H-1. The successful deployment of any unit depends heavily on the unit's ability to maintain the fighting force. This appendix is designed to aid the maintenance section, platoon, company, or battalion in preparing for and supporting a unit deployment by land, sea, or air. In most cases, a unit deployment can be divided into four distinct phases; preparation; movement to the POE; actions at the POE; and actions at the POD. The following references should be on hand in the unit:

• AR 220-10.
• FORSCOM Reg 55-1.
• FM 55-9.
• FORSCOM Reg 55-2.
• FM 55-12.
• TB 55-46-1.
• FM 55-30.
• TM 38-250.
• FM 55-65.
• TM 1-1500-344-23.
• TM 55-1520-400-14.

H-2. During the preparation phase, the commander and maintenance personnel should take the following steps:

• Review aircraft maintenance/historical records for upcoming services, inspections, component replacement, or deferred maintenance that could impact destination mission.
• Coordinate required support maintenance for disassembly or assembly of aircraft at the POE/POD.
• Identify shortages of all classes of supply, order replenishment, and sustainment needs.
• Coordinate for priority assistance from TMDE support facility for calibration requirements.
• Ensure vehicle load plans have space for mission-essential equipment; use standardized load cards (Figure H-1).
• Prepare checklist to ensure vehicles are properly prepared for shipment (Figure H-2).
• Determine transportation requirements beyond organic capability.
• Determine requirements and sources for blocking, bracing, and tie-down material.
• Ensure vehicle operators are assigned and qualified.
• Overprint DA Form 2408-13-2 (Figure H-3) to guide the disassembly and reassembly of aircraft to be shipped on Air Force aircraft. This standardizes procedures and expedites the work.
• Prepare buildup kits for each aircraft to be shipped. Identify and have on hand those onetime-use parts and supplies required to place the aircraft into operational status after being shipped. Ship the kits with each aircraft.
• Secure padding and prepare stowage plan (Figure H-4) for components removed from the aircraft to facilitate loading.
• Plan the sequencing of special tools, personnel, technical inspectors, and test pilots available to reassemble aircraft after shipment. This minimizes aircraft downtime and clears the ramp or port for follow-on equipment.
• Construct ramps to facilitate rolling helicopters on and off Air Force aircraft (Figure H-5).
• Designate and train load teams. Give each member specific duties and responsibilities (Figure H-6).

H-3. Movement to the air or sea, APOE/SPOE may involve a combination of modes. For example, aircraft are usually flown and vehicles, depending on the distance to the APOE/SPOE, may be driven in convoys or shipped via rail. Actions taken during the movement include the following:

• Coordinate support at en route airfields for aircraft flying to the POE. This includes services for any night maintenance and AGSE requirements.
• Coordinate and assign maintenance contact teams to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance at en route destinations.
• Identify and package any AGSE, TMDE, site, and repair parts required to accompany contact teams.
• Plan convoy operations. Brief drivers on safety. Cover convoy speeds, interval, emergency procedures, phone numbers, and security of equipment.
• Prepare strip maps to POE for all drivers. Station road guides at critical points on the route.
• Plan stops en route to check vehicles, refuel, secure loads, and change drivers.
• Follow convoys with a maintenance vehicle that has mechanics, tools, parts, and lubricants to make emergency repairs en route.
• Send an aviation maintenance representative with the advance party to guide vehicles to the staging area at the POE.

H-4. Actions at the POE should be coordinated in advance with the departure airfield control group or seaport transportation officer. These actions include the following:

• Determine a staging area for vehicles and equipment.
• Arrange for an aircraft disassembly area.
• Distribute flyaway kits, component stowage plans, and overprinted DA Form 2408-13-2 for each aircraft to be shipped by air.
• Use organic equipment or obtain support for lifting rotors, masts, and so forth.
• Prepare vehicles for shipment. Use low profile. Leave keys in ignition or secured to steering column. Gas tanks should be secured according to the transporting agencies' instructions.

H-5. Actions at the POD usually include the following:

• Send advance party on the first sortie. Send unit representative to coordinate with the receiving aerial or seaport.
• Unload equipment and establish staging area.
• Establish maintenance operation to reassemble aircraft and to control equipment and personnel.
• Coordinate for a run-up and test flight area.
• Coordinate refueling of aircraft, vehicles, and equipment.
• Request assistance from local transportation officer to arrange for onward movement of personnel and equipment beyond the unit's organic capability.
• Prepare to clear the ramp or seaport and move to the employment area. Take similar steps when moving to the POE.
• Inspect aircraft shipped on sea vessels for salt water corrosion and wash with fresh water as soon as possible.

H-6. Self-deployment of aviation assets requires extended maintenance efforts in both preparation and execution. To better support the self-deployment, maintenance operations should consider and plan for the following:

• Not all of the unit's aircraft may be deployed. The aircraft that remain may continue to perform required missions at home station and will require normal maintenance. In this case, support may be required to meet both the deploying and home station unit's missions.
• Some component TBO hours and aircraft flight hours may be reduced as a result of installing extended range fuel systems.
• Maintenance personnel may be required to perform primary duties as mechanics, component repairers, supply technicians, and inspectors as well as additional duties as door gunners. Maintenance test pilots may be required to perform operational missions and test pilot night duties.
• Support services may not be established in the theater of operations for several weeks. Sufficient amounts of required classes of supplies, adequate TMDE, AGSE, special tools, and repair parts may not be immediately available.
• Aircraft may be transferred to and from the deploying unit with different transfer criteria than that established in TM 1-1500-328-23.
• Special navigation kits and aircraft modifications may be required prior to the aircraft self- deploying. Contract, depot, or other support maintenance may be required to accomplish these MWOs.