Military Free Fall Course – a new capability

     Thirty years after the establishment of the regiment, our special units can boast a new capability: in the past two months, twenty operators completed the Military Free Fall (MFF) pilot course under the guidance of experienced instructors.
     The training consisted of several phases. The first, spanning two weeks, focused on mastering theoretical basics, safety and emergency procedures, parachute packing, and practicing activities in a wind tunnel. The ground chapter concluded with exams, and our guys were ready to ascend into the clouds.
     Safe aircraft exit, stable free fall, controlled rotations and gliding, and returning to a stable position after intentional disruption - these were the tasks of the second phase, the basic free fall training. Initial jumps with an instructor and testing, evaluation, and after a few days, each operator stood on the aircraft ramp again: hearing the engine noise and feeling the deafening rush of air. In their heads, they repeated emergency procedures and the task they would fulfill in the air, but looking at the landscape from height, no one could resist a slight smile... it's here! The signal "GO!", a determined step to the edge, a strong push. The birth of a parachutist...
     However, what distinguishes a military parachutist from a civilian is the scope and amount of equipment they leave the aircraft with. After 25 jumps, all operators were ready for the transition to phase 3: transitioning to the purely military sphere of Military Free Fall. Gradually, they added more and more equipment. Jumps with a secured weapon were immediately supplemented with a breathing mask and an accompanying oxygen bottle. This is essential for any jump from an altitude exceeding 4 kilometers, i.e., for HALO and HAHO (High Altitude Low Opening/High Altitude High Opening) jumps. A specially designed backpack allowing a jump with any material, the so-called "container," presented another challenge, as it weighed more than 40 kilograms. But this challenge was a piece of cake for our guys. The successful completion of another phase of training was thoroughly tested by a HAHO jump with complete equipment (weapon, oxygen, container) with a navigation flight over a distance of approximately 20 kilometers, where landing within a 100 x 100 meter square from the designated target proved to be a smooth task.
     The metaphorical "icing on the cake" were the tactical night jumps - the fourth and final phase. One practice jump without additional equipmnet and an immediate transition to complete equipment supplemented with night vision goggles, allowing operators to identify the target area and safely land within a 200 x 200 meter square in absolute darkness. The only reference point for them was infrared strobe lights indicating the direction of the wind, but despite this, they safely mastered this task after the HAHO navigation flight.
     Throughout the training, a foreign instructor was assisted by an instructor from the ranks of the 5th SFR, who has extensive experience with this type of jumps. This mutually enriching exchange of experiences became the basis for further cooperation at the instructor level.
     By successfully completing the MFF course, not only did the Slovak special forces gain a completely new capability, but the entire armed forces did. This capability opens countless possibilities at home and abroad: we can proudly declare the ability to deploy a complete special operations detachment with all the necessary equipment and weapons over a distance of several tens of kilometers in absolute darkness with minimal risk of detection. Such a capability finds application not only in conducting special combat activities but also in rescuing hostages from extremely difficult-to-reach environments.