text: Airborne Assault Planning
  seniorairfield authorityareintegratedasearlyaspossible intheplanningprocess.(Refer toFM 3-17.2 formore
  information.)
  PLANNINGANDASSESSMENT
  3-48. Planning for airfield opening begins at the strategic level where forces are assigned. Once
  employmentforcesareassignedbythejointtaskforce,moredetailedplanningisconductedincoordination
  with the entry force and USAF contingency response group— first-responder airfield opening units. As
  combatantcommandersidentifyairfieldsfor useanddirecttheirstaffstogeneratetheappropriateplans,the
  missions and aircraft for which the airfield will be opened are determined and airfield capabilities
  areassessed.
  3-49. Airfieldassessmentbeginswithairfieldopeningplanning,whichshouldbeginassoonasthemission
  is assigned. Many tools are available to planners to begin the airfield assessment prior to actual arrival at
  the field. After arriving at the airfield, the airfield assessment team verifies the information gained during
  pre-mission planning with assault forces, collects additional data, and provides a recommendation to the
  airfieldopeningforces.
  3-50. An airfield assessment should be accomplished rapidly to verify information and evaluate or obtain
  any items that were not pre-assessed. Assessments address areas such as runways, ramps, taxiways, force
  protection, communications, facilities, and provide a recommendation to appropriate decision makers on
  thesuitabilityoffutureairfieldoperations(fixed- orrotary-wing).
  OPERATIONANDTRANSITION
  3-51. Each contingency response group is scalable to meet specific tasking requirements. Primary
  capabilities/tasks include: airfield assessment, contingency response element command and control
  /port/quick-turn aircraft maintenance, force protection, intelligence, limited airfield security, airfield
  management and air traffic control, communications, fuels, medical, financial management, contracting,
  andsupply.
  3-52. Whentheresponsibilityforallor a partofanairfield changesfromone organizationtoanother,there
  is arequirementfor a detailedanddeliberatetransfer.Likely transitionstooccurduringthelifecycleof an
  airfieldare(cid:650)
  (cid:122) Fromairfieldseizuretoairfieldopening.
  (cid:122) Fromairfieldopeningtofollow-onorsustainment.
  (cid:122) Fromairfieldsustainmenttoclosureorturnovertothehostnation.
  SECTION IV – SHAPING OPERATIONS
  3-53. Shaping operations establish conditions for the decisive operation through effects on the enemy,
  population, and terrain. Airborne operations may be designed as a sudden attack in force to achieve
  decisive results or as a shaping operation to create and preserve conditions for the success of a larger
  operationor campaign.When planningindicatesthe futurerequirementfor anairborne assault,appropriate
  shapingoperationsoractivitiesemphasizeidentifyingandneutralizinganenemy’santi-accesscapabilities.
  CREATE CONDITIONS
  3-54. The ABNAF commander and his staff determine the exact conditions required according to the
  mission variables of mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and supportavailable-time available, and
  civil considerations (METT-TC), to include the degree of acceptable risk with regard to each condition.
  Setting conditions is not limited to conducting SEAD and preparation fires. It requires the participation of
  numerousstaffs,units,cells,andboardsindifferentechelonsandservices.
  3-55. Condition setting is an interactive process. The ABNAFC’s situational understanding determines
  what part of the situation must change to ensure the success of the airborne assault. The ABNAFC tasks
  availablereconnaissance forcesand surveillance assetsto detectthe locationofthose enemy systemsthat