Editing Fast-roping

{{Short description|Military technique}}[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 080518-M-7519G-088.jpg|thumb|[[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] from the U.S. [[31st Marine Expeditionary Unit]] fast-roping from a [[Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight|CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter]] during a training exercise in 2008.]]

'''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.<ref name="marinesjournal">{{cite web |last=Bianco |first=Michael |date=21 June 2009 |title=31st MEU Marines Fast Rope and Hook N' Climb at Sea |url=http://www.31stmeu.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleView/tabid/7377/Article/48143/31st-meu-marines-fast-rope-and-hook-n-climb-at-sea.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218083044/http://www.31stmeu.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleView/tabid/7377/Article/48143/31st-meu-marines-fast-rope-and-hook-n-climb-at-sea.aspx |archive-date=18 February 2013 |access-date=11 July 2014 |publisher=[[Marines.mil]]}}</ref> 

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 {{convert|3|m|0}} 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|abseiling (rappelling)]], although more dangerous,<ref name="marinesjournal" /> particularly if the person is carrying a heavy load, because the rope is not attached to them with a [[Climbing equipment#Descenders|descender]]. The technique is particularly useful for [[Marines|naval infantry]], who can use it to board ships at sea.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harrer |first=Jacob |date=17 October 2013 |title=Fast roping prepares Marines for rapid ship-to-shore deployment |url=http://www.1stmardiv.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/8585/Article/542100/fast-roping-prepares-marines-for-rapid-ship-to-shore-deployment.aspx |publisher=[[United States Marine Corps]]}}</ref>

== History ==
The technique was first developed by the UK with British rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes, and first used in combat during the [[Falklands War]].{citation needed, evidence shows SANDF used this in Angola in the late 1970's early 1990's which would make SA the first to use it} 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.apollomilitary.com/uploads/Products/product_39/Fast_Rope_Inspection_Manual_2007.pdf |title=Fast Rope Inspection Manual |access-date=2013-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307133423/http://www.apollomilitary.com/uploads/Products/product_39/Fast_Rope_Inspection_Manual_2007.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Originally, each person would hold the rope for the next person, but this has been phased out.

==Equipment and techniques==
{{multiple image
|width1=225
|image1=US Army 160th SOAR with FRIES insert a Ranger team.jpg
|caption1=[[United States Army|US Army]] [[75th Ranger Regiment (United States)|Rangers]] fast-rope out of a [[MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird|MH-6 Little Bird]] on the roof of a building during a [[close quarters combat]] exercise
|width2=255
|image2=SAAF-Fast roping-001.jpg
|caption2=[[South Africa]]n soldiers fast-roping from an [[Atlas Oryx]] helicopter
}}

=== Rope ===
The rope must be thick, typically 40&nbsp;mm (1.57&nbsp;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.<ref>See, for example, [https://patents.google.com/patent/US7954410 US Patent No. 7954410]</ref>

===Glove techniques===
Fast-ropers use heat-resistant [[glove]]s 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.<ref>{{cite tech report|number=AFRL-RH-WP-TR-2012-0098|title=Putting Lives on the Line: The Fast Rope Glove Challenge|last=Trew|first=Noel J. M.|last2=Camping|first2=John D.|last3=Lee|first3=Robert A.|last4=Bean|first4=Corey R.|year=2012|institution=[[Air Force Research Laboratory]]|url=http://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a563981.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122821/http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a563981.pdf|url-status=live|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref>

===Use of feet===
[[File: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|thumb|upright|Fast-roper using his feet while descending to control his speed.]]
In the U.S. Marine Corps, fast-ropers are trained to control the speed of descent by using their legs and feet in addition to their hands (instructors claim that some Marines have let go of their rope because their gloves became too hot, causing injury).{{citation needed|date=March 2014}} Deployment of around 25 fast-ropers onto a ship can take about 30 seconds.<ref name="marinesjournal" />

The British military advises against use of the feet as this can make the descent for following personnel more dangerous: boot polish or the leather of the boot can make the rope extremely slippery.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://classes.lt.unt.edu/Spring_2011/LTEC_3260_020/cdm0244/assignment4/csar.html |title=The U.S. Navy's Combat Search and Rescue Units |access-date=2017-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202070500/https://classes.lt.unt.edu/Spring_2011/LTEC_3260_020/cdm0244/assignment4/csar.html |archive-date=2017-02-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Fast roping}}
[[Category:Assault tactics]]