Kiowa Warriors Fly Over Twenty Thousand Flight Hours
An Army Air Cavalry Helicopter Squadron flying near Baghdad reached a remarkable milestone recently.
3rd Squadron, Seventeenth Cavalry Regiment’s Kiowa Warrior Aircraft have flown more than twenty thousand flight hours since their arrival in Iraq in May, 2007. The total hours flown by the Squadron is on pace to achieve nearly forty thousand hours before their fifteen month deployment is up.
“Not only that but we have achieved and maintained over ninety two percent mission readiness, and mission capable,” Said Chief Warrant Officer Mike Cavaco. Officer Cavaco is production control officer with the Cavalry Regiment. The helicopter, Kiowa Warrior class, is one that first saw action in the Vietnam War Era, and has been altered considerably over the years.
The Kiowa Warriors are now able to fire hellfire missiles in addition to being a scout and reconnaissance platform.
The flight hours achieved by the Squadron has been in various combat in the area south of Baghdad, according to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Wilson, Executive officer for 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade. The agreement among the Officers and Leaders of the CAB and Cavalry Regiment Brigade is that the personnel and people involved are the reason for this milestone.
“Each of the people, each of the soldiers, crews, and others are responsible for this being possible,” said Colonel Wilson. “The twenty thousand hours is a direct result of the quality of people we have,” stated Colonel Wilson.
Colonel Wilson related just how important the Kiowa Warrior helicopters are to the mission. “They provide effective security and help us and the Iraqi people take back their own destiny, and their own land,” said Wilson.
