Posted on 06/07/2016 1:18:38 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
TORUN, Poland (AP) — About 2,000 NATO troops from the U.S., Britain, Portugal and Poland conducted an airborne training operation on Tuesday as part of the biggest exercise performed in Poland since the 1989 end of communism and amid concerns over Russia.
Scores of U.S. troops and then military vehicles parachuted into a spacious, grassy training area on the outskirts of the central city of Torun. The force's mission was to secure a bridge on the Vistula River as part of the Polish-led Anakonda-16 exercise that involves about 31,000 troops and runs through mid-June.
Nineteen NATO member nations and five partner nations are contributing troops to the exercise that will train and test their swift joint reaction to threats on land, sea and in the air.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Someone who knows about this sort of thing might answer a question: do airborne troops still parachute?
I was under the impression that helicopters made parachuting more or less obsolete...
82nd Airborne parachutes, 101st uses helicopters if I recall.
“Massive”? Somebody has never seen a Reforger from the Cold War...
They would go splat if they didn't.
Still parachuting.
If you need thousands of Infantry on the ground in a short period of time, then airborne is still the way to go.
They are not meant to conquer, their job is to secure a piece of land so additional troops can be flown in or land by ship.
I may be bias (see my Freeper name) but I believe there will be a need for paratroopers for a long time.
Thanks. I didn’t know that.
I thought it was more or less a ‘ceremonial’ thing.
You do your three jumps or whatever, get your jump wings, then spend your time riding around in helicopters.
Guess not, huh?
There are fewer airborne units than in the past, but we still have the 82nd Airborne Division.
Also some Pathfinder units. Pathfinder units are dropped into place in order to set up and operate drop zones, pickup zones, and helicopter landing sites for airborne operations, air resupply operations, or other air operations in support of the ground unit commander. They also handle rescues of downed pilots and helicopters.
Special Forces and Navy Seals are airborne qualified, as well as Air Force Pararescue.
Five jump chump here...
Yes airborne units still parachute. I believe they have to jump at least once every 90 days to keep their jump pay.
Trying to formulate a Polish parachute joke somehow...
On March 26, 2003 the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a combat jump into northern Iraq, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, to seize an airfield and support special forces: Task Force Viking. The paratroopers departed from Aviano Air Base, Italy on fifteen C-17s.
Do the Pathfinders use regular parachuting, or skydiving (HALO)?
Seeing several thousands US troops with Abrams, airborne, Apache helicopters, etc. on the Polish territory is worse for Putin than being castrated with a dull soap.
Ambition strikes much harder than weapon.
I think they do both.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.