USMC CH-53E Fast Rope Screw Up Injures One of Them

Reality is helicopters CANNOT just land anywhere on the earth and actually need PATHFINDERS on the ground beforehand providing security and guidance:

http://www.combatreform.com/pathfind.htm

One way to avoid getting ambushed by the enemy airlanding troop & fuel-laden helicopters in open danger areas (Landing Zones) is to HOVER INSERT/EXTRACT over a unpredictable-to-anticipate vegetated or urban structure. Thin rappel ropes and troop ladders were the first means the U.S. Army (not the perpetual lying USMC) came up with to achieve this capability:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFNT80MuB3w

In the early eighties, the British again led the way in Air Assault development (not the USMC as they claim) by creating the "fast rope"---a very fat nylon rope which could be gripped like a fire pole and slid down without need of a rappelling rig to hold a snaplink and routed rope for braking action.

First combat fast rope use was in the Falklands war in 1982:

http://www.geocities.com/usnavyindanger/falklandslessonsnotlearned.htm

See photo below:

http://www.combatreform.com/britishfastrope.jpg

Hovering above the midships deck of the Canberra (passenger cruise ship converted into troop ship), 40 Commando Royal Marines "rapid rope" from a 846 Squadron SeaKing helicopter en route to combat in the Falklands in 1982...also note the superior TTP of the Brits to form an immediate defensive circle in the prone firing position while lazy, half-assed Americans just run off after letting go of the rope.

In this video, look at the 3rd gyrene to slide down the CH-53E at 0:17 to 0:25: he lets go of the fast rope

http://www.combatreform.com/fries.htm

at his legs so his weight no longer pulls down on the rope to prevent it from being blown horizontally by the strong Super Stallion rotor downwash so he ends up hanging just by his arms and doesn't know when to let go (depth perception is bad even during the day time; imagine at NIGHT wearing NVGs) and slams into the carrier deck accordingly. He's so dazed and confused (and likely injured--but adrenaline blocks for the moment) he doesn't let go of the rope and has it caught on his body as he staggers away.

http://www.combatreform.com/FRIESinjury1.jpg
http://www.combatreform.com/FRIESinjury2.jpg
http://www.combatreform.com/FRIESinjury3.jpg
http://www.combatreform.com/FRIESinjury4.jpg
http://www.combatreform.com/FRIESinjury5.jpg
http://www.combatreform.com/FRIESinjury6.jpg

When fast rope was first introduced, at least one Soldier would hold the bottom of the rope touching and as each one slid down, he'd be replaced. Then we got lazy and decided "10 feet" of fast rope laying on the ground would anchor it, which as you'll see in our other FRIES video is easily blown up into the air sideways by strong rotor wash from the CH-53E or even worse the V-22 (when its not crashing and burning).

Clearly, what's needed here is a WEIGHTED, PADDED, SLIDER CARRY BAG that should be dropped down the fast rope FIRST to keep the rope anchored to the ground that perhaps can cushion a Soldier if he lets go and falls (Ranger during the 1993 BlackHawk Down! mission) and if the rope is jettisoned (we don't recommend this, the crew chief should do some useful PT and pull it back in) acts as a carry backpack so we don't provide the enemy $2, 000 ropes to use against us. The slider/pad/carry bag could use WATER as ballast that can be jettisoned to lighten the Soldier's Load once the fast rope is stuffed inside. The slider/pad/carry bag should use an ARUC Systems metal frame with wheels to enable hands-free Soldier towing:

http://www.combatreform.com/rucksack.htm

Each Soldier should also wear a back pad like Paratroopers should when parachute jumping to protect their lower backs during a parachute landing fall (PLF).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NODvOx0V57E

What needs to occur in VTOL aircraft development is air-mech-strike: the ability to HOVER INSERT/EXTRACT M113 GAVIN & OTHER LIGHT TANKS to light mechanize troops sliding down fast ropes so they have 60+ mph, cross-country, armored mobility and superior firepower for overland operations thereafter. The USMC could have had these capabilities TODAY if they hadn't been such rifleman egotists and retired the Ontos tankette instead of replacing it with a M113 Gavin-derived light tank/APC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZvEUlSwqU

One way to do this is by having a retracting bomb bay floor like the C-74 Globemaster I had or to be a SkyCrane like the Sikorsky CH-54 and now newly manufactured Erickson AirCrane S-64 that has no fuselage body but can lower light tanks and BATTLEBOX cargo pods from a hover.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RAltpRp06Uk
http://www.combatreform.com/nextchinook.htm

Our book, "Air-Mech-Strike: Asymmetric Maneuver Warfare for the 21st Century" is ONLINE for FREE skyjacked by Google!

http://books.google.com/books?id=RCWtHnYZ0LMC&pg

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1. By: dynmicpara
2. Categories Science & Tech
3. Views 1,338
4. Added :02-Feb-08
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