HALO/HAHO
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HALO/HAHO is a term used by the United States armed forces to describe a method of delivering personnel, equipment, and supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion.
HALO is an acronym for High Altitude-Low Opening, and is also known as Military Free Fall (MFF), while HAHO stands for High Altitude-High Opening. In the past recent years, the HALO technique has been practiced by civilians as a form of skydiving.
The main difference between the two techniques is that in the HALO technique, the parachutist opens his parachute at a low altitude after being free-falling for a period of time, while in the HAHO technique, the parachutist opens his parachute at a high altitude just a few seconds after jumping from the aircraft.
The HALO technique is used for delivering equipment, supplies, or personnel, while the HAHO technique is generally used only for personnel. In a typical HALO/HAHO insertion, the airplane will fly at altitudes of up to 8,000m (26,000ft).
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USASOC Military Free Fall Parachute Badge
Military Free Fall Parachute Badge
HALO/HAHO
Military free-fall form of insertion.
Purpose
Delivering personnel, equipment, or supplies.
HALO
High-Altitude/Low-Opening
HAHO
High-Altitude/High-Opening
Origins
Attributed to SEAL Team SIX and USAF Col Joe Kittinger.
Perfected by U.S. special forces.
High_Altitude_Low_Opening_(HALO)_jump_at_McChord_AFB_981130.jpg
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HALO
The origins of the HALO technique date back to 1960 when the U.S. Air Force was conducting experiments that benefited high-flying pilots needing to eject at high altitudes. As part of the experiments, on August 16, 1960, Colonel Joe Kittinger performed the first high altitude jump at an altitude of 19 miles above the Earth's surface. However, the technique was used for combat for the first time in the U.S. military involvement in Laos, when members of MACV-SOG performed the first high altitude combat jumps. SEAL Team SIX of the United States Navy expanded the HALO technique to include delivery of boats and other large items in conjunction with parachutists.
The technique is used to airdrop supplies, equipment, or personnel at high altitudes when aircraft can fly above enemy skies without posing a threat to the load.
For military cargo airdrops, the rigged load is pulled from the aircraft by a stabilizing parachute. The load then proceeds to free-fall to a low altitude where a cargo parachute opens to allow a low-velocity landing. Military personnel will later move to the landing point in order to secure the equipment or to unpack the supplies.
In a typical HALO exercise, the parachutist will jump from the aircraft, free-fall for a period of time, and open his parachute at a low altitude.
HAHO
The HAHO technique is used to airdrop personnel at high altitudes when aircrafts can fly above enemy skies without posing a threat to the jumpers.
In a typical HAHO exercise, the jumper will jump from the aircraft and deploy his parachute at a high altitude, 10–15 seconds later after the jump (typically at 27,000 feet or so). The jumper will use a compass to guide himself while flying for 30 or more miles. The jumper will use way points and terrain features to navigate to his desired landing zone, and along the way, he must correct his course for changes in wind speed and direction; making for a tricky navigation problem.
The HAHO technique is also used for delivering military teams. The team will jump from the aircraft and form up in a stack while flying in the air with their parachutes. Usually, the jumper in the lowest position will set the travel course and act as a guide for his other team members.
Health risks
At high altitudes of the Earth's atmosphere, the oxygen quantities required for human respiration become thin. A typical HALO exercise will require the use of an oxygen mask, as the parachuter jumps from an altitude upwards of 12,000 feet.
This type of technique is dangerous to human health, as the lack of oxygen can lead to suffering hypoxia. Hypoxia may cause loss of consciousness, which in consequence puts the parachuter in a mortal risk situation, as he can suffer death from landing impact by not being capable of opening his own parachute.
Another risk is from the coldness at high altitudes. The jumper faces subzero temperatures and risks frost bite.
Typical equipment
In a typical HALO exercise, a parachuter will jump with:
- an altimeter
- an automatic rip cord pulling device:
- if the parachuter descends past a pre-set altitude, but hasn't opened his parachute yet, the device will read the air pressure and approximate the current altitude of the parachuter; if this approximation is less than the one pre-set, the device will open the parachute automatically.
- a knife
- a helmet
- a pair of gloves
- a pair of military free-fall boots (designed for ankle support)
- an oxygen bottle and mask (if jumping over 12,000 feet)
- a 50-100+ pound ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) pack with combat gear
List of HALO/HAHO capable military units
- Delta Force
- U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets)
- U.S. Navy SEALs
- U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
- U.S. Army Airborne Infantry Divisions (82nd and 101st)
- U.S. Army Rangers (Ranger Regimental Recon Detachment)
- U.S. Air Force Pararescue Jumpers
- British Special Air Service
- British Parachute Regiment
- Canadian special forces (JTF-2)
Related topics
F co 51st IN LRSC Has HALO teams and so does 82nd LRSD
Further reading
- US Army Infantry School (November 1, 1995). Fundamentals of Airborne Operations (https://hosta.atsc.eustis.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/accp/in0758/in0758_top.htm). Edition B. US Army Infantry School. US Army. United States of America.
External links
- NavySEALs.com: Air Operations - HALO/HAHO (http://www.navyseals.com/equip/air.html)
- SpecialOperations.com: HALO/HAHO Specialty (http://www.specialoperations.com/Specialties/halo.html)
- GlobalSecurity.org Information about the Military Free Fall School at John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/jfksws-mffs.htm)
References
- Divine, Mark (2004). Navy SEALs Air Operations - Free Fall: HALO/HAHO (http://www.navyseals.com/equip/air.html) (used with permission). US Navy SEAL 1989 to present. Founder of NavySEALs.com (http://www.navyseals.com).
- Allen, Jeffrey (July 1997). High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jump at McChord AFB (http://www.af.mil/photos/Nov1998/981130para.html). US Air Force. United States of America.
- Gempis, Val (July 1997). A Bad Altitude (http://www.af.mil/news/airman/0797/hamm.htm). Airman. US Air Force. United States of America.
- Black, Mike. HALO jump over Yuma Proving Ground, AZ (http://www.specialoperations.com/Specialties/halo.html). US Marine Corps. United States of America.
- US DOD (June 5, 2003). US DOD Dictionary of Military Terms (http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/). US Department of Defense. United States of America.
- US DOD (June 5, 2003). US DOD Dictionary of Military Terms: Joint Acronyms and Abbreviations (http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/). US Department of Defense. United States of America.
- McKenna, Pat (July 1997). A Bad Altitude (http://www.af.mil/news/airman/0797/hamm.htm). Airman. US Air Force. United States of America.
- US Army Infantry School (November 1, 1995). Lesson 3: Airlift Requests and Personnel Used in Airborne (https://hosta.atsc.eustis.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/accp/in0758/lsn3.htm). Fundamentals of Airborne Operations, Edition B. US Army Infantry School. US Army. United States of America.
- Mcmanners, Hugh (2003), Ultimate Special Forcesde:HALO (Fallschirmspringen)