MANEUVER OPERATIONALIZATION OF COMBAT ACTION OF ARMED HELICOPTERS IN THE UNCONTROLLED ZONE OF THE CROATIAN AIRSPACE AGAINST OBJECTS ON LAND AND IN AIR

Abstract

The armed forces of the Republic of Croatia have beenfrom the very start of the war, imposed by the aggressor andall the time during the war, exposed to many demands and engagementof all human and material resources was required.Military air force has contributed by its sophisticatedmeans (helicopters, aeroplanes, equipment for air monitoringand guiding and air defence) to the success of all the operationsduring the war which resulted in its successful end andthe liberation of the occupied territories.The helicopters and their crews have performed numerouscombat tasks. One of them is fire support of armed helicoptersto the military units on land, against objects on land and in air.The helicopter pilots (crews) have very professionally performedthe given tasks of fire support to the military units onland.The experiences acquired during the war needed to be generalisedand the combat manoeuvres against objects on landand in air in the uncontrolled zone of the Croatian airspaceoperationalised in order to maximally utilise the possibilitiesof the aircraft and to transfer knowledge (the combat techniques)to young pilots and other crew members.This paper verifies such capabilities of the aircraft and thecrew according to war experiences and the tactics for using thearmed helicopters of the western countries (armed forces).