In July 2020, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) will support the relocation of an American helicopter brigade back to
America via the port of Rotterdam for three weeks. The United States has asked the Netherlands for the so-called "Host Nation
Support" when moving military equipment from Eastern Europe to the port of Rotterdam to load it on a ship there. The U.S.
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade (3CAB) of the U.S. ARMY is a helicopter brigade from Savannah, Georgia and has been a part
of the reinforced U.S. presence in Europe for over 9 months as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The Americans have an
increased presence in response to the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. The helicopter unit trained with NATO partners
in Eastern Europe in the past period. The brigade is now relieved and returns to their home base in the US state of Georgia.
The unit consists of 77 UH-60 Blackhawk, CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache helicopters. In addition to the helicopters, the
unit moves about 1,800 vehicles and containers back home. The helicopters flew in groups on July 2, 3 and 6 via Eindhoven,
or directly from Germany to a transhipment site at the Waalhaven in Rotterdam. From here, the helicopters
are being prepared for sea transportation to the United States.
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