PARAS’10 Colchester – Are You Ready To Deploy?

The Paratroopers assigned to 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, the nation’s high readiness Global Response Force, are held at 24hrs notice ready to deploy anywhere on the globe by air.  For Paratroopers, maintaining their core fitness is a core component of this demanding mission set, critical in order to rapidly insert into combat by parachute or aviation air assault and then succeed in their mission for an unknown period of time, despite being limited in numbers, vehicles and outside support.

The 10-mile Tactical Advance to Battle (TAB) is the test that Paratroopers use to gauge their fitness to deploy; it is considered to be the maximum viable distance that will need to be moved from the drop zone to the objective and time is of the essence in order that the objective can be secured, and the mission accomplished whilst an enemy is still disorganised and on the back foot. Airborne doctrine seeks to use speed, aggression, surprise and shock action to overcome a numerically superior and more heavily equipped enemy force. 

Once in battalion, the extraordinarily high level of fitness which our Paratroopers achieve in depot must then be maintained throughout their serving life, regardless of age or rank. Weekly phys is planned around sustaining this and ensuring our soldiers are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. Not only must they be fit enough to endure a 10-mile TAB once they get on the ground, but they must first be fit and robust enough to carry their own bergan, weapon system, helmet, water, rations, comms, ammunition, and parachute system when jumping out of the aircraft that delivers them into combat. This is not just a job; this is a way of life. 

‘Are you ready to deploy…?’ 

Full details and sign up can be found at www.paras10.com