VIDEO: Operation DARK CLAW, Part 1: Insertion

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkRaE3UEags

From there, they moved as a unit to rescue a mock hostage from an enemy camp, briefed the SF Command Observers, then took the hostage mannequin on ATAC in tow 35+ miles under their own power back to Fort Bragg, NC. All done in under a few hours time. As way of comparison, according to Gerard Devlin's book Paratrooper! in October 1942, the 88^th Glider Infantry Regiment foot-marched the same distance to start glider training at Laurinberg field and it took them 2 DAYS to get there from Fort Bragg! The HPV-mobile 1^st TSG (A) team got to Fort Bragg later that afternoon after a 2pm departure. What's fascinating is that the 88^th GIR was the Army Airborne's Experimental unit and they had bicycles so they could have went much faster!

www.thedropzone.org/units/88thHISTORY.html

History of the 88^th Airborne Battalion

by James E. Mrazek

The history of the 88^th Airborne Battalion, from its activation, to the time it was amalgamated as a regiment with the 326^th Glider Infantry Regiment in France during World War II, is covered in an eclectic assortment of conventional official documents.

Not recorded in them, or elsewhere, are its contributions and the impact these contributions have made to airborne warfare operations and doctrine, to military and commercial airlift operations, to military helicopter operations or to the progress of America, especially through the aircraft industry.

At its activation as the 88^th Airborne Battalion on 10 October, 1942, it was intended to be an experimental organization that would introduce the air landing aspects of airborne warfare to America's military forces. Such warfare had been applied by the Germans against the Belgians early during World War II with devastating affect. Germany was able to keep information about these operations from leaking out of Germany.

This much the allies were able to glean through intelligence sources - a number of German Soldiers in large gliders had landed on the surface of Belgian's massive Fort Eben Emael on May 20, 1940. They subdued the fort in less than one hour. The loss of the fort created a gap in the Belgian defenses. Because of the shock of this loss, in only a matter of days, Belgium surrendered. This left France's northern flank defensless to the Wermacht's panzers. Soon France fell and the debacle at Dunkerque followed. The 88^th battalion was organized as a hybrid tactical and experimental unit. It was lightly manned and equipped and initially was limited to flying in Douglas DC-3's, the only transport airplane immediately available in those early years for carrying its equipment and available to test airborne techniques and doctrine. Motorcycle, bicycles, guns and equipment issued the (airborne) unit were intended to enable it to load in the airplanes, deplane quickly once landed, hit the enemy swiftly and hard and then hold until relieved. The unit was not constituted for sustained combat. This sort of activity divined by a War Department, promised great things for the future of airborne operations, but it did not foresee, nor did it have to cope with the myriad problems in putting such doctrine into reality. It left this to the 88^th to translate a concept into workable tactics, techniques, doctrine and procedures.

There was little, if any, experience available with respect to the loading of equipment into airplanes, and the problems such activities entailed. Nor did the 88^th get guidance from any source with such knowledge. What was achieved was achieved through dangerous, difficult, practical experience and the ingenuity and ability of the members of the 88^th to overcome the problems that developed.

From the beginning there were problems in securing guns, ammunition and equipment so that turbulence while in flight would not cause it to shift or become free. The 88^th learned to use ropes to lash the cargo to tie down rings set into the floor of the airplanes. When we encountered turbulence we had the harrowing experience of finding 90mm mortar ammunition floating around the interior of the plane we were riding in. Initially, we could only resecure it or hold it down the as best we could. The 88^th sent some men to Wright Patterson air base to present the problem and try to find solutions. One Mr. Baker offered a trucker's knot, the bowline, later dubbed the Baker bowline by his appreciative students. The bowline could not be untied quickly, slowing the unloading of equipment, so enterprising 88ers added the slippery half hitch, well known to boy scouts and truckers.

Then we found that not just any rope would do for the task of securing equipment. Most of it stretched, permitting the equipment to loosen. We opted for 5/8ths-inch Manila hemp, which was very durable and stretched little.

Pilots of the day had little interest in passengers or cargo of any kind. Their attention was directed to flying the glider. The 88^th became concerned when pilots were reporting puzzling problems, especially in taking off, and in having to trim the airplanes unduly in flight. What was amiss was that loads were changing the center of gravity of the airplanes, or were heavier than the load for which the aircraft was rated. We had received no cautionary advice from the pilots on how to distribute loads. With little help from the Air Corps, the 88^th devised loading plans taking into consideration the center of gravity.

It was customary to equip each military airplane and glider passenger with a parachute. This was OK for airplanes, but when it came to gliders Lieutenant Al Leonard, one of the primary contributors to airborne techniques, considered the expendability doctrine inherent in air transport combat operations and questioned the advisability of issuing parachutes to passengers in gliders. Al reasoned that gliders normally were towed at about 300-500 feet altitude, too low to use parachutes if the occasion demanded. Moreover, weight was always a problem. If chutes could be dispensed with, equivalent weight in weapons and ammunition could be substituted. Al's argument carried the day, and glidermen ceased to wear parachutes, a condition that convinced paratroopers they never wanted to go into combat in a glider. The air force later adopted the practice of not issuing parachutes to passengers in transport aircraft. [EDITOR: WRONG: not true. Only of late has the USAF wimped out and stopped using common sense.]

To facilitate unit training for the vital task of loading men and equipment into gliders, the 88^th built the first full-scale glider mockup. It became the prototype for large formations of mockups in training areas that were used for loading and lashing training of the 88^th and all airborne divisions. As with the mockup, so it was with many other items of equipment and training. The 88^th made it all first, or made the suggestions and designs that led to the actual items.

These ideas led to modifications of gliders and airplanes, and even to the design of new aircraft. A case in point is the successor of the CG-4A glider, the CG-15. The CG-4A was an innovation amongst aircraft, and was the first of its kind in America. It had little testing, and no combat experience up to that time, and thus fell to Al Leonard and other members of the 88^th to suggest improvements that would have be desirable and necessary. These were passed up to the Airborne Command, then in charge of collecting and acting on such information, and they all found their way into the modified CG-4A, the CG-15.

Shortly after take off, early production CG-4As dropped their wheels, and landed on skids that ran part of the length of the fuselage. For the gliders to take off again, crews had a real chore to raise the glider and reinstall the wheels. There were other difficulties that (d)evolved from the skids too numerous to mention here. Al Leonard cited them and suggested that landings be made on wheels. The Air Corps adopted his suggestion. Problems evaporated. Gliders suffered less landing damage, and changed from being expendable to recoverable.

It should be understood that these gliders were largely designed by the Air Corps, with little knowledge of airborne unit requirements. This is where the 88^th played an important role. Elements of the 88^th tested the air transport capabilities of the XCG-13, the CG-15A, and the CG-19 as well as other glider and transport airplane prototypes and heavily influenced which modifications were made.

The 88^th trained the glider infantry regiments, artillery, medical and other battalions and many of the parachute elements of the 82^nd, 101^st, 11^th, 17^th divisions in air transport operations. After the 88^th was absorbed by the 326^th Glider Infantry Regiment in the 13^th Airborne Division, members of the former 88^th that were then in the 326^th also were selected to train the 84^th Infantry division for air transportably. From the 88^th evolved the information that was to become the basis of airborne operations, training and doctrine manuals.

The aircraft industry incorporated many of the experiences gained in the 88^th into the design of airplanes, especially those that were intended primarily as cargo carriers. Perhaps the best example in this trend was the 66 passenger XCG-20, America's largest glider. It incorporated the best of the technology that the 88th had devised and contributed to cargo airplane and glider construction. It was to become the C-123, which gradually evolved into a jet airplane from which the design of many of America's most advanced airplanes have borrowed many design features.

James E. Mrazek
Colonel, USA (Ret.)

Colonel Mrazek commanded a battalion in the 326^th Glider Infantry Regiment in the 13^th during World War II and towards the end of the war commanded the regiment for several months. He then took command of the 325^th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82^nd Airborne Division for several months after it had returned to the United States. PKO

"Bicycle Infantry: the Swiss Experience" by Captain Kevin D. Stringer, U.S. Army Infantry magazine, September-October, 1994

NOTE: narrow-minded Stringer didn't realize that bikes can FOLD and be ATTACHED to armored personnel carriers for armored, mechanized maneuver to the area of operations where LBI would fan out for effect

DETAILS: On-Going 1^st TSG (A) Military Vehicle Experiments

Infantry magazine, November-December, 1994

Infantry magazine, January-February, 1995

CDS

CopterBox, HeliBox, MaxiBox

www.defence.gov.au/budget/05-06/dar/volume_01/chapter_01/01b_year_in_view.html

An Air Force Loadmaster and three Australian Army Riggers deploy a helibox and a maxibox load from a C-130J Hercules as part of Exercise Pacific Airlift Rally in Thailand.

Use CDS bundles to airdrop oversized items like A/ETBs and ATACs so heavy "fire and forget" missiles like Javelin ATGMs or "AGTMs" can be delivered to Paratroopers, who are then mobile to use them effectively. So the options are:

1. Jump the folded ATB in airdrop bag attached to the Paratrooper;

a. Rear ramp C-130s/C-27Js/CH-47s/CH-53s
b. Side jump doors of C-130s/C-27Js/C-17s

Obviously, jumping the ATB folded/attached to the Paratrooper will require a major "gut check" of those involved, but the pay-off of 10-25 mph mobility on the ground afterwards is definitely worth it.

