3RAR getting its feathers plucked?

[Bugalugs]

You heard it here first, now the media's onto it


THE army plans to create a second mechanised battalion in Adelaide as part of a $1.6billion long-term restructuring plan soon to be considered by the Howard Government.

Under the proposed shake-up, Adelaide would become an important new base for the army, with units transferring from interstate locations, including Holsworthy, on Sydney's southwestern outskirts, and the Northern Territory, by 2010.

Adelaide is seen as the ideal location for a new mechanised unit, with housing costs far lower than in Sydney and an all-weather rail link to training areas in the Northern Territory.

The plan would involve the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment, based at Holsworthy, becoming part of the new Adelaide-based mechanised formation.

The expanded mechanised infantry force would be equipped with light armoured fighting vehicles such as those in service in Iraq with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 5/7 RAR.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15159190-421,00.html

[digrar]

The funny thing is 3RAR moved from Adelaide to Sydney 20 odd years ago to become the second Mech Battalion with 5/7RAR.
I hear on the grape vine that all of the reserve Light horse units and B Sqd 3/4 Cav are loosing their carriers to fit out 3RAR. They are being replaced with Bushmaster for B Sqd 3/4Cav and one of the NSW Gres Units and the trial 6x6 Landrovers from 25/49RQR, 8/9RAR and 6RAR for the rest of the Gres units.
I also heard that the Reservists at 2/14 LHR QMI Recon, just got told the other day to find new units to serve in as the unit is going full on ARA.

[Ballistic]

Meh, this is bull****, how can we possibly lose our para capability, it doesnt make sense. I know that 3RAR has not made combat jump for decades but why lose such a strategic and tactically important unit for a mechanised force ? And I've heard here aswell that 4RAR would be taking the capability, how much more can those guys fit on their plates ? Don't they have enough tasks to carry out already ?

[digrar]

Nothing would change for 4RAR. They can already jump, they can take an airfield and they can secure an area for another unit to come into. It's probably a bit of a waste of talent but they are capable of doing it in their current make up.
I have heard on the grape vine that if 3RAR go mech, then we may get Para company groups in 1RAR and 2RAR.

[dannyc]

well, i havent heard the one about getting a para capable coy up here (1 & 2RAR). id jump at the chance of doing the course tho.

with the amount of blokes that get broken in 3RAR from the jumps, maybe its best not to have a "ready" para group. and instead have the capability there to quickly train a coy sized group to be able to jump... ? keep 4RAR ready, so if the need araises to jump in at short notice, they're our lads.
with the dramas with manning atm, the RAR really cant afford to lose blokes each time they jump. i dont htink ppl realise how short the battalions are atm. my platoon just got dispanded a month ago, within 1 day i found myself in 2RAR and heading to RCB, cos they didnt have enough blokes.

i dont have my para qual, so maybe ive got it all wrong.
but how hard is it traing a coy to jump out of a plane? i heard of units in WW2 jazzing it up a couple of weeks before an operational jump, with good results.

my 2c

[fantassin]

Many countries have units with dual airborne/mech capabilities.

It makes the units more versatile.

The French paras are all equipped with VAB APCs, the Israeli have M113s...it's just another tool in the toolbox.

[garoco]

Just a few quick points/questions to what some of the blokes wrote above:

3RAR has never made a combat jump. From memory, their closest call to a combat jump as a sub-unit/unit was back in 1987 when Col. Rabuka staged his coup in Fiji. But alas, they never took that trip :(

Aussie Artillery gunners jumped into Nadzab, New Guinea in 1943 with US Paratroopers. It was their first and last jump ever. They were not qualified/trained and is this jump is incidentially the only Australian combat jump in history so far. (OMG - RAA and not RAINF!) lol.

Hows the splitting of 5/7 furph going? With their new Queens and Regimental Colours re-issued recently I'm not so sure.

[digrar]

Battalions are at a low ebb as it is (manning wise) without opening up another 700 positions. Personally I'd be more than a bit ****ty if they didn't bring back 8/9RAR, if they were looking at increasing the orbat.