Tri-Service

Paras Prepare for Joint Operational Access Exercise

2,100 British and American Paratroopers are making final preparations for a huge parachute drop that'll see them all in the air at the same time over North Carolina this evening.

Joint Forcible Entry sees around 950 personnel from 3 PARA Battlegroup, part of 16 Air Assault brigade, working alongside the US 2nd Brigade Combat Team, from 82nd Airborne Division.

Smaller scale practice jumps were conducted yesterday which saw 500 soldiers leaping from C-130 Hercules aircraft.

As part of these preparations equipment drops have also been made - including a US Army Humvee.

JOAX is designed to build knowledge, understanding and interoperability between the UK and US forces, ultimately enabling 16 Air Assault Brigade to seamlessly integrate into an American Division.

This would allow the two units to operate quickly and effectively in the event they were to deploy as part of a coalition crisis response force.

The Para’s have been in North Carolina since March 9th. Before the large-scale exercises, a period of what the military call “Interoperability Training” has taken place.

This saw units working alongside their counterparts to improve understanding of particular skill-sets and how they can mesh together. Engineers have used each other’s machinery, UK artillery observers have called in fire support from US guns and vice versa.

Tim Cooper has been hearing about the preparations that the soldiers go through before such a big exercise. #BigPARAJump