The rear ramp jump provides undisturbed air for a majority of the parachute opening sequence; so this using this exit technique should not be a major mental obstacle to overcome. SOF routinely jumps TacSATs and loads almost as large routinely over the rear ramp of C-130 type aircraft today. U.S. Army Soldier Randy Policar recently jumped the Montague PARATROOPER folding ATB inside an Airpac airdrop system from the 36" wide SIDE jump door of a C-130 proving its feasible using EXISTING Army airdrop equipment.

FM 3-21-220 Static Line Parachuting Techniques and Training

Chapter 12 Air Pac Rigging Techniques

http://commutebybike.com/2006/10/23/jumping-with-the-paratrooper

Jumping With The Paratrooper

October 23rd, 2006 by Randy Policar

Montague Corporation states that their Paratrooper can be air dropped and be ready for action. As a Paratrooper myself, I was more than happy to put it to the test.

5 ' 9" Tall Policar and His Airborne Unit

A few days ago, my Unit conducted an Airborne Operation. It was the perfect opportunity to jump the Paratrooper. But before the jump was to take place I had to rig up the Paratrooper in order for it to be dropped.

I used an Air Pack to rig up the Paratrooper. It was one of the few containers that I had available to fit the whole bike. Here you could see the front tire being placed inside the bag. A lot of padding was used to protect the bike.

The rest of the bike had to be placed inside a HALO kit bag. This was done so that none of the bike would be exposed decreasing the chance of snagging any part of the aircraft upon exit. The handle bars and pedals were removed in order to keep a uniform shape of the Drop Bag. Montague offers folding pedals as an accessory that could be used to keep from having to remove the pedals.

Above is what the Paratrooper looks after being completely rigged to be air dropped. Every part of the Mountain Bike is included so that it could be used on the drop zone.

This was taken on the way to the C-130 Hercules just before station time.

Inside the C-130 just before the jump. Being in a unique Unit, a grand total of five static line jumpers owned the entire aircraft that day. For those of you who jump and are usually packed inside the bird like a can of sardines, stop drooling. Don't worry; I've had my fair share of those jumps as well.

This was taken on the drop zone after a spectacular jump. My landing could use some improvement. But the way I figure is, any jump you could walk away from is a great jump. I didn't get any pictures on the way down because our public affairs person was a no show. I plan on jumping the Paratrooper once again. Next time I'll just leave my camera on the ground for someone to take pictures from the ground up.

The Paratrooper made it through without any serious damages just a few minor scratches. Not bad considering the fact that it was just dropped 1,250 ft above ground level.

2. Drop the folded ATB/ATACSs separately as;

a. Door bundle A-7A strap or A-21 cargo bag or future CopterBox loads into the personnel drop zone
b. Rear ramp CDS A-22 or CopterBox loads into the equipment drop zone (Paratroopers must run to, identify their bundles and de-rig)

In OPERATION PROVE BATTLE MOBILITY, a bicycle assault exercise at Fort Bragg, NC videotaped by a NBC correspondent, Alan Covey the 1^st TSG (A) team composed of Combat Medical Specialist LT David Tran, Grenadier/Scout SGT Paul Latham and Team Leader LT Mike Sparks moved rapidly from a simulated airdrop in fully ghillie strip camouflaged-ATBs to assault positions through woods where there was no pre-existing trails. Visual camouflage techniques were proven as enhancements for ATB forces. Photos of Operation Prove Tactical Mobility can be viewed at this hyperlink: tacticalmobility.htm

U.S. ARMY GROUND MOBILITY EXPERIMENTS

TACTICS, TECHNIQUES, PROCEDURES...

The first myth that has to be busted is that light infantry has to take a rucksack to the field at all if you implement all the "Combat Light" techniques described in detail in our Airborne Equipment Shop web site. The only thing that needs to be carried in the rucksack is bulk water, food (MREs) and ammunition. If local water is nearby, it can be collected and purified, instead of being carried thus, saving weight. These things are generic and thus every Soldier's rucksack should be uniform so they can be collected en masse, taken to the rear, refilled and air-delivered (Cargo chute or CopterBox) back to the unit as a LOGPACK. All field-living-SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) equipments need to be and can be on the "Combat Light" Soldier at all times for the normal temperature/weather range from 20 degrees to 90 degrees. Only in extremely cold weather is a rucksack with survival clothing/tentage required, in extreme hot weather (deserts) bulk water.

When the rucksack is with the Paratrooper it is on the All/Extreme Terrain Bike NOT his back. Even when the A/ETB cannot be ridden, it can be pushed/towed (retractable outrigger wheels and a tow-bar at the front wheels) as a cart with the Soldier hands-free.

WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT FOOT RUCK MARCHES THAT TAKE ALL DAY?

NO!

YES!

Chart from U.S. Army then Major Stephen Tate's CGSC Master's Thesis "Human Powered Vehicles in Support of Light Infantry Operations"

READ BELOW:

http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA211795

Accession Number : ADA211795

Title : Human Powered Vehicles in Support of Light Infantry Operations

Descriptive Note : Master's thesis Aug 1988-Jun 1989

Corporate Author : ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS

Personal Author(s) : Tate, Stephen T.

Handle / proxy Url : http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA211795 Check NTIS Availability...

Report Date: 02 JUN 1989

Pagination or Media Count: 188

Abstract : This study examines the suitability of using bicycles to enhance the mobility of U.S. light infantry units. Initially the study defines mobility problems encountered by U.S. light infantry units as a result of force design. The study presents historical examples of previous military cycling operations at the turn of the century, during both World Wars, and the Vietnam Conflict. The tactical use, mobility, speed, distance, and load carrying capacity of bicycle troops during each of these periods are discussed. The present use of three bicycle regiments in the Swiss Army is examined. The impact of recent technological improvements in the bicycle industry is examined for possible military application. Keywords: Bicycle; Light infantry; All-terrain bicycle, Mobility; Soldier's load; Vietnam, Swiss army; Strategy; Tactics; Derailleur; World War II; Logistics; Military operations.

Descriptors : *MOBILITY, *LOGISTICS, MILITARY OPERATIONS, MILITARY PERSONNEL, WARFARE, GLOBAL, INDUSTRIES, ARMY PERSONNEL, CAPACITY(QUANTITY), INFANTRY, TERRAIN, CYCLES, MILITARY APPLICATIONS, LIGHTING EQUIPMENT, ARMY, VIETNAM, SWITZERLAND.

Subject Categories : MILITARY OPERATIONS, STRATEGY AND TACTICS

Distribution Statement : APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

Get to point B-from-A in a bike in an hour, get off the bikes and into attack position. Walking at a turtle's pace for hours exposes the infantry force to all kinds of air/ground observation, artillery, mortar, small arms fires. Troops tired from long foot marches have lost battles and wars since the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. What is so great about that?

Being able to move through terrain several 1,000 meter grid squares at a time is a form of protection called SPEED. When the LBI force moves it has security front, rear and flank to contact any enemies before they can reach the main body. When contact is expected, LBI teams move by bounding overwatch, one team aimed in on likely enemy ambush points as the other moves ahead--just like armored vehicles do. When it is certain the enemy is ahead, they dismount their A/ETBs and begin fire/maneuver on the enemy. This is more tactical then riding in back of a noisy, unarmed or armored truck.

With a Weapons Gun Shield (WGS) on the end of their shoulder weapons, Paratroopers move forward from cover to cover behind the WGS in the prone, so even if the enemy returns fire, they can survive it to complete the mission----and regain fire superiority with their own weapons. Details of how the "bullet-sponge" paradigm can be defeated is enclosed in the future infantry squad web page link here;

squad.htm The WGS is attached at the front handlebars of the A/ETB during cycling for frontal protection-windscreen in event of enemy contact from the front. It appears that the powers-that-be are starting to listen...

Ref: Prior message on Shields used in MOUT.

Mr. Sparks,

"Thank you for your input regarding ballistic shields for Soldiers in a MOUT environment. You are correct that some sort of shield is needed. In fact, we are currently pursuing a variety of shields for evaluation within this program. Thank you again for your message."

Jonathan Root
MOUT ACTD Force
U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command Hotline
for Food, Clothing, Shelters and Airdrop Systems
DSN 256-5341
Comm: (508) 233-5341
e-mail: hotline@natick-amed02.army.mil

If terrain is not passable by either cycling or towing, the A/ETB can be folded and carried attached to the rucksack for interface with motorized ground/air/sea vehicle transport. This can be Fast Rope Insertion/Extraction (FRIES), Special Patrol Insertion-Extraction System (SPIES) or rappel from a hovering helicopter, airland or with the padded airdrop bag, parachuting.

U.S. Army ARMOR Magazine: Bikes & Tanks = Effective Cavalry

Singapore Army Bicycle-Snipers!

