Warplanes: May 5, 2000

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The Army's Aviation Plan is forcing the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment to give up its AH64 Apache helicopters, and the Regiment is not happy about it. Sometime after 2008, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment's aviation battalion will be reorganized to include 30 RAH-66 Comanche armed recon helicopters and 10 UH60 BlackHawks. The current battalion has 16 Apaches, 15 BlackHawks, 24 OH-58D recon helicopters, and four EH-60 electronic intelligence helicopters. Plans call for the Apaches to be given to a National Guard unit during the transition as the unit must slim down now to the number of aircraft it will have in 2008.--Stephen V Cole