Doctrine provides a military organization with unity of effort and a common philosophy, language, and purpose. This document is the Army's keystone doctrine for fighting and sustaining aviation brigades. This field manual (FM), "Aviation Brigades," is intended for all aviation commanders, staffs, and any United States (U.S.) military personnel expecting to conduct operations with Army aviation units. The operational concepts described in this manual reinforce fundamental principles found in Army doctrine. It provides overarching doctrinal guidance for employing aviation brigades in full spectrum operations and a foundation for developing tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) in other/follow-on Army manuals. FM 3-04.111 expands employment doctrine for aviation units and describes considerations for forming aviation battalion task forces (ABTFs). Chapter 1 focuses on aviation brigade organizations and missions and provides aviation brigade fundamentals for reader consideration. Chapter 2 provides doctrine for organizing operations' command and control (C2) systems. It provides the organization for command post (CP) structure and general guides for roles and functions of CPs and their cells. Chapter 2 also describes duties of brigade leaders and staff. Chapter 3 discusses employment of the aviation brigade, planning considerations, and airground integration. Chapter 4 focuses on the formation and employment of ABTFs. It provides considerations for task organization based on mission and theater, and discussion of aviation task force employment principles. Chapter 5 discusses aviation brigade maintenance and logistics providing insight regarding the need to optimize mission accomplishment while balancing sustainability, mobility, and survivability. This chapter also focuses on the aviation support battalion's (ASB's) mission and function. The appendices provide guidance, procedures and recommendations concerning specific subjects and amplify concepts referred to in the chapters. Appendix A discusses the Army Force Generation Model. Appendix E provides basic aircraft characteristics. This FM applies to aviation forces through all operational themes-peacetime military engagements to major combat operations-and full spectrum operations-offensive, defensive, stability, and civil support. This manual applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the United States Army Reserve unless otherwise stated. Procedures described herein are intended as a guide and are not to be considered inflexible. Each situation in combat must be resolved by an intelligent interpretation and application of the doctrine set forth herein. Finally, FM 3-04.111 furnishes a foundation for subordinate doctrine, force design, materiel acquisition, professional education, and individual and unit training.
