Desert Storm: air assault communications

The development of the US Army's 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Signal Battalion's command and control communications system from base-camp communications system into a system that provided division offensive communications which spanned more than 1000 miles and supported air assault ground and air combat offense operations in Iraq during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm is discussed. The forward operating base used the AN/TRC-170 multichannel tropospheric scatter communication system as the backbone and multichannel tactical satellite communication as the pivotal means for follow-on movement. The systems deployed by the battalion for base camp communications, covering force communications, and offensive communications are described.<
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