Wings to carry paratroopers.....

[muskrat89]

Interesting...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1648903.htm

A new military parachute system which fits wings on soldiers could enable them to travel up to 200 kilometres after jumping, Jane's Defence Weekly reports.

The system, which involves the development of new modular carbon-fibre wings, will mean that aircraft can drop parachutists from 9,150 metres into an area of operations without flying into a danger zone.

Trials of the modular wing are being developed by the German firm Elektroniksystem und Logistik and Draeger.

They are due to finish by the end of 2006, with the entire parachute and wings combination expected to be available during 2007.

Peter Felstead, the editor of Jane's Defence Weekly, says the new system has been in use with the German Army since 2003.

But he says the development of the new wing means soldiers can travel much further than the current 48 kilometres.

"The new wing will also reduce the impact of wind conditions on the jumper and allow operatives to travel up to 40 kilometres carrying loads of around 100 kilograms," Mr Felstead said.

"The system is reportedly 100 per cent silent and extremely difficult to track by air on ground-based radar systems."

Jane's Defence Weekly reports that the next stage of the development will utilise small turbo-jet drives, as used on unmanned aerial vehicles, allowing jumpers to be carried longer distances without jumping from such extreme heights.

 

[George Wallace]

This is right out of the movies..... 8)

 

[GAP]

They won't melt will they?  ;D  (Icarius thingy...)

 

[Wizard of OZ]

lets hope they don't get this right to fast or they might cancel all the orders for the hercs and C-17 and just have the boys fly out on Air Canada or West Jet (which ever is cheaper) and jump into theater.

:cheers:

 

[geo]

where is "rocket man" when you need him

 

[Bobbyoreo]

Where are the pictures....I need pictures!!!lol..I got to see this!!

 

[Old Sweat]

I have been puzzling over this and my head hurts. But, and here is a bit of speculation, I can understand the concept if it entails replacing the parachute/parasail with a hang glider type arrangement. We have probably all seen NASA simulations of solar panels unfolding on satellites and this could probably be adapted for a wing. Now, the wing would have to be thicker because of the requirement for an aerfoil shape, but maybe it is doable.

I am not sure about the configuration attached to the jumper but it probably would be worn high on the body. Questions that I can think of include how the wings unfold/deploy, carriage of the soldier's kit, what kind of performance would one get from the jet engine and what about the fuel load, what about a reserve parachute and finally how much would the whole system, including the jumper, weigh.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Reserve chute? We didn't use them in the Big One and neither did the Krauts...what are you suggesting about the calibre of our troops? 

 

[The Bread Guy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=389357&in_page_id=1770

Special forces to use strap-on 'stealth wings'
By MATTHEW HICKLEY, Daily Mail (UK), 13:33pm 6th June 2006

''Elite special forces troops being dropped behind enemy lines on covert missions are to ditch their traditional parachutes in favour of strap-on stealth wings.

The lightweight carbon fibre mono-wings will allow them to jump from high altitudes and then glide 120 miles or more before landing - making them almost impossible to spot, as their aircraft can avoid flying anywhere near the target.

The technology was demonstrated in spectacular fashion three years ago when Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner - a pioneer of freefall gliding - famously 'flew' across the English Channel, leaping out of an aircraft 30,000ft above Dover and landing safely near Calais 12 minutes later.

Wearing an aerodynamic suit, and with a 6ft wide wing strapped to his back, he soared across the sea at 220mph, moving six feet forward through the air for every one foot he fell vertically - and opened his parachute 1,000ft above the ground before landing safely.

'Massive potential'

Now military scientists have realised the massive potential for secret military missions.

Currently special forces such as the SAS rely on a variety of parachute techniques to land behind enemy lines - or else they must be dropped by helicopter.

Existing steerable square parachutes can be used - opened at high altitude of 27,000 ft - but jumpers then have to struggle to control them for long periods, often in high winds and extreme cold, while breathing from an oxygen tank to stay alive.

Alternatively they can freefall from high altitude, opening their parachutes at the last possible minute, but that limits the distance they can 'glide' forward from the drop point to just a few miles.

