text: Air Assault Planning
  (cid:122) Estimateofthesizeoftheforcetobeairassaulted.
  (cid:122) Likelypickupzonesandlandingzones.
  (cid:122) Airassaulttaskforcecommander’sintentonthenumberofliftsandgeneraltimeline.
  (cid:122) Initialestimateonrequirementsforattackreconnaissanceaircraft.
  INITIAL PLANNING CONFERENCE
  9-25. The initialplanning conference is the first meeting between the AATF staff and supporting aviation
  unit. The air missioncommander, liaisonofficer, assault helicopter battalion S-2 and S-3, flight leads, and
  select aviation brigade staff personnel should represent the aviation unit. This initial meeting allows the
  supporting aviation unit planners to address impacts that environmental factors (climate and weather,
  terrain, and altitude) may have on the performance capabilities of the aircraft and subsequent mission
  accomplishment withthe AATFplanners, asearlyas possible inthe planningprocess. The initial planning
  conferenceisconductedattheAATFheadquarters.
  9-26. The AATF staff should have hastily war-gamed the concept for the ground tactical plan before the
  initial planningconference inorderforplanners todiscussanddetermine landingzones,routes,and pickup
  zones.Ifmore planningtime exists,unitsmayconduct a subsequentAMCM(similartothe initialplanning
  conference),butthisoccursafterthegroundtacticalplanandothermissiondetailsarefinalized.
  9-27. Following the initial planning conference, the ground and aviation staffs should understand the
  distance and general time involved for eachlift. The staffs should know which forces are planned to be in
  the first lift and in each serial of the first lift, and which first-lift serials are going to which landing zones
  and by what route. Subsequent lifts and follow-on echelon lifts, while discussed at the initial planning
  conference,canbeplannedindetailat a later AMCMiftimepermits.
  AIR MISSION COORDINATION MEETING
  9-28. The air mission coordination meeting (AMCM) is a meeting between the AATF and supporting
  aviation units. An S-3 meeting follows the development of the ground tactical plan. The AMCM is run by
  the brigade aviation element and chaired by the AATF S-3. The AMCM is scheduled to allow sufficient
  timeformaneuverunitstodecide on a specificcourse ofaction basedonthe WARNORD andthestandard
  planningfactors.
  9-29. The AATFC should approve the maneuver course of action before the AMCM. Atthe AMCM, unit
  S-3s brief the concept of their ground tactical plans. S-3s show the composition of combat power, by
  echelon, required at each landing zone. It is imperative that the subordinate unit S-3s attend this meeting
  withan80to90percentsolutionontheirrequirements.
  9-30. The meeting is not complete until the assault helicopter liaison officers know which loads go to
  whichlanding zone and in whatsequence. Attackreconnaissance liaisonofficers must knowthe air routes
  to be used,and allmustunderstand the landingzonesand agreeon a tentative air movementtable withthe
  start and end times of the first and last serial on the landing zone. The brigade aviation element is the
  centralfigureincoordinatingthisinformation.
  9-31. The AATF S-3, executive officer, or commander must approve changes after the AMCM. It is
  criticalthatthe supportedunitand the airassaultplannerscometotheAMCMwiththeinformationneeded
  for an effective meeting. (See table 9-1, page 9-8.) The end result of the AMCM is a finalized air
  movementplan,landingplan,airroutes,pickupzones,andlandingzones.