AGRA:A team of crack US army commandos will hold training exercises for Indian army commandos and paratroopers on certain specialized manoeuvres during their visit to India scheduled for next month.
The US team will comprise both Ranger sand Special Forces. While the Rangers are equivalent to Indian paratroopers and commandos, the Special Forces are highly trained commandos who carry out dangerous operations (mostly undercover) in conjunction with intelligence agencies.
The joint training exercises will be held in Agra.
This is the second time that a team of US Rangers and Special Forces visiting India. In February last year, an Alpha team comprising both Rangers and Special Forces had trained Indian commandos and paratroopers for about three weeks in specialized manoeuvres from high altitudes, The team had come from Okinawa (Japan) where it was stationed.
The Indian paratroopers were taught the technique of conducting HAHO operations by night and jumping with larger loads. HAHO, which stands for high altitude high opening, involves opening HAPPS (high altitude parachute penetration system) parachutes soon after jump off from planes at altitudes of over 20,000 feet.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 24, 1993
