Crack US airborne units are pouring into Kuwait, boosting American military might in preparation for a potential war against Iraq, military officials said Monday. Major Michael Miller, an executive officer of the 101st Airborne Aviation Brigade, said the majority of troops from its parent Air Assault Division had now been deployed to Kuwait. The remainder would arrive shortly, he said. They have travelled largely by commercial airliner over the past week from their base at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to five camps in Kuwait, including Camp Udairi in the north of the country, the division's public affairs officer Major Hugh Cate said. Miller, speaking at the desert camp, said his troops would boost their training with the imminent arrival of major equipment by sea, but he stressed the division was ready to go to war. "We are prepared for further combat operations," Miller said. The 101st Airborne has about 20,000 troops and more than 270 helicopters. The division's Apache helicopters launched the air assault on Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait and its troops penetrated closer to Baghdad than any other US military unit. Miller would not outline any upcoming battle plans for the 101st Airborne but said the division's normal role was to attack armour from the air. "Generally the role of this brigade is to destroy enemy armour," he said. The 101st Airborne has three air attack battalions, all of which use the AH-64 Apache helicopters. Its 17th Cavalry regiment provides rescue and security reinforcements, and uses Kiowa OH-58 Warrior helicopters as well as the Apaches.
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