Rapid reaction force

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Saitama Prefectural Police Riot And Tactics Squad (RATS) officers on the side of a police helicopter. Riot Police Units such as RATS are the rapid reaction forces of Japanese prefectural police. RATS operators on a helicopter.jpeg
Saitama Prefectural Police Riot And Tactics Squad (RATS) officers on the side of a police helicopter. Riot Police Units such as RATS are the rapid reaction forces of Japanese prefectural police.

A rapid reaction force / rapid response force (RRF), quick reaction force / quick response force (QRF), immediate reaction force (IRF), rapid deployment force (RDF), or quick maneuver force (QMF) is a military or police unit capable of responding to emergencies in a very short time frame.

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When used in reference to law enforcement and security forces such as police tactical units, the time frame is usually minutes, while in military applications such as marines paratroopers or commandos, the time frame can be minutes, hours or days. Rapid reaction forces are designed to intervene quickly as a spearhead to gain and hold ground in quickly unfolding combat or low-intensity conflicts, such as uprisings that necessitate the evacuation of foreign embassies.

Rapid reaction forces are usually transported by land or air, and are equipped and organized to reach emergencies as fast as they feasibly can. They are usually lightly armed and limited to small arms, light utility vehicles, and light crew-served weapons, but are often well-trained and well-equipped to compensate.[ citation needed ]

Types

Quick reaction force

A United States Army quick reaction force staging area at Camp Buehring, Kuwait in 2005 QRF (quick reaction force) staging area at Camp Buehring, Kuwait circa 2005.jpg
A United States Army quick reaction force staging area at Camp Buehring, Kuwait in 2005

A quick reaction force (QRF) is an armed military unit capable of rapidly responding to developing situations, usually to assist allied units in need of assistance. They are equipped to respond to any type of emergency within a short time frame, often only a few minutes, based on unit standard operating procedures (SOPs). [1] Cavalry units are frequently postured as QRFs, with a main mission of security and reconnaissance. [2] [3] They are generally platoon-sized in the U.S. military's combat arms.

A rapid reaction force is a military reserve unit that belongs directly to the commander of the unit it is created from. [4] Depending on the unit size and protocols, the commander may be the only person authorized to control a QRF, or they may delegate this responsibility to one or more additional people. QRFs are commonly found in maneuver battalion-level task forces and above, in addition to many operating bases having their own dedicated QRF to react to threats on or immediately around the base.

The readiness level of a QRF is based on unit SOPs. Since maintaining extremely high levels of readiness is draining on equipment, resources, and personnel, a QRF is postured based on the likelihood of being called up. During a high-intensity conflict, a QRF may be forced to maintain high readiness, with all members waiting in their vehicles to respond. However, during a low-intensity conflict, when deployment is less likely and may be more readily predicted, command establishes how fast a QRF must be able to react, which can range from vehicles and personnel in a central location with the troops rotating regularly, to the vehicles staged close to a unit area with all personnel staying close enough for rapid recall. The speed at which a QRF is expected to react is defined by its readiness condition level.

The mission of a QRF can vary widely, as they are used to respond to any threat the commander chooses to employ them for. Depending on the mission requirement, additional units can be attached to an organic platoon to expand their capabilities. Examples include attaching explosive ordnance disposal teams to a QRF responding to bombs or similar threats, and vehicle recovery assets to a QRF expected to recover damaged vehicles.

Rapid deployment force

A rapid deployment force (RDF) is a military formation that is capable of fast deployment outside their country's borders. They typically consist of well-trained military units (special forces, paratroopers, marines, etc.) that can be deployed fairly quickly or on short notice, usually from other major assets and without requiring a large organized support force immediately.

List

Rapid reaction force

82nd Airborne Division paratroopers boarding a transport aircraft US 82nd AB.jpg
82nd Airborne Division paratroopers boarding a transport aircraft

Rapid deployment force

See also

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References

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