WAR: US Marines TRUEX Boasts New Urban Tactics

In New Orleans, LA, on Dec 4-16, US Marines incorporated for the first time a few new features in their Training in an Urban Environment Exercise (TRUEX), including a live video feed of combat operations sent to the command post, and parachute insertion of reconnaissance and surveillance teams. In the first urban convoy with close-air support in a major US city, the MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) drove several vehicles throughout the City of New Orleans, both day and night, with aircraft support from several elements of Marine aviation. The operation centered on real-world scenarios and tactics currently used by enemies in the Global War on Terrorism. Please see original article for more details.



Interesting about the Pelican reconnaissance aircraft live video feed. Makes me wonder to what extent they would depend on this in an actual combat scenario. Also about the parachuting in of teams into a real world situation such as Iraq, are these teams not subject to sniper and ground fire while they are parachuting in? Didn't we have some trouble in WW2 with this? I can only imagine having to parachute in anywhere near a combat zone. It seems as though you would be an easy target, even though moving through the air. Do they actually teach paratroopers manuvers they can do while in the air falling that help you avoid being hit by ground and sniper fire? Just curious.

Related News Links:
www.usmc.mil

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
How Iraqi Urban Warfare works (explained)
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[edit on 16-12-2004 by TrueAmerican]

are these teams not subject to sniper and ground fire while they are parachuting in? Didn't we have some trouble in WW2 with this?

Yes, but the airborne paratroopers were still abel to deploy behind enemy lines and the military was able to attack the enemy on two fronts (tactically anyway).

Do they actually teach paratroopers manuvers they can do while in the air falling that help you avoid being hit by ground and sniper fire?

I think not. They don't have much control over where they can land, let alone avoid enemy fire. The parachutes are moderately manuverable, from what I understand, but not particularly. Interestingly, parachuting seems to be replaced by air assault, where troopers deploy from ropes out of helicopters.

Originally posted by Nygdan

are these teams not subject to sniper and ground fire while they are parachuting in? Didn't we have some trouble in WW2 with this?

Yes, but the airborne paratroopers were still abel to deploy behind enemy lines and the military was able to attack the enemy on two fronts (tactically anyway).

My computer probably wont handle the video, so I haven't bothered, but I'm assuming we're not talking about your typical big round parachutes being used for an urban drop. More likely they would use the rectangular ones which can be steered to a certain degree.
Also consider the smaller number of men jumping (as opposed to a company of paratroopers) which reduces the reaction time for defenders, visibility of the jumping Marines, and chance of getting lucky enough to hit them.

Do they actually teach paratroopers manuvers they can do while in the air falling that help you avoid being hit by ground and sniper fire?

I think not. They don't have much control over where they can land, let alone avoid enemy fire. The parachutes are moderately manuverable, from what I understand, but not particularly. Interestingly, parachuting seems to be replaced by air assault, where troopers deploy from ropes out of helicopters.

I'm a big fan of air assault over parachuting on an open battlefield against conventional military forces. It can be launched from anywhere, can take a lower approach route, can get a look at the LZ before dropping you, gets you to the right place almost every time, and brings you down in the same place as the rest of your unit. I was very disappointed when the Commanche was scrapped because I had been very anxious to later see a stealth-designed transport helicopter for use in air assault.

The problem you encounter in an urban environment is that while low-flying helicopters will avoid radar and SAMs, they tend to stir up RPG-wielding guerillas very easily. For dropping my recon into a city ahead of a ground column I would favor the use of parachutes.

At the risk of sounding a little nuts, I think that if you really want your recon to get in quick, controlled and unnoticed that gliders might not be a bad investment- the drawback is that you need space with one of those things- you couldn't bring 30 men down in a small space using gliders.

One must not forget about the time-honored tradition of the "HALO" jump. High Altitude-Low Opening. Hauling butt, then sudden stop!! The newer chutes allow a huge ability to maneuver, but with the HALO, it's just an added ability.

don't forget it's also against the geneva convention to fire on parachuting troops, not that the insugents abide by that.

-raven