Airhead
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Airhead (disambiguation).
An airhead is a designated area in a hostile or threatened territory which, when seized and held, allows the air landing of further troops and matériel, and provides the maneuver and preparation space necessary for projected operations. Normally it is the area seized in the assault phase of an airborne operation. It may also be used as a staging or refueling point for less permanent operations.
Typically, an airhead is established by helicopter-landed or paratrooper forces, and often will take place at an airport (to allow conventional transport to land later on) or at a helicopter or glider-accessible area.
The largest airhead in history was established in 1991 by the United States Army during the 80-hour land component of the Persian Gulf War[citation needed]. Other notable airhead operations include Battle of Crete and Operation Market Garden during World War II, and Operation Just Cause in 1989.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- DOD. DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. United States of America: US Department of Defense. June 5, 2003.
