Washington, March 18. (AP): The Army says around 2,600 soldiers from a combat aviation unit will go to Iraq ahead of schedule, part of the support troops the Defense Department says are needed.

With their assault and transport helicopters, the extra brigade can help with attack and reconnaissance missions, air assaults and raids and medical evacuations in support of combat troops already flowing in for the President George W Bush's buildup of forces in Baghdad and Iraq's western Anbar province.

The Army's 3rd Infantry Division combat aviation brigade will go to Iraq 45 days earlier than planned, the Army said in a statement.

That means the troops, the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, will go at the beginning of May.

Officials said Gen. David Petraeus, the new US commander in Iraq, requested the air support, and he wanted the buildup to move as quickly as possible.

"This was requested over a month ago as part of the surge," said Col. Steven Boylan, public affairs officer for Petraeus.

"These are what we call the enablers."

Two months ago, Bush ordered 21,500 additional American troops to Iraq to help calm the violence in Baghdad and Anbar. He did not initially mention that support units also would be needed. Officials later said, the number of support troops necessary for the influx could be around 7,000.