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<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading">
<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Fast-roping</span></span>
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<p><b>Fast-roping</b> is a technique for descending a thick <a href="Rope" title="Rope">rope</a>, allowing troops to deploy from a helicopter in places where the aircraft cannot touch down.<sup id="cite_ref-marinesjournal_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-marinesjournal-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>The person holds onto the rope with gloved hands (with or without using their feet) and slides down it. Several people can slide down the same rope simultaneously, provided that there is a gap of about 3 metres (10 ft) between them, so that each one has time to get out of the way when they reach the ground.
</p><p>Fast roping is quicker than <a href="Abseiling" title="Abseiling">abseiling (rappelling)</a>, although more dangerous,<sup id="cite_ref-marinesjournal_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-marinesjournal-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> particularly if the person is carrying a heavy load, because the rope is not attached to them with a <a href="Climbing_equipment#Descenders" title="Climbing equipment">descender</a>. The technique is particularly useful for <a href="Marines" title="Marines">naval infantry</a>, who can use it to board ships at sea.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>
<p>The technique was first developed by the UK with British rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes, and first used in combat during the <a href="Falklands_War" title="Falklands War">Falklands War</a>. The original rope was made of thick nylon that could be used in a manner akin to a <a href="Fireman's_pole" title="Fireman's pole">fireman's pole</a>. 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.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Originally, each person reaching the bottom would then hold the rope to stabilize it for the next person, but this has been phased out.
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Equipment_and_techniques">Equipment and techniques</h2></div>
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</style><div class="thumb tmulti tright"><div class="thumbinner multiimageinner" style="width:488px;max-width:488px"><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:227px;max-width:227px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div><div class="thumbcaption"><a href="United_States_Army" title="United States Army">US Army</a> <a href="75th_Ranger_Regiment_(United_States)" class="mw-redirect" title="75th Ranger Regiment (United States)">Rangers</a> fast-rope out of a <a href="MD_Helicopters_MH-6_Little_Bird" title="MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird">MH-6 Little Bird</a> on the roof of a building during a <a href="Close_quarters_combat" class="mw-redirect" title="Close quarters combat">close quarters combat</a> exercise</div></div><div class="tsingle" style="width:257px;max-width:257px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div><div class="thumbcaption"><a href="South_Africa" title="South Africa">South African</a> soldiers fast-roping from an <a href="Atlas_Oryx" title="Atlas Oryx">Atlas Oryx</a> helicopter</div></div></div></div></div>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Rope">Rope</h3></div>
<p>The rope must be thick, typically 40 mm (1.57 in) diameter, to prevent it from being wildly jerked about from the rotor blast of the helicopter. Some types have a weighted core, the ballast helping to combat the blast effect.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Glove_techniques">Glove techniques</h3></div>
<p>Fast-ropers use heat-resistant <a href="Glove" title="Glove">gloves</a> 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.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Use_of_feet">Use of feet</h3></div>
<p>While U.S. Marine Corps fast-ropers are trained to control their speed of descent by using their legs and feet (in addition to their hands) to help prevent their gloves from becoming too hot, the British military advises against use of the feet, as boot polish or boot leather can make the rope extremely slippery and thus make the descent more dangerous for subsequent fast-roping personnel.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Deployment of around 25 fast-ropers onto a ship can take about 30 seconds.<sup id="cite_ref-marinesjournal_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-marinesjournal-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2></div>
<ul><li><a href="Special_Patrol_Insertion/Extraction" title="Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction">Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction</a></li></ul>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
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<li id="cite_note-marinesjournal-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-marinesjournal_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-marinesjournal_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-marinesjournal_1-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">
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</style><cite id="CITEREFBianco2009" class="citation web cs1">Bianco, Michael (21 June 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="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">"31st MEU Marines Fast Rope and Hook N' Climb at Sea"</a>. <a href="Marines.mil" class="mw-redirect" title="Marines.mil">Marines.mil</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.31stmeu.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleView/tabid/7377/Article/48143/31st-meu-marines-fast-rope-and-hook-n-climb-at-sea.aspx">the original</a> on 18 February 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">11 July</span> 2014</span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFHarrer2013" class="citation web cs1">Harrer, Jacob (17 October 2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.1stmardiv.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/8585/Article/542100/fast-roping-prepares-marines-for-rapid-ship-to-shore-deployment.aspx">"Fast roping prepares Marines for rapid ship-to-shore deployment"</a>. <a href="United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140307133423/http://www.apollomilitary.com/uploads/Products/product_39/Fast_Rope_Inspection_Manual_2007.pdf">"Fast Rope Inspection Manual"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.apollomilitary.com/uploads/Products/product_39/Fast_Rope_Inspection_Manual_2007.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 2014-03-07<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2013-11-08</span></span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See, for example, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US7954410">US Patent No. 7954410</a></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFTrewCampingLeeBean2012" class="citation techreport cs1">Trew, Noel J. M.; Camping, John D.; Lee, Robert A.; Bean, Corey R. (2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a563981.pdf"><i>Putting Lives on the Line: The Fast Rope Glove Challenge</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> (Technical report). <a href="Air_Force_Research_Laboratory" title="Air Force Research Laboratory">Air Force Research Laboratory</a>. AFRL-RH-WP-TR-2012-0098. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122821/http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a563981.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on September 24, 2015.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170202070500/https://classes.lt.unt.edu/Spring_2011/LTEC_3260_020/cdm0244/assignment4/csar.html">"The U.S. Navy's Combat Search and Rescue Units"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://classes.lt.unt.edu/Spring_2011/LTEC_3260_020/cdm0244/assignment4/csar.html">the original</a> on 2017-02-02<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2017-01-29</span></span>.</cite></span>
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</ol></div></div>
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