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Airborne Engineers & Combat Engineer Parachutists

The light stuff shown can do most of what we would do with our heavier equipment, but it would take a lot longer to get the job done.
 
The runways in Haiti after the earthquake come to mind.
Wrote off a grader in Pet after one of the 100' parachutes failed to release;
We LAPEs a few machines in Baker Lake in 89 I believe but left the D3 there after it broke down. (the town managed to recover it before it melted through)
They weren't replaced.
 
That was the same ex in which a grader(?) froze to the ramp and the herc had to return to trenton with it...
 
NFLD Sapper said:
That was the same ex in which a grader(?) froze to the ramp and the herc had to return to trenton with it...

That must have been an interesting flight back. Quite the pucker factor.
 
I apologize in advance for necroposting here, but I'm sure other prospective sappers have the same question. This thread is fairly dated and from what I've read online, there seems to be SOME (2 or 3) airborne troops in each CER *reg force*, is this correct? Also, assuming being posted to these troops is contingent upon completion of your basic para, what sort of role would a sapper play here? Would it be more construction based or demolitions? Feel free to offer up any insight, I've been curious about it as I've always loved the idea of being jump qualified.

edit: I've asked a similar question on a different thread and just wanted some more insight, figured a labeled thread about it would be more effective.
 
Gunshark said:
Also interested in this, but on PRes side.


From what I've heard unless your with the QoR the chances of a reservist getting airborne are slim to none.
 
KerryBlue said:
From what I've heard unless your with the QoR the chances of a reservist getting airborne are slim to none.

Plenty of Reservists outside of the QOR have attended Basic Para.  The QOR is just the only Reserve unit with a parachute tasking.


Gunshark said:
Also interested in this, but on PRes side.

Some Reserve Engineers may get the opportunity to attend Basic Para, but there are no para positions within the Reserve CERs that I am aware of.
 
There are no PRes CER jump positions. I do believe that 2 and 5 CER have or are trying to get jump positions back...Not 100% sure about 1 CER though....
 
C_Rey88 said:
What about reg. force? Any info on that?
Currently every brigade has at least a parachute section of engineers, with some brigades having a little more.  There has been talk of formalizing a parachute company group in every brigade.  This would see a field troop in every brigade become tasked as a jump troop.

I don't know if this will actually happen.  There is no good doctrinal argument for such a group of engineers to support a company of parachute infantry.  Light infantry need less close engineer support than do mechanized forces, and bigger resources are needed to open airfields or establish land lines of communication.
 
MCG said:
There is no good doctrinal argument for such a group ....
Doctrine, like strategic or operational necessity, seems to have little relevance to most decisions recently.  There appears to be a 'logical' linkage to the CANLANDGEN announcing Velcro'd jump wings, etc, being worn on CADPAT (to a maximum of two skill badges -- oh look, the Army CWO -- an Engineer -- has jump wings and a Cbt Dive badge).  The logic being "more badges" being a priority co-equal with "expand headquarters."

Coincidence, or just another example of current CAF 'leadership'?



/tangent.  Please return to the discussion of Pigs in Space Airborne Engineers.  [That was autocorrect, honest ;D ]
 
I know this is a sacred cow sort of thing, and maybe should be in a separate thread, but is there still a requirement to have a paratroop capability at all.
 
Pigs in space is quite appropriate; All the airborne engineers referred to themselves as airborne thumperheads and had badges and shirts with this logo
http://dbembroiderysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/11568-Airborne-Brotherhood-Thumperheah-Motorcycle-Not-available-to-the-general-public-e1409877505352.jpg
11568-Airborne-Brotherhood-Thumperheah-Motorcycle-Not-available-to-the-general-public-e1409877505352.jpg


Dave Armit made a bunch of bunch of t-shirts recently.
 
What sort of capabilities do they provide? Is it more or less a sort of Eng. recce or the ability to deploy equipment in matter of hours to repair/dismantle objectives? From the very limited information available it doesn't paint a clear picture of what exact sort of tasks a parachute troop would perform differently than a  standard field troop.
 
C_Rey88 said:
What sort of capabilities do they provide? Is it more or less a sort of Eng. recce or the ability to deploy equipment in matter of hours to repair/dismantle objectives? From the very limited information available it doesn't paint a clear picture of what exact sort of tasks a parachute troop would perform differently than a  standard field troop.

They would have a relatively effective capability.  Their equipment was all air transportable and being airdropped.  Even without their vehicles being dropped, they could still drop enough man portable stores to complete the majority of Cbt Engr tasks. 

Airborne operations are a lot more than just a bunch of guys jumping out of an airplane.
 
some have said that "engineers without their equipment are just poorly trained infantry"; however; I've seldom come across a problem where some properly placed explosives won't solve it or make it irrelevant.

In all seriousness, there are many tasks where the equipment dropped at one location is to be used at that location: clearing landing zones/strips and setting up the APOD. There are also many portable tools that can be carried, and with the ability to drop ATV or other veh they should be able to project further form the DZ with more tools. The scope of operations is limited for airborne forces due to the requirement for quick resupply or extrication with several tasks for engineers; from part of the recce and pathfinder teams, the assault teams (see 1st para), ensuring mobility and ability to resupply, and clearing LZ/strip for evacuation or reinforcements.

So, really, if you look at all those possible tasks, it is not far from reality that you can say that you need a troop to support an airborne coy. And that is not even counting mortars, AT, etc.

Chimo!
 
captloadie said:
So, I`m going to go back to my original question about, in this day and age do we, as the CAF, still need an Airborne Assault capability?
Perhaps there's a reason people ignored your post -- for example, it's not relevant to this thread.

Why not resurrect Future Canadian Airborne Capability and Organisation (22 pages), "Light Infantry/Airborne Capability" & "Canadian Airborne - a waste of $$$?" (7 pages), or "Airborne Redundant?" (only 2 pages)... rather than muck up a thread dedicated specifically to Airborne Engineers?
 
George Wallace said:
They would have a relatively effective capability.  Their equipment was all air transportable and being airdropped.  Even without their vehicles being dropped, they could still drop enough man portable stores to complete the majority of Cbt Engr tasks. 

Airborne operations are a lot more than just a bunch of guys jumping out of an airplane.
George,
I have emphasized a critical word in your statement.  We don't have light equipment that you can throw out the back of a plane any more.  The "jump troop" envisioned for an airborne company group is a field troop.
 
MCG said:
George,
I have emphasized a critical word in your statement.  We don't have light equipment that you can throw out the back of a plane any more.  The "jump troop" envisioned for an airborne company group is a field troop.

I know.  Thanks for the emphasis.  The whole "airborne" org has basically faded into history.  However, the question was asked as to what an Airborne Engr Troop could provide; which I took to mean that the OP had the impression that they would jump in basically "bare ass" with no tools of their Trade.  Overlooked as well in commenting is the knowledge and skill sets that the Engrs would have, that others would not; so even with minimal equipment, they would be a valuable asset.
 
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