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As far as I know the paras haven't parachuted into action since Suez.

Do you think the paras will ever parachute again or will they switch to using helicopters?

I bloody hope so...


lew

Didn't they do a few jumps in Iraq? I'm sure they were used to capture an airfields or something.

I should think there will be times when they will need to get a lot of men in position quickly, and by parachuting them in will still be the quickest way to put 3 Battalions and their support on the ground. We don't have the helicopters to make this sort of commitment, nor do they have the ranges or carrying capacity to do this sort of job properly.

Tab,

I was once told by an officer that a unit parachuting into combat would likely take 20 percent casualties from the jump alone-is this true? The Americans dropped men into Afghanistan and Iraq recently but into largely empty areas as in Vietnam-is this due to a low threat or were they lucky?

df2inaus

The main thing with an airborne assault is surprise, so providing you don't drop your the men onto an armoured division then they should be able to establish them self's on the ground. It will always be a good way of grabbing airports and some docks, while they await reinforcements.

The last unit to do a full ops drop was No.2 SQN RAF Regt in seirra leon (spelling) whilst the Parachute Regt and SAS mopped up from the ground.... but don't quote me.

The only planned parachute regiment drop during my career was for B company 3 para to drop into the Radfan, unfortunately the DZ was compromised and B coy had to yomp in.

Aye - Andy.

Yes gunner 75, I heard that aswell!!!

1 and 3 para did a jump in kuwait in full fighting kit and was over weight for the chutes, they was going to jump with the us rangers at k1 and k2 airfields to open up a second front, but turkey getting a strop on for a few weeks stopped that . after that they didnt really want the paras doing anything and the rest of 16 air got basra.And the US dropped very late in the war and i think that was the 101st or 82nd AA, it was fairly unapposed i think. some of the new chutes will let you drop at 400 feet, but hey prey no one steals your air and plus 1 stinger and good night sweetheart.

the last operational jump by a Para was in 1982 during the falklands war by Major Keeble to replace Col. "H" Jones when he was killed

Never heard that one before, the jump that the 1 and 3 para made in kuwait was before GW2 started , just for the media i think!

Personally I don't really believe in a mass parachute jump with static-lines. Too risky with propably too many casualties (every one is actually 1 too many).
It can however, be tactical useful to jump HAHO. Inserting a HAHO-team on friendly territory to fly into enemy territory has the advantage that you don't have a plane flying around enemy airspace. If lucky, you can be able to fly over 80 km if you open at 30000 feet.
You can't be seen on radar, can land exactly where you want, can take a huge load with you, can even take someone with you who can't jump at all (tandem) like a doctor, etc.

Dutch-Corporal

What does 'HAHO' stand for? It sounds like a lot of fun!

Adj125

Maj Keeble was the 2i/c of Lt Col Jones Para Battalion, and was already in the Falklands when Jones was killed. He was replaced by another Para Officer, who was parachuted into the sea, for some strange reason. Keeble seemed to be doing an excellent job! However, I wonder if that counts as an 'operational jump' in the true sense, and it was only one guy.


Aye, Derek

HAHO- High Altitude High Opening
HALO- High Altitude Low Opening

These thypes of jumps are ok for special forces and some specialised units (pathfinders). But for a mass jump would cause a lot of problems with the extra kit required to jump (Oxy bottles and special chute's)