JANE'S INTERNATIONAL DEFENSE REVIEW

Modern Polish Light Bicycle Infantry

THE HISTORY

The German Army in WW2 had several light bicycle infantry cavalry companies in every infantry division's reconnaissance battalion. The reason was to have an unit MORE MOBILE THAN THE MAIN BODY THAT WAS WALKING. The German infantry also had light tank assault guns embedded with them to work together just like the M113 Gavins we need today.

Dr. Leo Niehorster's excellent organizational web pages document these facts.

http://niehorster.orbat.com/index.htm

http://niehorster.orbat.com/011_germany/41_organ_army/41_id_01-welle.html

World War II Armed Forces - Orders of Battle and Organizations

Last Updated 01.05.04

German Army Organization Infantry Division (1st Wave) Infanteriedivision (1. Welle) 22 June 1941

 

Diagram of German Infantry Division in WW2

   

1. Welle Infantry Divisions
Division   (Commander on 22.06.1941)	W.K.	Infantry	Other Units	Comments
1. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Kleffel	I	1 Regiment 22 Regiment 43 Regiment	1
5. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Allmendinger	V	14 Regiment 56 Regiment 75 Regiment	5
6. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Auleb	VI	18 Regiment 37 Regiment 58 Regiment	6
7. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Frhr. v. Gablenz	VII	19 Regiment 61 Regiment 62 Regiment	7	recon battalion: 2 bicycle companies, no heavy company, but 1 lt IG platoon (mot), 1 AT platoon (mot)
8. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Höhne	VIII	28 Regiment 38 Regiment 84 Regiment	8	recon battalion: 2 bicycle companies, no heavy company, but 1 lt IG platoon (mot), 1 AT platoon (mot)
9. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Frhr. v. Schleinitz	IX	36 Regiment 57 Regiment 116 Regiment	9
11. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. v. Böckmann	I	2 Regiment 23 Regiment 44 Regiment	11
12. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. v. Seydlitz-Kurzbach	II	27 Regiment 48 Regiment 89 Regiment	12
15. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Hell	IX	81 Regiment 88 Regiment 106 Regiment	15
17. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Loch	XIII	21 Regiment 55 Regiment 95 Regiment	17	recon battalion: 2 bicycle companies, no heavy company, but 1 lt IG platoon (mot), 1 AT platoon (mot)
21. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Sponheimer	I	3 Regiment 24 Regiment 45 Regiment	21	recon battalion: 2 bicycle companies, no heavy company, but 1 lt IG platoon (mot), 1 AT platoon (mot)
22. Infanterie-Division (Luftlande)   Gen.Lt. Graf v. Sponek	X	16 Regiment 47 Regiment 65 Regiment	22	recon battalion: 2 bicycle companies, no heavy company, but 1 lt IG platoon (mot), 1 AT platoon (mot); no heavy artillery battalion; all antitank companies had 3x sPzBü + 9x 37mm Pak; 3 supply columns, 6 supply columns (mot), 2 P.O.L. columns (mot); 1 division park. Airlanding equipment was in depots back in Germany.
23. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Hellmich	III	9 Regiment 67 Regiment 68 Regiment	23
24. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. v. Tettau	IV	31 Regiment 32 Regiment 102 Regiment	24
26. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Weiss	VI	39 Regiment 77 Regiment 78 Regiment	26
28. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Sinnhuber	VIII	7 Regiment 49 Regiment 83 Regiment	28
30. Infanterie-Division.   Gen-Lt-v. Tippelskirch	X	6 Regiment 26 Regiment 46 Regiment	30
31. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Kalmükoff	XI	12 Regiment 17 Regiment Regiment	31
32. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Bohnstedt	II	4 Regiment 94 Regiment 96 Regiment	32	Pionier Bataillon 2
34. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Behlendorff	XII	80 Regiment 107 Regiment 253 Regiment	34
35. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Fischer v. Weikersthall	V	34 Regiment 109 Regiment 111 Regiment	35
44. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Siebert	XVII	131 Regiment 132 Regiment 134 Regiment	44	Art.Rgt. 96; Pzjg.Abt. 46; Pion.Btl. 80; Nachr.Abt. 64.; recon battalion without armored car platoon.
45. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Maj. Schliepper	XVII	130 Regiment 133 Regiment 135 Regiment	45	Art.Rgt. 98; Pion.Btl. 81; Nachr.Abt. 65; recon battalion without armored car platoon.
46. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Ktiebel	XIII	42 Regiment 72 Regiment 97 Regiment	46	Art.Rgt. 144; Pzjg.Abt. 52; Pion.Btl. 88; Nachr.Abt. 76; recon battalion without heavy company, but with armored car platoon.
50. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Hollidt	III	121 Regiment 122 Regiment 123 Regiment	50	recon battalion: 2 bicycle companies, no heavy company, but 1 lt IG platoon (mot), 1 AT platoon (mot); the infantry regiment antitank companies had 12x 37mm Pak; the antitank battalion companies had 9x 37mm Pak + 2x 50mm Pak.
72. Infanterie-Division.   Gen.Lt. Mattenklott	XII	105 Regiment 124 Regiment 266 Regiment	72	Art.Rgt. 172; Radf.Schw. 172; no Field Replacement Battalion; the infantry regiment antitank companies had 12x 37mm Pak; the antitank battalion companies had 9x 37mm Pak + 2x 50mm Pak.

http://niehorster.orbat.com/011_germany/39_organ_army/kstn_0353.htm

German Radhfahrtruppes (Bicycle-Infantry) converge on Arnhem

World War II Armed Forces - Orders of Battle and Organizations

Last Updated 31.12.00

German Army Organization Cavalry Bicycle Company 1 September 1939

 

Radfahrerschwadron KStN 353 dated 01.09.1939
1 Officer (K) as Company Commander (Pistol)
Company Headquarters     Headquarters Section         1 NCO as Headquarters Section Leader (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 Messenger / Bugler (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 Messenger / Blinker Signaler (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 Messenger (Rifle)(bicycle)         3 Messengers (Rifles)(on motorcycles)         1 Motor Vehicle Driver (Rifle)         1 car, light, cross-country (Kfz. 1)         3 motorcycles     Medic Section         1 Medic NCO (Pistol)(on bicycle)         4 Stretcher Bearers(on bicycles)     Combat Trains         1 Senior NCO as First Sergeant / Trains Leader (Pistol)         1 NCO as Armorer (Pistol)         1 NCO for Equipment (Rifle)(on motorcycle)         1 Assistant Armorer (Pistol)(on motorcycle)         1 Assistant Armorer (Pistol)         5 Motor Vehicle Drivers (Rifles)         1 Motorcyclist (Rifle)(on motorcycle with sidecar)         3 Bicycle Mechanics & truck escort (Rifle)         1 Clerk (Rifle)         1 Cook (Rifle)         1 Cook & truck escort (Rifle)         2 motorcycles         1 motorcycle with side car         1 car, medium, cross-country (Kfz. 18)         1 truck, light, open, cross-country for field kitchen         3 trucks, light, open, cross-country for equipment and ammo         9 light machine guns (as equipment reserve)     Baggage Trains         1 Enlisted in charge of baggage / clerk (Rifle)(on motorcycle)         1 Tailor (Rifle)         1 Cobbler (Rifle)         1 Driver (Rifle)         1 truck, light, open, for baggage and equipment	3 Rifle Platoons, each with     1 Officer (Z) as Platoon Leader (Pistol)(on bicycle)     Platoon Headquarters         1 Messenger / Bugler (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 Messenger / Blinker Signaler (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 Messenger (Rifle)(bicycle)     3 Rifle Squads, each with         1 NCO Squad Leader (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 Assistant Squad Leader (Rifle)(on bicycle)         1 MG Gunner (Pistol)(on bicycle)         2 Assistant MG Gunners (Pistols)(on bicycles)         7 Riflemen (Rifles)(on bicycles)         1 light machine gun Light Mortar Section     1 NCO as Mortar Section Leader (Rifle)(on motorcycle)     3 Gunners / (Pistols)     6 Assistant Gunners (Rifles)     6 Motorcycle Drivers (Rifles)(on motorcycles with sidecars)     1 motorcycle     6 motorcycles with sidecars     3 light mortars (50mm)
Totals: 4 Officers, 24 NCO, 152 Enlisted; 134 Rifles, 46 Pistols, 18 LMG, 3 Light Mortars; 7 motor vehicles, 7 motorcycles, 7 motorcycles with side cars, 138 bicycles.

http://starnetinc.com/olderr/bcwebsite

From Steve Olderr's superb web site, the "Bicyclopedia" link above, lists an amazing history of the bicycle, military bike history excerpts taken here:

Click here for Military Bike history details

The forerunners of today's A/ETBs have been proven by years of successful military use in war by the Germans, British Commandos, Vietnamese, Swiss and can give AIRBORNE forces 10-25 mph mobility without logistical "tail" that is inherently stealthy. In its 1937 invasion of China, Japan employed some 50,000 bicycle troops. Then the Japanese Army of just 3 divisions defeated the entire British Army in Malaya and Singapore. Their "secret weapon": bicycle jungle infiltration tactics created by a "Studies Group"

"Early in 1941 Colonel Masanobu Tsuji, (scroll down after clicking link) a veteran of the China campaign. was allocated a shoe-string budget and put in charge of a small Southern Military Studies Research Group in Taiwan to investigate problems of jungle warfare. Tsuji was given a report drawn up by two senior Japanese army officers, who had visited Malaya in September 1940. They advised that any attack on Singapore would have to come from the north and reported that the British Air force in Malaya was understrength and its planes obsolete. Tsuji appreciated, as Percival and Dobbie had pointed out, that a frontal attack on Singapore was scarcely feasible but her back door stood open, and he realized that British propaganda was deluding only her own people.

