English: Soldiers of the Pathfinders and Groupement des Commandos Parachutiste (GCP), the advance forces of 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste, about to practise fast roping from a French Army Puma helicopter during Exercise Falcon Amarante.

British and French paratroopers are showing their readiness to deploy together on joint operations.

Across two demanding weeks in November, south west France saw Exercise Falcon Amarante testing the Airborne Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (A-CJEF) – a partnership between 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste.

The two brigades provide the airborne rapid reaction forces for their respective armies, and the A-CJEF has been trained and ready since 2013 to deploy on short-notice operations ranging from war fighting to disaster relief.

Exercise Falcon Amarante is the A-CJEF’s annual test exercise, taking place in 2018 under 11e BP’s command. Some 650 British troops and 170 vehicles of the 3 PARA Battlegroup - built around the airborne infantry of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment bolstered by artillery, engineers, medics, signallers and logisticians took part.

British troops were paired with the 3e Regiment de Parachutistes d’Infanterie de Marine as the A-CJEF, with US paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade working alongside it.

After mission planning and reconnaissance, the exercises started in earnest with some 600 British, French and US paratroopers jumping onto the Caylus training area near Toulouse. From there, a series of simulated missions tested the skills and capabilities of the 2,000-strong force.

• Organization: Army
• Object Name: APOSEC-2018-007-Falcon-Amarant-826
• Category: MOD
• Supplemental Categories: Exercises, Operations, NATO, Foreign Personnel, Training, Army, People
• Keywords: Puma, Support, Helicopter, Aircraft, French Helicopter, French Assault rifle, FN SCAR-L, VIRTUS, Body Armour, Blast & Ballistic Protection, PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, Webbing, PLCE, Personal Load Carrying Equipment, TRF, Tactical Recognition Flash, 16 air assault brigade, French Airborne, British Airborne, Falcon Amarante, Parachute, Drop Zone, France, Airborne Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, 3e Regiment de Parachutistes d’Infanterie de Marine, 3 PARA Battlegroup, Toulouse, Army, Divisions and Brigades, Regiments, The Parachute Regiment, Paras, Location, Training Areas, Overseas, Equipment, Weapons, Gun, Firearm, Small Arms, Assault Rifle, Clothing, Personal Clothing System, PCS, Combats, Camouflage, Multi Terrain Pattern, MTP, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
• Country: France