Is the airborne concept outdated?

Airborne!

My two cents...Airborne elements are still very useful during operations where runways, beachheads, and road access is limited.

During OEF and OIF, several jumps were made by the 173rd, Ranger Regiment, and SF and SOF elements. Just Cause and Restore Hope also used airborne operations. However...Airborne operations factor in a loss rate of 25% during the initial phase of movement to, and infil, the drop zone. This would make most US Army units combat ineffective (and the reason Hitler stopped their use after Crete). The proliferation for advanced SAM technology has rendered our mainstay airlift platforms (C-130 and C-17) obsolete. The ability of Russian SAMs to take down troop carriers from far behind their FLOT is going to severely limit the use of parachute infantry

Our so called combat jumps since 2003 have been an utter joke. 2003 Sky Soldiers... SF and hundreds of Kurds were on the ground. Airborne is gone. Spec Ops is the exception.

I am going to weigh in on the side of NO, not outdated for several reasons, most of which I have read in one form or another here. First and foremost on my list is attitude, Airborne is more than just a skill, or an operational concept, it is an Attitude that is earned. A mentality that says "I am part of a tradition that does not accept failure on the battlefield" A nod to SFC Terry Murphy's post below. It is also the fastest way to get the troops to the schwerpunkt in fight condition from longer distances. We know that it is a very manpower intensive proposition with a high casualty likelyhood, but a few determined men, behind enemy lines can do as much if not more than full units on the frontlines, so we take that risk, because the payoffs are usually well worth the effort. Trench warfare is not something that has been used since 1918, but when I was still in back in 94 time, we still trained to take trenches. Just because there is no need TODAY, does not mean you should not be prepared for the need. And finally, there is the mystic of the Airborne, against the Russians or the Chinese it will probably not be AS effective, but the vision of planes flying overhead dumping troops out the door is still enough to scare the crips out of many around the world, because they know that once we are out the doors there is no way to be sure that you got ALL of us, which brings us back to the top. the mentality of never quit because my guys are counting on me to do my best, which can go from taking territory and holding, becoming the anvil for 1st Cav to smash them against (assuming most of the unit is formed) to individual acts of sabotage behind enemy lines if just a lone trooper or a mix-match squad.

From drones to terminators...

https://www.facebook.com/MartySkovlundJr/videos/ [login to see] 55179/

I don't think it's outdated. I also don't think it will ever be used in the same capacity it was devised for. We won't be doing mass exits in combat zones like during WW2. It is a nice tool for the tool box though. Good thing about Airborne units now is that they can get anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours.

no

Why are there paratroopers in that photo without their feet and knees together?!?

No you still have Russia, china, and North Korea