Tsuji embarked on his task with enthusiasm and verve. The challenge was enormous, for the Japanese Army had no experience of fighting jungle warfare. Soldiers accustomed to cold weather fighting had to be trained to face tropical conditions, and cavalry, which was used in China, had to be abandoned in favour of bicycles. The 25th Japanese Army, which was hurriedly assembled for the invasion of Malaya, was put under the command of Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita, probably Japan's most able general. The son of a humble village doctor, Yamashita was then fifty-six years old and was Tojo 's contemporary and rival. He had headed the Japanese military mission to Germany and Italy in 1940 and served in Korea and North China, until November 1941 when he was summoned from Manchuria to command the attack on Singapore.

Yamashita was offered five divisions but decided to employ only three, knowing that this was the maximum force which could be fed and maintained as his supply lines became extended south. The 25th Army comprised the Imperial Guards, the seasoned 18th Division and the highly experienced crack 25th Division, which was one of the best in the Japanese Army.

The Japanese secret weapon was the bicycle and it gave them speed and mobility in the advance down the Malay peninsula

The Japanese swept down the Malay peninsula, carried forward by audacious planning, good fortune and the exhilaration bred by success. The main body of the force were disciplined, hardy and vigorous Soldiers, who had fought together in the China campaign. Yamashita used his mastery of the air and the coastal waters to conduct a dynamic technique of infiltration, enveloping and outflanking which bewildered the defenders and compelled them to withdraw to avoid being cut off from the rear. Confined by the communications system of one trunk road and railway line, the British defence lacked mobility and the Japanese could defeat them in detail. Without tanks and anti-tank guns or prepared lines of defences, the Commonwealth retreat was inevitable, and the Japanese drove relentlessly south. Ironically, when he was almost out of ammunition, Yamashita attacked and General Percival surrendered to his bluff.

Victory brought a thrill of exhilaration to Japan and her allies. The previous year German military leaders had told Yamashita it would probably take five divisions eighteen months to conquer Singapore. In fact, the mission had been accomplished by three divisions in just over two months. For the British, the loss of Singapore was the blackest moment of the Second World War and, in the words of Winston Churchill, 'the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history'.

--National Museum of Singapore Web Site

VIDEOS: The Fall of Malaya and Singapore

Jap bicyclists take Malaya/Singapore

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx38CQkka-Q

The BATTLE

PART 1: Percival had plan to block landing up north but didn't do it, Japs sink air coverless Repulse and Prince of Wales, use bicycle-infantry to infiltrate through British lines, Light tanks prevail because stupid British ASS U ME NO tanks can operate in the jungle; don't fathom LIGHT tanks that are closed-terrain mobile

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P14DfmapWY

PART 2: non-linear Japs outflank linear Brits repeatedly, IV and pole carry of casualty, planes in crates not helping; if they were folded in BATTLEBOXes they'd be ready to fly, interesting small boat with a cannon on it, Japs encircle Singapore with light tanks and artillery, launch observation balloon to direct fires; British have no planes to knock it down! Cuts off water supply, can't win a fight if forced to dislodge the British so he tries leaflets to get a surrender, Yamashita bluffs Percival to surrender

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pIpkDk-c04

PART 3: 130, 000 POWs horror made into slave laborers

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSSJCRToo_Y

The Brits Get Bikes: Defeat the Japs & Jerry

Later in the same year, British Airborne "Cycle Commandos" struck at Bruneval Radar station using folding mountain bikes. Flying in Stirling bombers which also dropped bombs to confuse the Germans, the Cycle-Commandos were paradropped 8 miles away from their objective for secrecy. Using their bikes for ground mobility, the Paratroopers closed on their target silently and captured the necessary radar components and prisoners to bring vital intelligence back to England by sea landing craft.

Details:

www.6th-airborne.org/bike.html

Details & Photos:

Airborne re-enactor equipment page
BSA Airborne Bicycles
BSA Airborne Bike Page
David Gordon's BSA bike page

Type G Apparatus - Folding Bicycle

In WW2 bicycles were a cheap and lightweight method of giving mobility to infantry. This was particularly true for Airborne troops, who were obviously much more limited in the size and number of vehicles that could accompany them. The British Airborne forces had a unique bicycle designed to be folded in half and parachuted down. While somewhat bulky by today's standards, the bike is remarkably light. The bike could either be dropped separately or strapped to the parachutist. A member of the [6th Airborne re-enactors] unit has acquired and restored one of these interesting pieces.

BSA Folding Airborne Bike rigged to be dropped separately

Following are several more photos of this particular bike along with several wartime photos. All of the following text is taken from the war-time military manual for the "Type G Apparatus", the folding bicycle.

General Notes

Stores Ref. Number: The Stores Ref. Number of the parachute is 15C/84 Weight of folding bicycle: The weight of the folding bicycle and parachute is 32 1/2 lb.

It is necessary to throw the bicycle vertically downwards through the door of the aircraft to prevent the parachute fouling the tail. Tests were made by A.F.E.E. from a C-47 with satisfactory results.

Airborne Bicycle General

The frame of the bicycle is elliptical and is hinged at two points. The slackening of two wing-nuts enables the frame to be folded so that the two wheels lie side by side. The wheels are lashed to the frame to prevent their turning and a type Q parachute with 12 ft. Canopy, as described in A.P. 1180A, Vol. I, Part 2, Sect. 2 Chap. 4, is attached to their circumference. Any partial bending of the handlebars on landing can usually be corrected by hand.

Parachuting with the Airborne bicycle from either Dakota or Stirling Aircraft is simple and requires little equipment. The bicycle is suspended from the parachutist´s body by a quick-release strap when jumping and is always released and lowered to the full extent of a 20 ft suspension line during descent.

Preparation of Bicycle

Fold the bicycle and push the pedals through into the stowed position. Lower the handlebars and raise the saddle so that the latter will receive most of the landing shock.

Strap both wheels together, securing them to the rear chain stays to prevent them from rotating (An Army-issue valise strap is most suitable for this.). Tie one end of the 20 ft. suspension line to both the wheels in such a position that when the cycle is suspended by the line the saddle is lowermost. This is important to prevent damage to the handlebars.

Method of Attaching Bicycle to Parachutist

Commencing from the free end, plait the suspension line to ensure that it will pay out quickly and easily without forming loose coils likely to foul the cycle. Take the free end and tie it to the lower left leg strap of the parachute harness. Finally, suspend the bicycle from a quick-release strap passing round the back of the parachutist´s neck.

Method of Jumping with Airborne Bicycle

When making an exit from [C-47] Dakota aircraft, hold the bicycle slightly forward and to the right-hand side, as shown in fig. 2. Take care to avoid fouling the forward edge of the door and catching the brake cable of the bicycle on the door jettison handle. Step well out to avoid being brushed along the side of the aircraft. As soon as the canopy has developed, release the bicycle by pulling the loose end of the quick-release strap.

When jumping from Stirling aircraft, hold the bicycle slightly forward and to the right-hand side, as shown in fig. 3. It is important to stand slightly to the starboard side of the aircraft centre-line to prevent the cycle from fouling the exit. As soon as the canopy has developed, release the bicycle by pulling the loose end of the quick-release strap. No anti-sear sleeve is required.

---

Japanese bicycle-infantry conquering the Philippines

British Airborne folding bicycle

U.S. Army bicycle in WWII

French Military Bicycle

German Radfahrtruppen

Vietnamese Bicycle Use

Bike decisive Logistical means at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k0foADqw0w&feature=related

Vietnamese Bicycle Porter

"Boys and men: a hundred year history of Northwestern Military and Naval Academy 1888-1988" By Dr. Michael J.G. Gray-Fow

Another pic

another view

interesting angle

Some of the best references are Bicycles at War by Martin Caidin and Jay Barbree, 1974 (see bottom of this web page) and the 1989 U.S. Army Command & General Staff College Master's Thesis of then Major Stephen Tate: "Human Powered Vehicles in support of Light Infantry Operations", Defense Technical Information Center, AD A211 795, and Infantry magazine, September-October 1994, "Bicycle Infantry: The Swiss Experience" by CPT Kevin Stringer who was a liaison officer with the Swiss Bike troops, January-February 1995, "Airdrop of All-Terrain Bicycles" by Michael Sparks, Pages 4-5. LTC Edwin L. Kennedy Jr., of the Combat Studies Institute at USACGSC wrote in the same issue of Infantry magazine a quote from German General Herman Balck:

"From the early '30s, I advocated equipping infantry with bicycles in preference to motorcycles for the reasons that bicycles would be very quiet, would be able to go off roads onto trails, and would be almost as fast as motorcycles. However I didn't have the time or the position to fight for this position. I had some actual experience with bicycle infantry because right after the First World War, I commanded a bicycle infantry battalion in Germany...the mobility of the bicycle troops was quite good. It was absolutely no problem to make a hundred kilometers in a day..."

