Fast-roping
Military technique
Fast-roping is a technique for descending a thick rope, allowing troops to deploy from a helicopter in places where the aircraft cannot touch down.
The person holds onto the rope with gloved hands (with or without using their feet) and slides down it. Several people can slide down the same rope simultaneously, provided that there is a gap of about 3 metres (10 ft) between them, so that each one has time to get out of the way when they reach the ground.
Fast roping is quicker than abseiling (rappelling), although more dangerous, particularly if the person is carrying a heavy load, because the rope is not attached to them with a descender. The technique is particularly useful for naval infantry, who can use it to board ships at sea.
01History
The technique was first developed by the UK with British rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes, and first used in combat during the Falklands War. The original rope was made of thick nylon that could be used in a manner akin to a fireman's pole. The special ropes used today are braided (plaited), producing a pattern on the outer circumference that is not smooth and so is easier to grip. Originally, each person reaching the bottom would then hold the rope to stabilize it for the next person, but this has been phased out.
02Equipment and techniques
Rope
The rope must be thick, typically 40 mm (1.57 in) diameter, to prevent it from being wildly jerked about from the rotor blast of the helicopter. Some types have a weighted core, the ballast helping to combat the blast effect.
Glove techniques
Fast-ropers use heat-resistant gloves to protect their hands from the heat of friction while descending. Such gloves are generally not dextrous enough to be useful after the descent has been completed, though specialized gloves have been developed for this purpose. More often, a glove-inside-glove technique is used, with tactical gloves worn inside heavy leather metalworking gloves. After descending the rope, the wearer removes the outer gloves to regain dexterity.
Use of feet
While U.S. Marine Corps fast-ropers are trained to control their speed of descent by using their legs and feet (in addition to their hands) to help prevent their gloves from becoming too hot, the British military advises against use of the feet, as boot polish or boot leather can make the rope extremely slippery and thus make the descent more dangerous for subsequent fast-roping personnel.
Deployment of around 25 fast-ropers onto a ship can take about 30 seconds.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Fast-roping”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Defense.gov News Photo 080518-M-7519G-088.jpg by Lance Cpl. Audrey M. Graham, U.S. Marine Corps, Public domain
- US Navy 081021-N-2183K-034 A Marine performs a fast-rope training exercise from a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter onto the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5).jpg by U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dustin Kelling, Public domain
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