text: Chapter 3
  expected enemy force and commander’s intent. The following fundamentals of the aviation movement to
  contact provide the framework for planning and execution:
  * Focus all efforts on finding the enemy.
  * Gain enemy contact early with the smallest reconnaissance force within the allotted time.
  * Maintain contact and fix the enemy while retaining the freedom of maneuver to prevent
  premature commitment of the protected force.
  * Maintain adequate follow-on combat power to rapidly develop the situation after gaining enemy
  contact.
  * Destroy, defeat, disrupt, divert, or delay enemy forces within capability or conduct battle
  handover or bypass in accordance with the commander’s intent.
  3-6. Attack or reconnaissance units plan and execute a zone reconnaissance with an enemy force oriented
  focus as their part of a larger unit movement to contact. To maintain continuous reconnaissance, the attack
  or reconnaissance unit rotates aircraft as necessary. Continuous rotations of these teams in conjunction with
  UAS increases the depth and breadth of this aviation reconnaissance effort. It also enhances the
  survivability of aviation assets, enables persistent reconnaissance in zone with increased capability to gain
  and maintain enemy contact, and provides more options to develop the situation with maneuver and fires.
  3-7. Once the attack or reconnaissance unit gains contact with the enemy, its aircraft deploy into locations
  where they may continue to maintain contact and report the situation. The unit commander evaluates and
  develops the situation. The commander then chooses a follow-on COA based on the size and composition
  of the enemy force and higher commander’s intent. The aviation unit executes the selected COA while
  simultaneously recommending a COA to the higher commander. If the size or composition of the enemy
  force meets bypass criteria, the enemy is reported and bypassed to continue the movement to contact.
  Normally the unit keeps the bypassed force under observation. This observation can be maintained using
  unmanned systems. If the size and composition of the enemy force meets engagement criteria, the aviation
  unit commander may attack to disrupt, defeat, or destroy the enemy. The unit may transition to a screen if
  the enemy force is too large, or conduct a battle handover to a ground maneuver force to further develop
  the situation. Figure 3-1 provides an example of movement to contact.
  Figure 3–1. Air cavalry squadron conducts movement to contact using MUM-T
  3-8. The aviation unit’s intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) effort focuses on determining the
  characteristics of the AO that influence friendly and enemy operations. This includes determining the likely
  composition, capabilities, and most likely and most dangerous COA of the enemy force. When the
  expected enemy contact is a mounted enemy force that is expected to be moving, IPB focuses on high
  speed avenues of approach and cross-mobility corridors to gain greater understanding of the physical