"The U.S. Army has also tested bicycles--both in the late 1800s and in this century. In a 1988 REFORGER Exercise, we used bicycles in a company that was designated one of our division's Air Assault elements proposed by Captain Kevin Stringer"

"Bicycle Infantry: the Swiss Experience" by Captain Kevin D. Stringer, U.S. Army Infantry magazine, September-October, 1994

Their official Swiss military web site states:

Combat effectiveness and speed: mechanized and light troops

"Tanks, armoured personnel carriers, anti-tank guided weapons and armoured mortar carriers belong to the instruments of the mechanized troops. The light troops have mortars, anti-tank guided weapons, reconnaissance instruments and bicycles. Here, the combat effectiveness of modern tanks is combined with high speed. This allows the defenders to strike well-aimed blows against an opponent who has broken into the country, and to maintain control of the terrain. Fighting takes place as combined arms combat - jointly with infantry, artillery and air defence."

Jane's Defense Review elaborates:

"A unique Swiss Army formation is the bicycle regiment; it can be deployed to counter threats to the corps' rear or used to secure lines of communication for the deployment of armoured brigades or other formations. It is organized into two bicycle battalions and a headquarters battalion, including a Piranha TOW company with nine vehicles. Companies have received the new Bicycle 93, a mountain bike design which allows Soldiers quick access on road or cross-country. Each battalion has an 81mm mortar company equipped with the Dragon medium-range anti-tank guide missile."

Headquarters 5 Airborne Brigade
Montgomery Lines
Aldershot, Hants GU11 2AU

16 Nov 93

"Thank you for your letter of the 2 Nov 93 outlining the low cost solution to our lack of mobility. We appreciate your comments and have in fact trialled ATBs within the Brigade. We have a limited number which are used on the airhead to enhance communications.

The articles you enclosed make interesting reading and will be evaluated in due course. Once again many thanks for your interest."

A T Boyd
Maj
for comd

British Gurkhas Bicycle Security Fence Patrols in Hong Kong

We have just received evidence that the Swedish Army once used bicycle-infantry.

http://home.swipnet.se/~w-42039/testsida.htm

One of the armored infantry battalions became bicykle mounted. This meant that the mobility of the battalion was totally warped. Three different speeds of advance. To command this battalion effectively was not possible. In practice one half of the battalion fought together, the tank company and the KP-car mounted armored infantry company, while the tractor towed bicykle company fought with other units of the battalion.

Thanks to the efforts of the 1^st TSG (A) which contacted the U.S. Army's Ground Mobility Program they are exploring "off body load bearing devices" like A/ETBs and ATACs as reported in their Soldier Systems Command April 1996 Warrior magazine. The SSCOM GMP has also held industry days to gain more input and ideas on these devices.

BIKES AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS....

Anyone who has seen the film, "Blackhawk Down!" will note that in 1993, shortly after the 1^st TSG (A) test jumps that U.S. Army Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta ("Delta Force") used a mountain bike to infiltrate and exfiltrate an operator into and out of downtown Mogadishu, Somalia to gain intel on the whereabouts of warlord Muhammad Farrar Aideed. The film shows the Delta operator with All-Terrain Bike in civilian clothes being picked up at a beach landing site by a MH-60K helicopter.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Eric Haney in his superb book, Inside Delta Force on page 210 notes:

"For our part, we shot targets, blew things up, and executed building assaults. We also made free-fall parachute jumps with motorcycles and, upon landing, roared past the VIP stands firing our submachine guns".

Therefore, if Delta Force can put out heavy motorcycles under a parachute canopy and follow them in under their own parachutes, land together and ride motorcycles, certainly smaller A/ETBs can be airdropped and utilized in a similar manner where more stealth is required.

Its also common knowledge the multi-billion-dollar Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft is too small to carry even a HMMWV inside and this is a major handicap, forcing SF units to fight at a foot-slog. A/ETBs can be cycled and rolled right off the rear ramp of helicopters/tilt-rotor aircraft so SF units can perform special operations with 10-25 mph mobility----not getting surrounded and decisively engaged as famed SAS patrol "Bravo Two-Zero" was in Iraq.

FORCE MULTIPLIERS....

In Vietnam, U.S. Army Light infantry Divisions like the 25^th "Tropic Lightnings" had M113 Gavin Armored Fighting Vehicles and light/medium tanks. Today, out of spite and jealousy, senior Army officers have blocked repeatedly our light units from getting tracked light tanks like the M8 Armored Gun System to replace the retired M551 Sheridan or even modernized M113A3s out of fear that these units will get all the "action" and have nothing left for the heavy units to do to put on career resumes. Thus, we are stuck with trying to airland heavy 70-ton Abrams tanks and 33-ton Bradley Fighting Vehicles 4 hours after Paratroopers have jumped/died to seize a concrete runway for them to airland. This heavy force structure is too slow to deploy by air to take down a Kosovo so we ended up bombing 2 million people into refugee status before the enemy gave up after we decided to mass for a ground invasion. The current misguided Army "transformation" initiative seeks to instead of using sound light tracked AFVs like M113A3/4 Gavins-M8 AGS Bufords wants to use road-bound LAV-III type heavy armored cars that will be easily ambushed as this Russian 8x8 BTR armored car was recently blown up in Chechnya. To add insult to injury, only 2 x LAV-IIIs can be flown per C-17--the same number as M2 BFVs that can fly in a single C-17 sortie, and neither can fly by C-130 because the LAV-III is too wide, and at 16.5 tons EMPTY exceeds the USAF's 16-ton forward landing strip limit! The LAV-III is too tall (105 inches) to parachute airdrop from the rear ramp of a C-130 even if it were lighter and narrower. What we need are mobile Airborne/Light Divisions coupled with light Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) like the 10.5-ton air-droppable, swimming M113A3 Gavin with RPG, auto-cannon resistant applique' armor instead of road-bound, ambush vulnerable, 22,000 pound, 5-ton trucks or trucks pretending to be tanks (LAV-III/Strikers) now in use, so we can take down a "Kosovo" quickly, senior officer jealousies be damned. With light AFVs like the M113A3, the U.S. Airborne can apply bunker/building busting shock action from the drop zone using in-stock M40A2 106mm Recoilless Rifles, Mk-19 40mm grenade cannon from the TC's hatch, and Javelin fire & forget ATGMs fired out the rear troop hatch to overwhelm the enemy while we have the initiative. The Airborne Assault Echelon with light tracked AFVs can overcome enemy fires to secure the drop zone to enable it to be an assault landing zone for follow-on forces to airland. ATB-equipped LBI forces would drop away from enemy defenses and fan out to set-up blocking positions and establish the recon & security zone to act as a covering force to keep the enemy at bay and out of mortar/artillery range as the airhead builds up. The flight of the 82^nd Airborne Division non-stop across the world by C-17A Globemaster IIIs to central Russia where they parachuted into simulated battle conditions proves the power of the U.S. Airborne......See photo below....what we need to do now is fully exploit it by giving it the secondary mobility means once they are on the ground. Beginning with LBI and "Dragoons" in ATVs, and M113A3 AFVs is a very low-cost way to create these capabilities NOW, before there is another Kosovo-type crisis. 100% of the air is covered by AIR and vulnerable to AIRBORNE attack....while a tiny fraction borders on watery edges. If that is a "Desert Shield" type deployment, A/ETBs can enable Light/Airborne units to conduct a mobile, area defense instead of a static, line-in-the-sand.

We have been to NTC as OPFOR and we won. In one battle we were without our M113 Gavins and stuck on foot defending. ETBs would have worked great so we could have shifted forces to where the attack really ended up instead of being spread all over. We could have been on the reverse slope and used them to rapidly move to firing positions on signal. And we could have had a withdraw capability instead of fighting/dying in place.

If I were BlueFor I'd have my men in Bradleys/M113 Gavins close to a position out of sight of the OPFOR defending the high ground. Then, at night close rapidly through a smoke screen (made by M58s--M113s with smoke generators--or artillery barrage in actual war) by ETBs to the defenders position and take the key terrain BEFORE trying to stampede AFVs which only gets everyone killed as the pass gets clogged with dead vehicles. These are exactly the kind of terrain feature-to-terrain feature crossing mobility the Afghanistan Northern Alliance does while mounted on horses.

UPDATE 2002: Afghanistan: where all-terrain mobility is a MUST. Easily ambushed roads must be avoided

1. Mules to transport long-range rockets/mortars for infantry raids

The Bear Trap
afghanbooks.com

Special Forces Mounted Operations

FM 31-27, PACK ANIMALS IN SUPPORT OF ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES, 15 FEB 2000

https://hosta.atsc.eustis.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/31-27/toc.htm

2. Video footage of bikes/carts

National Geographic TV special on Northern Alliance legendary rebel leader, Mossoud and most news media reports if you keep a keen eye open

3. Horse Cavalry that attacks from terrain feature to terrain feature

Ah, that we would open our minds to off-road mobility, including forces using armored TRACKED vehicles flown in by aircraft to then maneuver to compliment the lighter forces on foot, bike, cart, mules, horses, ATVs etc.

