The safe performance of parachute entries into hostile territory by Special Forces personnel is addressed in a U.S. Army manual (large pdf).
Military free-fall (MFF) parachute operations “are used when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or politically sensitive environments prevent low altitude penetration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion.”
“This field manual presents a series of concise, proven techniques and guidelines that are essential to safe, successful MFF operations.”
See “Special Forces Military Free-Fall Operations,” Field Manual FM 3-05.211, April 2005 (295 pages, 14 MB).
The unclassified Special Forces manual has not been approved for public release, but a copy was obtained by Secrecy News.
Before posting the document on the Federation of American Scientists web site, we turned to M, a friendly parachutist who is attuned to national security classification concerns, and asked whether there was any reason not to do so.
“I reviewed the manual carefully and consulted with a couple of people and I didn’t see anything that would suggest that any portion of the report requires special protection,” he said.
“We really wanted a range of perspectives – specifically from voices that have been traditionally left out of the conversation”
The joint advocacy effort calls for the establishment of an effective AI governance framework through NIST, including technical standards, test methods, and objective evaluation techniques for the emerging technology.
Understanding the implications of climate change in agriculture and forestry is crucial for our nation to forge ahead with effective strategies and outcomes.
Alexa White’s journey into the world of science policy started back when she was earning her undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry at Howard University.