[Rodion]

...They ain't got no goddamn brains!

Lately, voices are being raised in Israel about how paratroopers became obsolete with the wide availability of deployment by helicopters. For instance, in the latest war, all troop insertions behind the enemy lines were performed via helicopter. Do you think paratroopers are really obsolete? Personally, I don't think so, but maybe it's because I "think in WW2 terms". Bah, I wish more IDF generals did...

[Unperson-S]

No, quite simply. The British army has HALO jumpers, and it would not be possible to use them in anything other than a fixed wing aircraft.

HALO stands for - High Altitude Low Opening, theres also a different name for them alswell.

Basically, helicopters are good for when people need to be moved around quickly, but cannot drop behind enemy lines for a long time insertion, or when the enemy doesnt know that there are your troops there. Which is part of the point in HALO jumpers. Basically, the enemy doesnt know they are there.

[Boondock Saint]

Do you think paratroopers are really obsolete?

In the manner that they were used in WWII? Possibly.

However, the US found it useful to have Airborne troopers for the current Iraq war when Turkey decided that ground forces were not allowed to move through Turkey into Northern Iraq.

Air Cav via helicopter would not have been able to get there in force safetly.

Paratroopers do have a very limited use though, for a nation like Israel I would say Air Cav are far superior.

[Comrade Ogilvy]

My great uncle was a paratrooper in that "Great Patriotic War".

They typically executed huge airborne drops into open terrain. Anyway, he survived but a lot of them got wiped out -- mostly based on the luck of your position in the jumping order.

I don't thnk they are obsolete, especially if we see a large-scale conflict soon.

[Boondock Saint]

I don't thnk they are obsolete, especially if we see a large-scale conflict soon.

The thing, what are their actual strategic uses?

Occupying a region that isnt all that well defended. That's about it.

Sneek attacks as well I suppose ...

[BooKofElisha]

Sneek attacks as well I suppose ...[/quote]

WHAT THE HELL IS A SNEEK ATTACK?

[War Angel]

WWII-esque usage? Not going to happen, probably.

Generally dropping people from a passing airplane? Could happen, with a certain manner of execution. Could be useful, for covert operations mostly.

[Thunderhawk]

necro posting is bad.. but since its already done, I will add this: if air supremacy is not possible but enemy ground resistence is minimal then paratroopers can be deployed in large numbers while Air cav might not.

There also speed to consider: helicopters are nice and all, but they have limited top speed. Even air cav transport helos have a cruising speed much lower and with less capacity then regular transport planes.

[Piano Red]

Thunderhawk

There also speed to consider: helicopters are nice and all, but they have limited top speed. Even air cav transport helos have a cruising speed much lower and with less capacity then regular transport planes.

True.

Still, Parachute Infantry Units are never going to have awesome Ride of the Valkyries feel that Air Assault formations command when you see them in action.

Point in case, here's an entire battalion of the 101st Airborne in Mosul from last year or so:
[youtube]p4SIF5iK2cw[/youtube]

[Thunderhawk]

Air cav are glorified dragoons + gunships.

Helos have the same concerns faster transport planes have, but in addition they also have to worry about consealed weapons on the ground such as flak batteries, heavy machine guns, etc..


If gunship support and air transport/evac is generally available to light ground forces, what makes Air cav different from other light ground forces?

[Huntster]

Do you think paratroopers are really obsolete?

No, particularly with HALO strategies or massive numbers of troops which would require too many helicopters.