Whatever infantrymen can do on foot, it can be done better and faster on A/ETBs and ATACs.

UPDATE 2004: PROGRESS

Amphibious Light Bicycle Infantry

The centerpiece of a good light bicycle infantry should be a M113 Gavin light tracked AFV to provide large distance mobility, armor protection, battery recharging, supply carry, overwatching sensors and fire support. M113 Gavins can swim in lakes/rivers and with waterjets, oceans.

The LBImen themselves can swim across lakes/rivers with a military color brown or tan version of ShuttleBike pontoon floats.

www.shuttlebikeusa.com www.gizmo.com.au/public/News/news.asp?articleid=2530

When you consider that the LBIman has an ability to parachute insert and helicopter insert/extract, being able to swim adds an extra dimension for scouts fanning out from their "mother" M113 Gavin.

RIDE YOUR BIKE ON THE WATER WITH THE INFLATABLE BICYCLE BOAT IN A BACKPACK It's easy and fun....set up in 10-15 minutes....up to 6 miles per hour....

Aluminum alloy frame clamps attach to your bicycle The entire Shuttle-Bike Kit in a backpack!

Propeller and rudder Easy and quick float inflation with pedal power

SHUTTLE-BIKING IS THE ULTIMATE PEDAL-POWERED EXPERIENCE!

Shuttle-Bike Kit Features and Technical Information:

Aluminum alloy frame clamps attach as a permanent accessory to your bike.

Stainless steel snap-together bike support frame.

Brushed aluminum alloy propeller gear housing.

Propeller/rudder combination attaches to front wheel - steer with your handlebars.

Clutch pivot retracts propeller in shallow water.

Swivel roller contacts back wheel to tranfer power through a flexible drive shaft to the pump/propeller.

275 pound maximum safe load (450 lb. emergency rescue).

4 miles per hour cruising, 6 miles per hour maximum speed.

Pedal powered rapid inflation pump with pressure relief valve.

Dual floats make the Shuttle-Bike(r) more stable than canoes, kayaks and other monohulls.

Highly maneuverable - can turn 360 degrees in place.

Compact - everything fits in a 25 lb. packpack.

No tools required for quick setup on the shore.

Economical - lowest priced pedal powered watercraft available.

Precision machined mechanical components - fine craftsmanship.

The Shuttle-Bike Kit is made in Italy by SBK Engineering.

SHUTTLE-BIKE USA, Inc. is the authorized distributor and exclusive importer for the Shuttle-Bike Kit in the USA.

Toll Free USA Order Line: 1-877-725-2329.
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Email address: shuttlebikeusa@aol.com

Mailing address: 9805 NE 116th St. #7139, Kirkland, WA 98034

Stability and Support Operations (SASO) in Iraq

1. American infantry squad leaves fortified base camp in up-armored M113A3 Gavin with gunshields to city/town/village area. If enemy explodes bombs and/or ambushes by RPGs, small-arms fire troops will survive initial volley and be able to fight back.

2. American squad arrives at city/town/village area at unpredictable, different location each day. Infantry dismounts from M113A3 Gavin and re-mount onto all Terrain "MounTain" Bikes (MTB)s taken off the Gavin's sides where they were snap-linked. Squad fans out into two fireteams, left and right of road with M113A3 Gavin and at least one if not 3 machine gunners riding "shotgun" with overwatching fires if enemy should ambush.

3. Cycle troops are wearing FULL Interceptor Hard Body Armor and kevlar helmets with clear ballistic face shields to protect in event of grenade/small arms/bomb attack. Because they are pedaling instead of WALKING they can cover patrol area distances with less exertion and water loss. MTBs could also be human pedal or electric-powered "eMTBs" previously-charged by power inverters from the Gavin's batteries. Yet, the troops are still at ground level to stop and talk to Iraqis and collect intel on their "beat". The question is in a situation of quasi-peace how much more vulnerable are the troops riding and stopping on ATBs with weapons slung at the ready in the same way as they are on foot movement if they can cover larger areas and gain more preventative intel? If the troops can cover larger areas wouldn't this contribute more to their safety than the slight advantage having one hand on the M4/M16/M249 weapon's pistol grip instead of on a handlebar. The point is that troops wearing IBA are due to weight not patrolling as aggressively on foot and covering as large areas as the British are in the south without hard body armor to control and influence their "beat". MTB or eMTBs.

4. Patrol complete, the troops rally onto their "mother" M113A3 Gavin and snap-link their MTBs to the vehicle's sides, remount inside the Gavin weapons facing out through the top troop hatch. Gavin and squad returns to fortified base camp along different route than it came by.

5. Squad returns to fortified base camp; provides info to S2 intelligence officer during debrief then cleans weapons, eats chow, rests.

6. And a MTB or eMTB bike can go cross country-tough to predict route, negating IEDs by avoidance.

7. Tweaks

A British Army officer writes:

"Interesting. The UK issued bikes for boarder road patrols in Hong Kong. - Never spoke to anyone who did it, but it seemed to work chasing 14 year old Chinese kids!

As I see it, the concept has three prime equipment components.

1.. M-113A4
2.. MTB
3.. Body armour

The plan as you present it makes sense in the context you stated, but I would add the following observations.

1.. Would bike borne troops be more or less vulnerable to small arms fire and blast from IED?

2.. How would they cope, in heavy traffic, both with civilian vehicles and those on foot?

3.. To patrol in the IS environment, you are constantly stopping and talking to people, going into shops, stopping vehicles and just holding firm, to await the start of your next phase.

4.. No Squad/Section EVER patrols alone. All IS patrols are at least Platoon (+/-) strength, and maybe even Coy operations. Movement is always on multiple routes, aimed at the manoeuvre defeat of the bomber or shooter, PRIOR to his engagement. - In very simple terms, this is why the IRA gave up sniping in city centres. It was just too dangerous for them.

5.. Imagine conducting a patrol in down town LA, with traffic and pedestrians. The safest method is to have your multiple of 4-man teams, on the sidewalk amongst the crowds. - watch how the Israelis do it. The enemy have to try and track lots of teams snaking around the area.

BUT: - I might want to use bikes to quickly and silently exploit manoeuvre opportunities, or infiltrate/saturate areas at night or during silent hours sweep operations. - I'd have 3 x 4 man teams on foot, and 2 x 4 man teams on bikes. Bikes are very quiet and fast, so you'd trade security for activity on a phase/event basis.

The bike men would be dismounted most of the time, and only mount and dash, to leap frog forward, when required.

Like wise, you could foot patrol a small amount of teams into an area, that once they had secured it, could be rapidly flooded by a Coy on bikes, to conduct sweeps or searches. - no warning sounds of Hummvees of AFV's in the night.

End of OP, M-113's come in to extract everyone, plus the bikes."

Good points! We add that LBI troops should carry a very large padlock to clip to a light pole to secure their bikes if they decide to apprehend someone on foot.

BICYCLE-INFANTRY AS THE CENTERPIECE OF A FUTURE FORCE DESIGN

Noted defense reformer and theorist William S. Lind proposes a bicycle-infantry centric redesign of the USMC in marine corps Gazette:

www.mca-marines.org/Gazette/2003/03Lind.html

EXCERPT:

"The basic unit of the Islandian marine corps is the infantry battalion. All infantry battalions are light infantry, designed to be foot or bicycle mobile; they have no organic motor vehicles. Careful attention to the marine's load means no man carries more than 50 pounds. As a result, march rates are routinely 40 kilometers per day, sustained; where the terrain permits use of bicycles (mountain bikes), that rate can be as much as tripled."

"Interesting concept.

I'd rather we start placing static patrols into OPs at really good spots for reconnaissance and ambush to catch the bad guys with their hands in the cookie jar.

Use the a fire team hide position similar to what the Brits devised in N. Ireland. Equip with thermals, digital cameras, etc.

Dig them in at night for maximum concealment and go "silent" for about a week. Track the comings and goings. Then move when they have a juicy target."

A former USAF Combat Control Team (CCT) member and professional bicyclist writes:

"It sounds feasible. Is all of that body armor required equipment for these troops? My thoughts tend to lean more towards the "travel light, freeze at night" SUT mode because of my CCT background.

Bicycle handling is effected greatly by weight and it would seem that tight manuevering to get either into, or out of a situation (especially urban) would be paramount in reference to individual, or squad mobility.

The only way I could make a truly informed decision would be to gear-up and get on the bicycle(s) to be used and ride. Of course, it would have to include live fire exercises..."

NEW ATBs!

Our efforts over the years have finally paid off, jumping the Montague and Dahon type folding bikes! Montague has finally simplified its frame into a botton tube-less design aptly titled, "The Paratrooper" and DaHon has a similar simple single-tube frame that folds, one even with disc brakes---called the "Zero-G". The question is at what point will the U.S. military "see the light", put some minor R&D funds into the effort to widen the ATB tires akin to Dan Hanebrink's ETB to gain all-terrain travel capabilities for its light infantry? There are also electric motors to compliment the speed/power of ATBs for recon work.

