Aircraft and equipment from the U.S. 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, began arriving in the port of Thessaloniki, Greece, on April 12, 2023, as the brigade begins its nine-month rotation to support Atlantic Resolve. Sgt. Caitlin Wilkins, U.S. Army, reports.

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U.S. soldiers assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, unload an AH-64E Apache in the port of Thessaloniki, Greece, April 12, 2023 (Picture source: U.S. Army/Maj. Ross Skilling)

Atlantic Resolve provides rotational deployments of combat-credible forces to Europe to show the U.S. commitment to NATO while building readiness, increasing interoperability and enhancing the bonds between ally and partner militaries. “The importance of our presence in Europe cannot be understated,” said Lt. Col. Frederick Clapp, Task Force Brawler commander. “Our task force has worked tirelessly over the last two years training and preparing for this deployment. We’re ready to employ our personnel, equipment and aircraft to build relationships with our European allies and partners.”

Over the next three weeks, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment will conduct port operations; ferry flights to Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase, Romania; local area orientation flights; establish the task force headquarters and conduct a relief in place with their 1st Armored Division counterparts.

Throughout the next nine months, over 2,000 Soldiers from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade will participate in NATO events and training exercises across Romania, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Bulgaria and Greece. For many Soldiers, this will be their first opportunity to deploy and work with allied nations.

“Atlantic Resolve is an incredible training event for our entire brigade to increase interoperability with our NATO allies and other U.S. military organizations,” said Col. Eric Vanek, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade commander. “Our team worked closely with our partners in and around Hunter Army Airfield to become a lethal fighting force, but now it is time to learn how to fight with our allies and improve each other.”

3rd Combat Aviation Brigade is bringing the Army’s most modernized and lethal multifunctional aviation task forces into the theater. The brigade is comprised of 109 aerial platforms including the AH-64E Apache, UH-60M Blackhawk, CH-47F Chinook, MQ-1C Extended Range Grey Eagle and the RQ-7B Shadow.