Now German company ESG has developed the strap-on rigid wing specifically for special forces use.

Resembling a 6ft-wide pair of aircraft wings, the devices should allow a parachutist to glide up to 120miles, carrying 200lb of equipment, the manufacturers claim.

Fitted with oxygen supply, stabilisation and navigation aides, troops wearing the wings will jump from a high-altitude transport aircraft which can stay far away from enemy territory - or on secret peacetime missions could avoid detection or suspicion by staying close to commercial airliner flight paths.

The manufacturers claim the ESG wing is '100 per cent silent' and 'extremely difficult' to track using radar.

Once close to their target landing zone, the troops pull their parachute rip cord to open their canopy and then land normally.

Weapons, ammunition, food and water can all be stowed inside the wing, although concealing the 6ft wings after landing could prove harder than burying a traditional parachute.

ESG claims the next stage of development will be fitting 'small turbo-jet drives' to the wings to extend range even further.

According to SAS insiders, very few operational parachute jumps have taken place in recent years, with teams tending to rely more on helicopters or other means of transport.

Supporters of the new mono-wing technology hope it will give a new lease of life to parachute tactics in the special forces world.

The Ministry of Defence would not comment on any equipment used by special forces, but is expected to evaluate the new system for use by UK special forces.  ''

 

[paracowboy]

Special forces to use strap-on

  ???

eeeeeewwwwwwww!

Okay, tasteless in the extreme, and somebody else can delete it, but dagnabit! It had to be said!

 

[The Bread Guy]

.... for insertions? 

 

[PViddy]

Where are the weapon pods ?  haha.....yeah

cheers

PV

 

[K_Johnston]

Interesting concept.  I have para experience, so I may as well give my opinion.  I see both the benefits and drawbacks.
Benefits: You can carry those extra supplies that you always need about 3 days into any operation or exercise.  Less risk to the planes, as gliding range is extended.

Drawbacks: Costs would most likely keep it for special forces units only, at least for a few years.  If used for standard para units, it reduces the number of jumpers per aircraft, and possibly more trips needed so that keeps the aircraft at about the same risk unless you have total air superiority.

Now for my personal view.  I did most of my time in a standard airborne unit, and for drops of that size.....they do become noticeable, even if the planes being far away keeps it from being overly obvious.  Saying that....the extra time in the air worries me a little.  However, I think the extra supplies and ammo would outway the risk of being in the air a little longer.
While running excercises with my unit, the biggest threat was not tanks or airstrikes, it was not getting supplies in time, or having them dropped in the wrong place, or not being relieved in time.  The extra storage and load capabilities of this system would give paras that extra days worth of ammo, grenades and water they might need to hold out.

 

[Rory]

Your suppose to just ditch these things in the field once you land? I mean wouldn't be reasonable if you jump behind the enemy lines and carry it with you.

 

[Bobbyoreo]

I think these were only meant for SF roles....As per the articles.

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

Seeing this I first I thought it was dealing with hang-gliders. Have hang-gliders ever been considered for a military role?

 

[K_Johnston]

These wings may be developed for special units, but they may be better suited to a standard airborne unit to increase its range and decreas the risk to planes.  Standard units wouldnt have to worry that much about hiding them.  A special forces soldier would have to hide them or carry them....and it doesnt look all that easy to do either.

 

[Lumber]

Probably going to be very expensive, hence being reserved for SF roles. But wouldn't a six foot wing show up on radar?

 

[George Wallace]

These wings may be developed for special units, but they may be better suited to a standard airborne unit to increase its range and decreas the risk to planes.  Standard units wouldnt have to worry that much about hiding them.  A special forces soldier would have to hide them or carry them....and it doesnt look all that easy to do either.

That statement deserves a great big  ???

 

[Lumber]

That statement deserves a great big  ???

What he means is, a reg force unit probably isn't that worried about having their 'wings' discovered lying around because they will probably be an arm of a much larger attack, and will probably be making a lot of noise themselves. A special forces unit on the other hand is most likely hoping to complete their mission and get out before anyone realising that they were ever there. Having to hide a 6 footwing would then be a problem. An even bigger problem would be trying to lug it around with you!