Amerityre
705 Yucca Street
Boulder City, Nevada, 89005
(800) 808-1268
FAX : (702) 294-3873
e-mail: info@amerityre.com
www: www.amerityre.com/Products/prodinfo.htm
www.amerityre.com/products/Products2.htm?agree=ON

Greentyre USA, Inc.
PO Box 1817
Shelter Island, NY 11964
tel: 888-GRN-TYRE
fax: 804-344-8179
sales@greentyre.com
www: www.greentyre.com/english/index.html

Bike Details below:

Features

Foldable to 36" x 30" x 12"
Portable (folds to a small size for transport)
Stealth/Minimal Signature (second only to a walking Soldier)
Off Body Load Bearing
Deployable on almost all terrains
Low Initial Cost
Low/No Maintenence
Low/No Logistic Support
Up to 75 miles daily range
Folds without the use of tools
Folds in less than 30 seconds
Easily concealed/caches
Increased Loads (lesser reliance on resupply)
Towing Capability

Special Features

Patented Technology: Out patented seat tube folding system preserves the structural integrity and inherent strength of traditional bicycle geometry. Unlike all other folding bikes, there are no wobbly hinges and no structural tubes cut in half.
Quick Releases: No tools are needed to fold and unfold the Paratrooper. Just open one quick release lever on the top tube and remove the front wheel. Folds in under thirty seconds without tools.
Safety Lock: Recessed drop out for quick release prevents frame from folding even with quick release not tightened.
Price: $599.95
Frame Size: 18-inch 20-inch

Details of the Zero-G

The sweetest portable MTB on the planet. Period. We built the Zero G for serious riders who need a bike for real off-road riding. Its our steed of choice on our own weekends off. Take a look at the parts list and you'll see what we mean. For blasting down Mt. Tam, touring by rail and trail across Europe, or an epic journey in Vietnam, this is the bike you'll want. So what are you waiting for?

SuperLite 7005 aluminum frame
ProMax Pro front disc brake
Race-tested components
Highly portable folding design
Frame: Custom-drawn 7005 aluminum
Fork: Zokes ProAir, 90mm long travel, air damped
Gearing: 24 spd. SRAM ESP 9.0 rear derailleur/Shimano LX front derailleur
Shifters: SRAM ESP 5.0 HalfPipe
Headset: WTB Momentum
Stem: Kore Lite 3D
Handlebars: Kore Lite
Front Brake: ProMax mechanical disc brake
Brakes: ProMax Pro V-brake
Brake levers: ProMax Pro V-brake levers, w/ CNC machined pivots and levers
Crank: FSA PowerPro
Chain: KMC Z-72
Pedals: VP, aluminum cage
Saddle: WTB SST-X2 with Comfort Zone base
Seat Post: Ritchey Comp
Tires: 26" x 1.95" WTB Racing Raptor semi slicks
Rims: Ritchey Rock, black anodized with CNC side walls
Hubs: Front - disc, Rear - Joytech sealed
Spokes: Stainless steel
Pedals: VP Aluminum
Folded Size: 34 x 69 x 91 cm
Weight: 13 kg. ( 28.6 lbs.)
Folding Time: 20 seconds
Color: High polish/Black

Folding bike motors
ETC motors
U.S. Pro electric motors

The Airport Shoppe
2635 Cunningham Avenue, San Jose, CA 95148
1-800-634-4744 PST; International: 408-923-2625 Fax: 408-929-3726 "Se Habla Español - pregunte por Marilu"

Motorized Light Cycle Infantry

As you know we're all over this aspect:

www.combatreform.com
www.combatreform2.com/atb.htm

IF

1. Minimalist: the human-powered bike/motor-powered cycle is SMALL enough so that that EVERY Paratrooper can have/use them after aircraft insertion to get UNIT mobility--4x4 ATVs are too big by way of comparison

2. All-Terrain: the bike/cycles have large airless or "tweel" fat-tires so they can go cross-country to avoid landmines/roads while surprising the enemy; this compensates somewhat for a lack of armor protection by hugging the terrain

3. Motorized: the bikes/cycles are simple and easy-to-maintain using JP-8 fuel in powered mode to be safe and in-synch with the rest of the U.S. military or use battery recharging from a "mother" M113 Gavin TAFV

AMERICAN CAVEAT

The Cushman motor scooter in U.S. Army WW2 service was too big and heavy to achieve goal #1 so entire main bodies could move faster than a foot slog. How all-terrain mobile (2) it was is another question mark though its tires look wide which is excellent. Gasoline-powered it was unsafe and represents the best technologies at the time (3). Result was the concept of all minimalist motorized American Paratrooper infantry has yet to be exploited though we have proposed it repeatedly on the www and in our book, "Air-Mech-Strike: Asymmetric Maneuver Warfare for the 21st Century".

FRENCH CAVEAT

The place for such a minimalist, motorized, all-terrain Light Bike/Cycle Infantry (LBI) force is for nation-state or sub-national group war missions where they must surprise the enemy and fan out quickly to surround him or take up positions to block him using 3D aircraft and/or closed terrain mobility. Once gone to ground, this LBI force would fight at an advantage over foot-slogging troops in terms of firepower and staying power but protection would be inferior to just making the investment in delivering minimalist light tracked armored fighting vehicles (TAFVs) which can advance in the face of enemy fire that the LBI unit would have to go to ground against. I always propose BOTH LBI + TAFV Light Mechanized forces for 3D maneuver. LBI is essential an aircraft-stuffer to get say 40 x LBImen in a C-130 versus 9 x Light TAFVmechmen (M113 Gavin) in a C-130.

What we see with the French 75mm RR motorscooter from Indo-China and Algeria is the foot-slogging Paratroopers having some HE BUILDING/BUNKER BLASTING WEAPONS SUPPORT MOTORIZED where the internal combustion engine is used to move the heavy RR tube and ammo to accompany the men as they march at 1-4 mph and use its 4-25 mph speeds in bursts to GET INTO FIRING POSITIONS in support of the main body still trudging along at a snail's pace. As we propose in LBI, the ENTIRE FORCE can move up to 25-60 mph depending if we use electric or internal combustion power.

http://airbornecombatengineer.typepad.com/airborne_combat_engineer/2006/12/ive_got_your_fi.html#more

Tuesday, 26 December 2006

I've got your firepower, right here

Surely, this is the scooter with the highest firepower, ever.

Unless someone ever mounted a Davey Crockett on a scooter.

And, it was AIRBORNE! Five parachutes would carry the two-man gun crew, weapon, ammunition, and two scooters safely to earth, and the men would load the weapon on one scooter and the ammo on the other, then ride away. More impressively, the recoilless rifle could be fired effectively on the move by the best of the gun crews. Total cost? About $500 for the scooter and the recoilless rifle was war surplus. Were they successful military machines? Well, the French Army deployed about 800 armed scooters in wars conducted in both Algeria and Indochina."

Found at Dark Roasted Blend (see history and more photos there), via Hell in a Handbasket, via Defense Tech .

Two things ACE would want added: Elevation and traverse adjustment and a .50 cal. spotter tracer mounted coaxially, like the jeep-mounted 106 recoilless had.

ACE had an Army Surplus Airborne Cushman

www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/4474/menu.htm

as a kid. Bought it for $25 out of a front yard. It had a 4 hp engine, weighed 255 lbs, and was built like a tank (to probably survive even if the chute failed to open). Didn't arm it. Just delivered newspapers from a metal basket mounted on the back. It had a cracked carburetor. It sometimes took longer to get it running than to deliver the papers, but it was my pride and joy.

www.diggerhistory.info/pages-equip/cushman1.htm

A Paratrooper from the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, "somewhere in France", 1944.

Another photo (with parachute) of the Model 53 U.S. Airborne Cushman from HobbyTech.com . Better still. The Army bought 4,734 of these beginning in 1944. See Cushman timeline.

www.hobbytech.com/timeline.htm

Illustrated Cushman history shows Airborne ad.

www.nebraskahistory.org/sites/mnh/cushman2.htm

http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2006/12/mystery-photo-one-seriously-empowered.html

Friday, December 15, 2006

Mystery Photo: One Seriously Empowered Motorcycle.
The Little (Vintage) Scooter That Could... Maybe

Any ideas what it is exactly? Can it fire??

UPDATE: (see the comment below)

It's the work of the French Military!

"El Queso Grande" provided the link (thanks!)

"So, what's the most unusual military vehicle you can think of? Maybe the Japanese airplane-launching submarine of WW2? Or perhaps the Soviet attempts to build a flying tank? Or perhaps the 1000-ton rolling fortress the Germans tried to build in WW2? All quite odd, I agree, but barely made it past the drawing boards. For us, the oddest is a scooter armed with a 75mm cannon.

After World War II, there was little money for defense spending while the nations of Europe rebuilt their industry and society. When there was some cash to spend, one had to be creative to stretch it as far as possible. The French probably accomplished the most astounding example of that with the ACMA Troupes Aeról Portées Mle. 56. Deployed with their airborne forces, this was essentially a militarized Vespa scooter outfitted with a 75mm recoilless rifle. Five parachutes would carry the two-man gun crew, weapon, ammunition, and two scooters safely to earth, and the men would load the weapon on one scooter and the ammo on the other, then ride away. More impressively, the recoilless rifle could be fired effectively on the move by the best of the gun crews. Total cost? About $500 for the scooter and the recoilless rifle was war surplus. Were they successful military machines? Well, the French Army deployed about 800 armed scooters in wars conducted in both Algeria and Indochina."

