The Future Use of Battlefield Helicopters in Support of Land Operations

For sixty years, battlefield helicopters have been providing commanders with capabilities when and where it matters most.  The importance of the role they play on current operations is difficult to overstate and in the complex future defence environment, they will remain platforms and capability deliverers of choice.

 

The range of tasks performed by helicopters, ranging from air assault, direct fire, tactical mobility, reconnaissance and intelligence collection, to heavy lift and supply replenishment, is unmatched by any other platform type.

 

Nonetheless, with a General Election and subsequent Defence Review announced, and in a climate of impending financial austerity, key questions will be asked of the UK’s helicopter community and an examination undertaken of  its force structures,  types and numbers of helicopters, training and manning programmes and support and through-life maintenance arrangements.

 

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) are therefore delighted to announce the opening of registration for the latest conference in the RUSI Air Power series, to be held at RUSI on 25 March 2010.  Entitled “The Future use of Battlefield Helicopters in Support of Land Operations”, this timely forum will bring together the leading figures from the military, academic, policy and industrial spheres to consider and debate the issues of the day and the challenges ahead.

 

We will look at current operational successes and lessons identified, future operational concepts and take a sounding from industry on their input to future technological capabilities. Speakers from America and France will share their experiences alongside a raft of representatives from the British Helicopter world, including Rear Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, Commander of  the Joint Helicopter Command who will deliver our keynote presentation.

 

Output from the conference will take the form of a RUSI Occasional Paper to be published in the summer of 2010, starting with the ideas that emerge over the course of the day and subjecting them to further research and analysis.  As always at RUSI, input and questions from conference delegates are robustly encouraged and will contribute to the utility of the event as a forum for an objective, non-partisan analysis of the crucial areas of military though that will assist and inform that decision makers in the forthcoming Defence Review.



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