Anairhead is a designated area in a hostile or threatened territory which, when seized and held, allows the air landing of further teams andmateriel via anairbridge, and provides the maneuver and preparation space necessary for projected operations. Normally, it is the area seized in the assault phase of anairborne operation. It may also be used as a staging or refueling point for less permanent operations.
Typically, an airhead is established byhelicopter-landed orparatrooper forces, and often will take place at anairport (to allow conventional transport to land later on) or at a helicopter orglider-accessible area.
Notable airhead operations includeBattle of Crete andOperation Market Garden duringWorld War II, andOperation Just Cause inPanama in 1989.Operation Castor was intended to establish an offensive airhead, but quickly degenerated into theSiege of Dien Bien Phu. Another recent example includes theBattle of Hostomel Airport.