Aviation Ground Support Equipment and Air Superiority

By CW2 Jermaine M. Bailey and Mr. Aaron T. Scripture

Article published on: May 1, 2025 in the January-March 2025 Issue of the Aviation Digest

Read Time: < 5 mins

U.S. Army Paratroopers conduct ground maintenance at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. These Paratroopers ensure that vehicles and ground support equipment are in working condition in support of the brigade. U.S. Army photo by CPT Erik Solares.

Background

As Army Aviation transitions and prepares for the “Deep Fight,” our Warfighters must continue to maintain and accurately report their aviation ground support equipment (AGSE). Air superiority is an essential element of combat power; it increases surveillance and maneuverability, while quickly allowing ground force commanders to concentrate their forces to meet any given objective. Our ability to maintain air superiority in combat operations is directly proportional to the readiness and status of our AGSE. Given the threat of a near-peer conflict, aviation units will need to conduct split operations with a smaller number of aircraft distributed over larger distances. Consequently, it is essential that all assigned AGSE is maintained fully mission-capable and immediately accessible to be distributed across multiple locations. It is widely acknowledged that the primary weapon system of an aircraft maintainer is their AGSE (including tools, test sets, and other enabling devices). This equipment enables maintainers to rapidly troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair any aircraft faults, ensuring their quick return to the fight and maintaining freedom of maneuver.

In August 2021, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command issued Aviation Maintenance Action Message (AMAM) AGSE-21-AMAM-01, which authorized the addition of the shop foreman position to aviation support company and aviation maintenance company or equivalent units and aviation maintenance activities. The shop foreman role empowers AGSE maintenance managers to perform various tasks directly in the Global Combat Support System-Army, including initiating; closing; viewing; creating; modifying; and completing fault notifications, work orders, and parts requests. Furthermore, they can view and print the status of equipment from the equipment status report. Reports from the field indicate that while useful, the shop foreman role still lacks some of the functionality needed to support AGSE maintenance. Representatives from the Aviation Enablers Requirements Determination Directorate and Combined Arms Support Command are actively working to provide an updated shop foreman role to better fulfill the user’s needs.

U.S. Soldiers conduct maintenance on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter using a self-propelled crane aircraft maintenance and positioning (SCAMP) II expeditionary crane. The SCAMP II is used to move major pieces of the helicopter. U.S. Army photo by SFC Melanie McCracken.

Why It’s Important

The accuracy of readiness reporting is critical to ensure AGSE is properly maintained and fully mission-capable. One of the most significant challenges Army Aviation units face is the potential for inaccurate readiness reporting, which can present an overly optimistic view of equipment status. This can create a false sense of security, showing that fielded AGSE is sufficient while in reality, it may lack sustainability and maintainability over time.

Inaccurate readiness reports can lead to delays in addressing critical maintenance issues and inhibit the ability to deploy AGSE effectively during operations. Given the growing importance of conducting split operations where aviation assets are distributed across larger distances, the need for fully operational AGSE becomes even more critical. Accurate reporting ensures that units can anticipate and address faults in AGSE before they become mission-degrading issues.

Aviation ground support equipment is the primary toolset for maintainers, enabling them to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair aircraft faults rapidly. Inaccurate readiness reports can mask equipment deficiencies, resulting in unpreparedness during high-demand situations. This directly impacts aviation unit readiness, reducing their ability to maintain air superiority and provide critical support to ground forces.

The Product Manager (PdM) AGSE’s role is essential, not only in ensuring that the right tools and equipment are available, but also in supporting accurate and transparent reporting systems that reflect AGSE's true operational status. By addressing these reporting shortcomings, AGSE maintenance can become more proactive, ensuring that equipment is ready for rapid deployment and sustained operations, thus supporting the Army's overall mission success.

The importance of fully mission-capable AGSE cannot be overstated. The PdM AGSE is working to ensure the equipment's current operational readiness. At the same time, PdM AGSE is also looking forward to next-generation solutions that will further enhance troubleshooting, diagnostic, and repair capabilities. This ensures that aviation assets remain in the fight and are able to project air superiority. With the PdM AGSE's focus on innovation and readiness, aviation maintainers will have the tools they need to operate effectively in the multidomain battle environment of the future.

U.S. Army Soldiers hoist the engine of an Aviation Ground Power Unit off of a maintenance stand at Fort Eustis, Virginia. U.S. Army photo by SSG George Prince.