Ok. Israel maintains a large force of paratroopers. My question to you is do we need them? Paratrooper training is expensive, and the last major scale drop the IDF paratroopers preformed was at 1956(Sinai war/Kadesh).....I think that is also the last large one in the entire world(might be wrong on that...). So should we maintain this abilty or not?

As i heard,they are some cind of spec-ops??

Can you tell us a little more about their mission? What exactly are they trained to do/do they do?

Well, they are preety much like other airborne troops around the world....They are made up of only volunteers(You have to ask for paratroopers, they cant make you...), trained to the highest level of infantry training(not SF, but real good GIs...), and have paratrooper training. Since 1956 they were usually used as storm troopers, to lead the IDF....on the ground though, not in drops...

What training are you talking about cutting out? Just the jump portion or all of the extras (beyond standard IN)?

If you cut the Paratrooper training(which is what i mean), they are pretty much similar to other class A brigades in the IDF(NACHAL, Golani, Givati)

Based solely off the information you have provided, I don't believe it is necessary to have a large number of Paratroopers (how many are there?). Is there a question of their being eliminated or is this just something that you yourself were wondering?

Paratroopers and airborne assault units are very valuable, yet it is not necessary to have alot of them. Not now-a-days anyway...

Well, according to forighen sources(i love saying that), 1 regular brigade, and 1 reserve division.

As to it being on the table, well theyve been talking about it constantly, but very carefully,since our last 4 Chiefs-of-the-General-Staff were Paratroopers...

In what kind of situation would you have use for the para-capability? In large amounts I'd say it would have to be for an offensive, maybe even an invasion. I think defence is the mean mission for the IDF, so it wouldn't be strange to stop the training. But it's always hard to give up a capability.