text: Chapter 11
  LOCATION OF LANDING ZONES
  11-3. The AATF plans to land on or near the objective when the assault force is able maximize combat
  power in the landing zone to rapidly eliminate enemy forces, immediately seize objectives, and rapidly
  consolidateforsubsequentoperations.Considerationsforlandingonorneartheobjectiveinclude—
  (cid:122) Airassaulttaskforceisassigned a terrain-orientedmission.
  (cid:122) Commanderhasaccurateup-to-dateintelligenceontheenemy.
  (cid:122) Commanderhasaccurateintelligenceonterrain(especiallylandingzones),weatherisfavorable,
  andsuitablelandingzonesareavailableonorneartheobjective.
  (cid:122) Shapingoperationshavesetconditionsforairassaultexecution.
  (cid:122) Timeinwhichtoaccomplishtheoverallmissionislimited.
  (cid:122) CivilianpopulationisknowntobesupportiveofU.S.presenceintheareaofoperation.
  11-4. When adequate combat power cannot be introduced quickly into the objective area, the air assault
  force lands away from the objective to build up combat power and then assaults to seize objectives.
  Considerationsforlandingawayfromtheobjectiveinclude—
  (cid:122) Airassaulttaskforceisassignedanenemy-orientedmission.
  (cid:122) Commanderhasincompleteorunknownintelligenceontheenemy.
  (cid:122) Commander has incomplete information on terrain (especially landing zones), weather is not
  favorable,ornosuitablelandingzonesareavailableneartheobjective.
  (cid:122) Shaping operations have not set conditions for air assault execution or conditions cannot be
  verified.
  (cid:122) Timeisavailableuponlandinginthelandingzonetodevelopthesituation.
  (cid:122) Civilianpopulationisunknownorhostileto U.S.presenceintheareaofoperation.
  NUMBER OF LANDING ZONES
  11-5. TheAATFCdecideswhethertouse a single landingzoneormultiplelandingzones. A largenumber
  oflandingzones foranair assaultincreasesthe tacticalrisk and complexityofthe operationas wellasthe
  difficulty of setting conditions at each landing zone before landing. The AATFC should plan for one
  primary landing zone and one alternate landing zone according to the maneuver force regardless of
  proximity to the objective. He should plan for more than one primary and one alternate landing zone
  according to maneuver force only after careful analysis of the mission variables to determine if sufficient
  forcesareavailabletoconductshapingoperationsateachlandingzone.
  11-6. Using a singlelandingzone—
  (cid:122) Requireslessplanningandrehearsaltime.
  (cid:122) Allowsconcentrationofcombatpowerinonelocation.
  (cid:122) Facilitatescontroloftheoperation.
  (cid:122) Concentratessupportingfiresinandaroundthe landingzone.
  (cid:122) Requiresfewerattackhelicoptersforsecurity.
  (cid:122) Providesbettersecurityforsubsequentlifts.
  (cid:122) Reducesthe numberofairroutesintheobjectivearea,making itmoredifficult fortheenemyto
  detecttheairassaultoperation.
  (cid:122) Centralizesrequiredresupplyoperations.
  11-7. Usingmultiplelandingzones—
  (cid:122) Avoids grouping units in one location, which creates a lucrative target for enemy mortars,
  artillery,andcloseairsupport.
  (cid:122) Allowsrapiddispersalofgroundelementstoaccomplishtasksinseparateareas.
  (cid:122) Reducestheenemy’sabilitytodetectandreacttotheinitiallift.
  (cid:122) Forcestheenemytofightinmorethanonedirection.
  (cid:122) Reducesthepossibilityoftroopcongestioninone landingzone.