
The United States Army Aviation Technology Office (ATO), known as Flight Concepts Division (FCD) before 2017, is a component of the United States Army that provides discreet, sometimes clandestine helicopter aviation support primarily to Joint Special Operations Command. The unit provides highly specialized flights for special operations forces during covert and clandestine missions, and also has a bleeding-edge development role, leading research in emerging technologies for Army aviation. It is a part of the infrastructure of covert special operations airlift more secretive than the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, joining at least three other units across the services and within JSOC itself: the joint Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group (AvTEG), and the Air Force's 66th Air Operations Squadron and 427th Special Operations Squadron. Part of the U.S. Army Aviation Flight Test Directorate, the unit is located at Felker Army Airfield along the James River on Fort Eustis,[3] and has been described as "the best of the very best" and "one of the most secretive U.S. military aviation units known to be in existence today."