Maiden Voyage of a
TEAMMATE

by First Lieutenant Mark D. Davey and Sergeant First Class David A. Brownson

On 19 July 1995, D Company, 311th Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), conducted the first external sling-loading of an AN/ TRQ-32A(V)2 TEAMMATE. Executed in close coordination with the U.S. Army Safety Center and the Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center, the soldiers of D Company proved that they could safely rig and sling-load to standard the AN/ TRQ-32A(V)2 in both day and night lift operations.

D Company is the 311th MI Battalion's general support MI company and is equipped with three AN/TRQ-32A(V)2 systems. The TEAMMATE is an intercept and direction-finding system capable of stand-alone or netted operations. In addition to other TEAMMATEs, this intelligence and electronic warfare (IEW) system is interoperable with the AN/ ALQ-151(V)2 QUICKFIX IIB, the AN/TSQ-138 TRAILBLAZER, and the AN/PRD-12. The TEAMMATE's communications equipment allows operators to send reports to the division's analysis and control element directly or through a supporting traffic analysis team over the Tactical Intelligence Gathering and Exploitation Relay system. These capabilities make the TEAMMATE a critical player in the division's overall intelligence collection plan.
The 101st Airborne Division routinely deploys its maneuver brigades to areas 150 kilometers forward of the division's base. To support these operations, the 311th MI Battalion often "slices" or attaches an AN/TRQ-32A(V)2 team to the direct support MI company with the brigade. They frequently exercise this support relationship during rotations to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana. At JRTC, D Company soldiers have demonstrated the system value to the brigade warfighters in numerous rotations. The TEAMMATE teams routinely provide more intelligence and survive longer than the more vulnerable AN/PRD-12-equipped low-level voice intercept teams during battalion task force operations at JRTC.
A recent division exercise replicated a long-range air assault by flying 130 kilometers within Kentucky to Greenville training areas and back to Fort Campbell. In the past, this type of operation would have required the TEAMMATE teams to execute a long roadmarch to catch up to the brigade at the distant landing zone (LZ). During this exercise, D Company demonstrated that the TEAMMATE could be airlifted and accompany the air assault forces into the forward LZ.
The maiden voyage of the TEAMMATE lifted more than a AN/TRQ-32(V)2; it elevated IEW support to air assault operations to a new level. D Company and MI units with similar missions can now spend less time deploying in ground convoys and more time providing timely intelligence during the earliest stages of an entry operation.

AN/TRQ-32A(V)2 SLING-LOAD OPERATIONS

Resources:
25k Sling Set.
Link Count:
Front - 62
Rear - 22
Safety:
Use reach pendants and spreader bars with the breakaways for safety.
Lift Points: Front: Center of hood (2).
Rear: Remove steps, move towing shackles to ends of rear bumper. (No additional hardware necessary.)
Breakaways (6):
a. Tie front legs together above windshield.
b. Tie both front legs to the ring located on top of the air conditioning converter at the front of the shelter, pulling the legs tight to keep from being caught under the condenser or converter.
c. Tie both front legs together just below the apex.
d. Tie each rear leg to the spreader bar where the leg passes through the bar, keeping legs tight to avoid dragging.
e. Tie both legs together at center of spreader bar.
f. Tie both rear legs together just below the apex.

Note The AN/PSN-11 PLUGGER antenna may be inverted on the mounting bracket to keep it away from the sling legs. This will not affect operations of the PLUGGER. An alternate approved rigging requires the addition of an extra length of chain to each sling leg.

First Lieutenant Davey is currently the Executive Officer for D Company, 311th MI Battalion, DSN 635-3505.
Sergeant First Class Brownson is currently the Platoon Sergeant for the Signals Intelligence Platoon, D Company, 311th MI Battalion.