Russian and post-Soviet Airborne

[Sgt.Raven]

[Sgt.Raven]

Good commentary:

[Jeff82]

Great stuff Sgt.Raven. Does the main chute deploy automatically or does the jumper do something to open it?

[Sgt.Raven]

Great stuff Sgt.Raven. Does the main chute deploy automatically or does the jumper do something to open it?

"Yes" and "Yes".

"Backup" AAD (connected to one of two the main rotating lock) can be set for time and altitude.
It's called PPK-U (Google-translated page is here).

It's set for 3 seconds and "zero" altitude; therefore, when pin, connected to the stabilizing pilot chute's pullout line, being pulled out upon the exit, it starts its countdown.
Paratrooper is expected to pull the ripcord (connected to secondary release stud at the lock) manually, regardless of device.

3 seconds (out of 5+ available on PPK-U) is believed to be a good time to slow down the horizontal speed and stabilize trooper in optimal deployment position (feet down, upper back up).

Those PPK-U and variants are as reliable as AK-s, but I've heard rumors about rotating plates freezing up occasionally, in early years.
Frankly, ride inside the warm and cozy plane to reach DZ is long enough for any buildup to melt down, so I never seen, nor heard of failure from any trusted and verifiable sources.

[Sgt.Raven]

Tactical excercise in Russia, involving Airborne.
MKS ("mnogo-kupol'naya systema", or "multi-canopy system") delivery is pictured.
http://englishrussia.com/2012/03/06/russian-defense-technology-in-use/

[Jeff82]

What is that they're dropping?

[Sgt.Raven]

Either BMD or BMD-based recon APC.

Looks more like BMD-3.
http://warfare.ru/?catid=245&linkid=1783&title=bmd-3

[Sgt.Raven]

Check out some Russian Airborne tatoos.
(I better sit this one out with my "low-tech" single ink...).

http://vitalykuzmin.net/?q=node/318

http://vitalykuzmin.net/?q=node/216

[Jeff82]

First link (node/318), Picture = 75 ОРСпН (75th Detached special purpose company) about halfway down the page, is that a female paratrooper in the background?

[Jeff82]

And the Il-76 is featured all the time. Do you guys ever jump other aircraft? Which ones?

[Sgt.Raven]

First link (node/318), Picture = 75 ОРСпН (75th Detached special purpose company) about halfway down the page, is that a female paratrooper in the background?

Could be a Veteran Lady Paratrooper, but, most likely, someone's wife or girlfriend.

clip.jpg

Russia and satellites are still slow on letting Females into advanced Troops.
There are some, but mostly within the support and logistics.

[Jeff82]

Thought we found a "Soviet Sis" for MI...

[Sgt.Raven]

[Jeff82]

I'm afraid to say that if the balloon ever went up in Europe during the cold war our rear areas/troops would have been in big shit trouble when the VDV jumped in on top of them!

[Bell]

Head on the USA always seems to come out ahead. We fight for different reasons or beliefs and the enemy, whoever it is, seems to back away.