The Future of the Parachute Regiment. [Thread]
First thing to say is it definitely has a future. It’s one of the British Army’s star regiments with an ethos and combat record that are second to none. To disband it would be an act of sabotage. 1/18
First thing to say is it definitely has a future. It’s one of the British Army’s star regiments with an ethos and combat record that are second to none. To disband it would be an act of sabotage. 1/18
So, the real question is whether the Parachute Regiment has a future as a parachute air assault force? Recent Parachute Regiment deployments have mostly been as regular infantry. Britain’s last brigade-scale operational drop was at Suez in 1956. 2/18
A future large-scale parachute drop is unfeasible as well as unlikely, because we don’t have enough aircraft. We cannot drop more than a battalion-size force. To resource a full parachute brigade would require approximately 50 A400Ms and 20 C-17As. This is unaffordable. 3/18
Given the likely cost of the aircraft we would need to resource an entire parachute brigade, we need to ask whether the investment would be justified in terms of combat effect? Also, what other capabilities would we need to sacrifice, because we really can't do everything? 4/18
Some people think the Paras and Marines are identical and should be merged. The danger of this is that you would vastly reduce the pool of competent soldiers from which UKSF draws its talent. Moreover, the friendly rivalry between them maintains the standards of both. 5/18
Other people have suggested that the Parachute battalions should become dedicated Ranger regiments attached to UK Special Forces. The truth is they already perform this role irrespective of title. Paras remain elite troops used for especially difficult and arduous missions. 6/18
Airborne units are ideal for coup-de-main operations. German airborne attacks on Fort Eben-Emael in 1940 and UK Bruneval Raid in 1942, were textbook small-scale airborne operations. In Normandy, Allied parachute drops were pivotal to secure routes inland off the beaches. 7/18
Today, we can unequivocally say that the ability to conduct company- and battalion-sized airborne operations to seize or attack key points such as airfields, bridges, communications, supply dumps, headquarters, and so on, remains essential. But there's a problem... 8/18
WW2 Allied parachute drops in Normandy, Arnhem and on the Rhine, as well as Axis Airborne operations in Crete, showed that airborne forces need rapid reinforcement. Without it, they don’t have sufficient resilience to hold ground for much longer than 72 hours. 9/18
Until recently, any notion of rapidly reinforcing deployed airborne troops was unrealistic. But the UK is about to get a new capability that suddenly makes airborne forces relevant again: the Strike Brigades. They will have the mobility, and firepower to link-up quickly. 10/18
The next elephant in the room is whether static line parachute jumping remains the optimal means of combat delivery. Large parachute drops aren't exactly covert. Maybe using HALO jumps at company-level could achieve greater surprise by landing closer to the target? 11/18
We can now deliver airborne soldiers using other more effective means, e.g. by landing a C-130J directly on a target airfield and driving out the back in Jackals bristling with weapons. Helicopters can achieve better surprise as well as providing access to complex terrain. 12/18
Once airborne forces land, they have limited mobility. Presently, we do not have a lightweight vehicle capable of mounting support weapons that can be carried inside a Chinook. Acquiring some kind of lightweight ATV would do much to enhance mobility and combat power. 13/18
The Ripsaw ATV and GD Flyer GMV are interesting. Both can be airlifted by Chinook and combine cross-country agility with an ability to mount light cannons, ATGM and ISTAR sensors. However, the need for operational as well as tactical mobility suggests wheels not tracks. 14/18
IEDs and mines remain a major threat, so protection is necessary. This implies heavier non-open vehicles. Without an obvious option for this, Jackal and Foxhound may be the best we can do. 15/18
Aircraft like the V-22 Osprey and V-280 Valor are changing airborne forces insertion further. Sooner or later designs of the V-22 Osprey and C-130 Hercules will converge. When this happens, parachuting may no longer be necessary except for covert nighttime operations. 16/18
If we need battalion-size raiding forces, then retaining an independent airborne brigade its sensible and desirable. Three parachute regiment battalions is sufficient to ensure we have enough troops to perform such a role. Chinook and Apache are fantastic aircraft. 17/18
In summary, our present airborne forces are an excellent capability. We don't need additional forces in this area; but we certainly don't need to cut anything. Two component capabilities are ancient and need replacing: the Puma support helicopter and L118 105mm lIght gun. 18/18
