Special warfare, like any good military plan, requires the
proper use of forces at the proper time. Usually this means that special
forces teams must be prepared for lightning-quick reactions. Operations
behind enemy lines are not conductive towards high-speed movement by
ground forces, thus they must find other methods to get to strike or
surveillance points quickly and without the enemy’s knowledge. The 160th
Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) uses specially modified
rotorcraft and highly trained pilots to get special warfare teams to
their mission through hostile territory or weather. Whatever the
mission, the 160th SOAR has adopted the name Nightstalkers and the
motto, “Nightstalkers don’t quit!”
The 160th SOAR consists of three battalions, two white and one
“black” ( for classified missions ). The 1st and 2nd Battalions are
located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, while the 3rd is located at Hunter
Army Airfield in Georgia. The 160th SOAR operates a group of highly
modified aircraft in their missions. These aircraft are fitted with
special avionics to allow them to fly at low level at night or in
inclement weather. In addition they have increased weapons and armor to
enable them to survive the harder missions in enemy fire.
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The Nightstalkers attached to support Operation Prime Chance became
the first to engage and neutralize a target using NVG’s. The
Nightstalkers were also the first Army aviators to be DLQ’d (Deck
Landing Qualified), allowing them to operate from Navy ships ( which
they did in preparation for the cancelled invasion of Haiti ). Task
Force 160 served as a provisional unit until 1986, when they were
reformed as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Group (Airborne). In
June of 1990 they were re designated the 160th Special Operations
Aviation Regiment (Airborne).
Nightstalker members and aircraft have seen action all over the world
in support of US forces. They were deployed in Operations URGENT FURY
and JUST CAUSE as well as Operation DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM. In April
of 1996 members of 3-160 (A) proved the skill and dedication that
characterizes the members of the 160th SOAR. Within 12 hours of
notification that they were to take place in Operation Assured Response (
The evacuation of Americans in Liberia ), the 160th SOAR had
disassembled and readied for C-5B loading four MH-47D’s. These aircraft
were reassembled on-location and flew their first missions only 72 hours
after they had first been notified. During the ten days they
participated in the operation, these four helicopters worked in
conjunction with 5 USAF MH-53J and transported more than 2,500 civilians
to safety.
Although staffed by dedicated members and sporting the latest
technology, the Nightstalkers have not been without loss. In 1993 two
MH-60L Blackhawks were shot down over Mogadishu, Somalia, with the loss
of three pilots and another becoming a bargaining chip. Two other
blackhawks were heavily damaged that day but managed to crash land back
at their base. A MH-47E Chinook crashed in April of 1996 after suffering
electrical failure, with the loss of five 160th SOAR Members.
Operation Enduring Freedom
With the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September
11, 2001, the 160th SOAR went to war and began one of their most
intensive and largest operations ever.
March 2, 2002 was a black day for the 160th SOAR and American special
operations in general. Two MH-47E’s from 2nd Bat were inserting
observation teams in the southern end of the Shah-e-Kot Valley. The
helicopter was en route from Basilan Island to Mactan, in the
Philippines, when it crashed. The helicopter was supporting U.S. efforts
to train and advise the Armed Forces of the Phillipines in their
efforts against global terrorism.
The next morning two more MH-47E’s, Razors 1 and 2 approached the
mountaintop with members of a Ranger Quick-Reaction Force. Dawn was just
begning to break as Razor 1 began it’s landing from the south.
Immediately heavy small-arms peppered the aircraft and the door gunners
began to return fire. Suddenly a RPG round hit the side of the aircraft,
but unlike Razor 3 the night before Razor 1 was too badly damaged to
limp away and crashed on the mountain top, badly wounding many Rangers
and both pilots. To make matters worse the right hand door gunner, Sgt
Phil Svitak had been hit by AK-47 fire just before the crash and died
soon thereafter. One member of the Ranger QRF was hit and killed inside
the aircraft and two more died as they tried to exit and set up fighting
positions. Only air support and the supreme effort of the other members
of the QRF who’d advanced 2,000 vertical feet under fire after having
been dropped off in a safer position below saved the crew and passengers
of Razor 1.
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