Airborne forces

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Airborne

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Military parachuting form of insertion.

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Purpose

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Delivering personnel, equipment, or supplies.

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Origins

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Attributed to Italian troops on November 1927.

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Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning. The formations are limited only by the number and size of their aircraft, so given enough capacity a huge force can appear "out of nowhere" in minutes, an action referred to as vertical envelopment.

Related Topics:
Military - Light infantry - Aircraft

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Conversely, airborne forces typically lack the supplies and equipment for prolonged combat operations, and are therefore more suited for airhead operations than long-term occupation; furthermore, parachute operations are particularly sensitive to adverse weather conditions. Advances in helicopter technology since World War II have brought increased flexibility to the scope of airborne operations, and helicopters have largely replaced large-scale parachute operations. Paratroopers are nonetheless retained by many armies.

Related Topics:
Airhead - Helicopter - World War II - Parachute - Paratrooper

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