PATHFINDERS

The Pathfinder Platoon works with the 16 Air Assault Brigade's advance force and is its organic reconnaissance force. Advance Force operations are conducted prior to any air assault operation and involve covert reconnaissance, location and marking of Drop Zones, Tactical Landing Zones and Helicopter Landing Sites. This is to facilitate the subsequent insertion of the Brigade combat units. The intelligence provided by the Pathfinder platoon patrols is vital to the operational decision making process within the Brigade Headquarters. All members of the platoon train for both air and vehicle insertion and can be inserted and re-supplied by all in-service parachute techniques.