brigade operation, the air cav battalions charge an armored brigade from all directions.  The Hellfire-equipped horses select targets and slow around 2000 meters away to engage, while the gatling horses fly closer with evasive maneuvers to draw and exchange gunfire.  One battalion consisting of 7.62mm gatling horses and .50 cal heavy machine gun horses charge from the rear strafing the entire unit.  They will take and inflict heavy casualties, while the shock of their charge panics those hiding in armored coffins below and distracts anti-aircraft gunners from the large and deadly AH-64s firing from thousands of meters away.

      Meanwhile, the Hellfire horses, backed by Apaches, guide their missiles to devastate the paralyzed armored force, while RAH-60 "Gunhawks" appear high overhead to saturate the area with direct downward fire.  If enemy air defenses are formidable, the RAH-60s may fire Hellfire-size rockets from a safe distance to saturate the area just prior to the attack.  As enemy soldiers abandon their vehicles, the gatling horses move in for a turkey shoot.  The CH-60Ms will control operations from a safe distance while supporting EH-60s jam and fire Sidearm missiles at enemy radar.  Medics will land their tiny helos and dash on foot to help downed troopers.  They may evacuate walking wounded themselves or stabilize the seriously wounded until a CH-60Q Medevacs arrive after the fighting has slowed. CH-60Ms may help medevac or external sling damaged horses back to base.

     This will not result is a clean victory because a capable enemy will shoot down 50 cavalrymen before their 200 armored vehicles are destroyed.  However, 50 casualties and 50 cheap helicopters is a small price to instantly destroy a 4000-man armored brigade.  After the enemy is mostly destroyed, the Air Cav brigade can return to base and rearm for another engagement.  Most opponents will surrender, but some fanatical units may put up a fight.  In such cases, the Air Cav may ask that an armor or infantry unit take over the nasty task of mopping up.

      This true air cavalry brigade will require only about 3000 soldiers, 400 of whom will be pilots.  This is not a futuristic concept, all the equipment is available today, and the 74 light attack horses in each battalion will cost less than one Apache helicopter.  Its time to give each cavalryman his own flying horse and charge into the 21st Century.