OK, so now I found more pictures:

http://static.flickr.com/144/323354307_41e9d0222e_o.jpghttp://static.flickr.com/144/323354307_41e9d0222e_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/139/323354239_ab016bf84a_o.jpghttp://static.flickr.com/139/323354239_ab016bf84a_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/139/323354250_ca110ae8c2_o.jpghttp://static.flickr.com/139/323354250_ca110ae8c2_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/140/323360131_e2836744fc_o.jpghttp://static.flickr.com/140/323360131_e2836744fc_o.jpg

http://re2.farm1.static.flickr.com/127/323360127_c3644536e4_o.jpghttp://re2.farm1.static.flickr.com/127/323360127_c3644536e4_o.jpg

Apparently, recoil was not a problem whatsoever, and this little scooter could (and did) wreak serious havoc.

www.hellinahandbasket.net/2006/12/talk_about_a_crotch_rocket.htm

Talk About a Crotch Rocket!

I was browsing through the comments over at Bob's place when I came across a link to this blog post. It is all about some serious firepower welded on to a little scooter.

www.hellinahandbasket.net/scootergun.jpg

Follow that last link for more pictures. Let me tell you, this weapon is a hoot.

Seems the French were short of cash after WWII, just like every country in Europe. They wanted to provide some badly needed artillery support for their airborne troops, so someone came up with the idea of welding a surplus 75mm recoilless cannon to a scooter. Lightweight, air-portable, mobile, and really cheap.

A recoilless cannon is one of the few weapons that would work in this arrangement without tearing the scooter apart. Originally a cutting edge concept intended to provide anti-tank and artillery capabilities to light vehicles and infantry forces, recoilless cannons (AKA recoilless rifles) were eventually replaced by RPG's and wire-guided anti-tank missiles.

The most famous recoilless rifle in U.S. military history has got to be the Davy Crockett. This was a nuclear device designed during the Cold War to be used against advancing Russian armies in an effort to buy time for the mobilization of NATO troops.

The way they work is simple enough. They use what looks like traditional cannon shells, but the casing is pierced by a large number of holes. The holes are sealed against moisture by having small disks of plastic or waxed cardboard glued over them. When the shell is fired, the holes allow most of the propellant gases to escape to the rear in order to counteract the recoil.

www.hellinahandbasket.net/recoilless.JPG

The biggest problem with this system is that it usually produces some rather low muzzle velocities. The trajectory of the shell resembles a rainbow, which means it can be tricky to place the round on target. Most of the large caliber recoilless rifles I have seen were equipped with what appeared to me to be some elaborate sighting devices.

www.hellinahandbasket.net/backend.jpg

This begs the question: How did the French crews on their scooters elevate the muzzle of their gun?

If I was one of the scooter-riding gunmen, I would bring along some wooden chocks of different sizes for the front wheel. The larger the block, the higher the muzzle and the longer the round would travel. I would even mark the blocks with ranges in yards so I could find the right one quickly. I don't know how the French did it, though.

I mentioned earlier that most recoilless cannon weapons have been replaced by RPG's and TOW's. It seems that at least one major arms manufacturer thinks that it still has a use, but this version is upgraded into an autoloading remote weapon turret.

www.rheinmetall-detec.de/index.php?fid=1506&lang=3&pdb=1

Recoilless Cannon RMK 30

The pioneering concept of the RMK 30 recoilless cannon is opening up completely new horizons in terms of protecting military convoys in crisis areas. The RMK weapon system can be integrated into virtually any conceivable carrier, such as trailers, containers and vehicles, and thanks to its low weight, compactness and simple design, can even be retrofitted into existing vehicles.

Main features

* On request

Technical data

On request

Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH
Branch Mauser Oberndorf
Werkstrasse 2
78727 Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany
Phone: +49 7423 70-0
Fax: +49 7423 70-670
info-wm-mittelkaliber@rheinmetall-wm.com

That is what I love about living in the 21st Century. High tech often gives new life to stuff that has been junked.

Posted on December 17, 2006 8:03 PM | Permalink

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Comments

Bob:

You know, I can kinda see it being useful in the two French wars that it apparently saw action: Indochina and Algeria.

I mean, in Vietnam, back when the French owned the whole place in the 50's, they had at least one or two roads that they protected with series of guard posts (read The Quiet American for a mention). I suppose that I'd sure as hell rather take a Vespa with a RR than a motorcycle if I was sent from my post down to the next one to quell some sort of disturbance.

And, well, Algeria is pretty self-explanatory...flat desert area with roads don't really require off-road capabilities. Or, hell, watching "The Battle of Algiers" makes it look like they might want it to create extra "doors" in urban fighting.

The U.S. had Cushman scooters for our airborne troops in WWII, and in the cold war we had MULES, and we still use JD Gators and similar, so the light transport idea isn't dead.

Do you know if the French issued a 75mm anti-personnel round like the U.S. 106mm flechette round? It would be a pretty nasty weapon with those. Especially for quelling riots and similar, where the lack of armor wouldn't be a huge deal.

Posted by Bob | December 18, 2006 3:43 AM

Recoilless guns are still in service:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Gustav_recoilless_rifle

... including the U.S. Army.

Cheers

Posted by J.M. Heinrichs | December 25, 2006 8:13 PM

Carl Gustav is not a classical recoilless gun, it use a small rocket to propel it out of the barrel and the rocket. The rocket burn out inside the barrel to avoid burning the operator. This is done for all RPG-like weapons the advances of this is that you get a smooth acceleration in the barrel to get more speed and almost no pressure in the barrel so it can be kept thin and light.

Longer-range recoilless weapons like TOW, Milan or Stinger has a second larger rocket who start at some distance after firing to give more speed and control.

Posted by mags | December 26, 2006 8:48 AM

An active-duty U.S. Army Cav Scout:

"Hello, my name is SGT XXX XXXXX, I am a cav scout in A troop XX/XXX cav at fort XXXXX. My squadron commander and I were talking about the concept of adding mountain bikes to the scout platoons in my unit. I told him I'd research the idea and happened upon your website during my research. I am hoping you would be able to send me some information by hardcopy on specifications and costs for both the bike types. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Please send to SGT XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX.

Again thanks,

XXXXX XXXXXXXXX

A CAP Search and Rescue (SAR) team leader:

"Sirs,

I would like to ask you to check out a professional paper at www.inwingcap.org/capleader/index.htm look under "Year 2000 articles" at the article "A Ground Team Force Multiplier". This article was inspired in part by your LBI page. (though not completely)This concept is now seriously under consideration by the United States Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol. I wrote a letter once before, asking for the "parts list" you mention in the LBI page for a $500 militarized bicycle that could be assembled in a local bike shop. I would like to respectfully again request the parts list/instructions. Thank you."

XXX XXXXXXXXX

Folding ATB details:

1. Folding ATB types:

Montague
DaHon types approximately $500

2. Non-Folding Extreme Terrain bike (ETB): Hanebrink Bikes, Ca

3. No-More Flats solid rubber inner tubes $30 each

No-More Flats
Cyclo-Manufacturing
1438 S. Cherokee St.
Denver, CO 80223
(303) 744-8043

4. Blackburn rear rack $30
5. Aerospoke wheels $500 each
6. Rok-Shox front suspension forks $250 (if ATB doesn't have these)
7. Electric motor

On this web page the links to these parts are offered:

www.combatreform.com/atbopenbag.htm

Airborne!

Mike Sparks
1st TSG (A) Dark Claw Team Leader

A Super Soldier writes:

"Like your site, and your points. Will be working on my own site soon. I feel there is a use for band tracks but wheels in a recon role would be good (Fox vehicle with external .50 cal weapons station, C-130 loadable, quiet, fast, mast site on the back. Big? Maybe, but equipped for long-range, long-time surveillance. 5 Troops, 2 mountain bikes gives option of 2 short OPs.

Just a thought, it will be on my sight. Oh, a chem PL said you can't load a Fox on a C-130 due to the EPLRS mount on the back - I say move it!"

My reply:

Good remarks on wheeled recon. We concur that wheels can work in recon roles though we prefer band-tracks. We insist that intended-for-COMBAT vehicles must be tracked.

I like your energy to get the job done--the Army already has Fox armored cars for NBC recon--why buy LAV-IIIs?---use them them for peacekeeping brigades (should be MPs).

Keep up the fire!

Mike

An Army NCO writes:

"This site rocks!

I have been riding an electric-assist bike to and from work, up and down flightlines, and to the store for over 5 years. I have been trying to sell the military electric bikes for 3 years but have always had trouble with the durability of the motors available, range and weight of lead-acid and NiCad batteries, and the recharging problems. Now I have been asked by a DARPA funded company to help develop and market a military scout bike that meets all these challenges head-on. As development proceeds I would like to explore the possibility of using your website as an educational link for the commanders that have very litt