Talk:Airborne forces

Notes

A few notes for anyone querying my changes:

1. Airborne units typically do not consist of all three types. e.g. 82nd and 101 Airborne at D-Day, British Parachute Regiment, U.S. Air Cavalry, etc.
2. Glider borne troops do not just follow the paratroops. On many occations they preceded them (see Pegasus Bridge).
3. We badly need a reference for the 1927 Italian paratroop drop. Some sites claim the Italians made the first combat drops in 1918, but I've found nothing about a 1927 drop.

Most of this page should probably be moved to paratroop, and separate histories made for the other forms of airborne troops. DJ Clayworth 18:31, 12 Jan 2004 (UTC)

Here is a page which mention 1927: [1] Rmhermen 19:17, Jan 12, 2004 (UTC)

Thanks Rmhermen, I'm convinced. DJ Clayworth 22:42, 15 Jan 2004 (UTC)

I beleive you have done an excellent job by pointing out Airborne forces apart from paratroopers. AFAIK, the reason is because not everyone who is Airborne is a paratrooper. For example, most of the American infantrymen are Airborne capable, but still they are referenced as infantrymen instead of paratroopers because their main tasks are not Airborne operations. --Maio 07:48, Jan 17, 2004 (UTC)

All the militaries I am familiar with (after 18 years of active duty it is many) differentiate the above in the same manner. Airborne forces are units that exit aircraft while in flight, and can (but do not HAVE to) arrive at the battle by parachute. Many soldiers are "Airborne", that is trained in military parachuting but Paratroopers are soldiers who are assigned to an Airborne Unit such as the 82nd Airborne Division or the British 1st Para etc. Any unit that does not utilize parachutes to arrive in combat is not referred to as airborne but as air mobile (101st), mechanized (3rd ID, 1st ID), armored (1st AR, 1st CAV). This addresses the "all three types" comment above as well. Airborne units today have and use helicopters, the AH 58, Kiowa Warrior is among the first equipment to arrive at the airhead where it can be placed into it's operational configuration in under 20 minutes. During the formation of the American Airborne forces during WWII glider units were incorporated into all of the Airborne Divisions to allow heavier artillery, vehicles and other equipment to arrive on the drop zones with the lightly armed paratroopers.

Does anyone have a better definition of airlanding and airmobile. The current ones don't seem to differentiate much. DJ Clayworth 22:42, 15 Jan 2004 (UTC)

Airland refers to troops and equipment arriving at an airhead or lodgement, normally by fixed wing aircraft. Airmobile refers to helicopter borne troops and equipment. An Airmobile mission is distinct from an Air Assault mission due to the logistical nature of the airmobile and the combat nature of the air assault. i.e. an air assault is executed to engage the enemy, an airmobile is executed to bring in re-enforcements or logistics.

You can always use the DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. =) --Maio 07:48, Jan 17, 2004 (UTC)

"Reason of creation: Need to deliver troops behind German enemy lines in WWII" This should be changed, the US is not the only country that has airborne forces.