Ghurka's on TechTV's "Future Fighting Machines" (?!)

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FallingKnife

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Jul 13, 2003
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I saw a bit of it this afternoon. I dunno what Ghurka's have to do with Future Fighting Machines, but they had a small segment on them. The episode description does NOT mention Ghurka's. Other info about the episode, in case they rerun it:

Episode #22.
Tornado GR4 fighting airplane; NASA's new blended body wing aircraft; U.S. Marines conditioning video.

Pardon my memory.... The segment said there's intense competition to be a Ghurka. Something like 2500 applicants for 200 slots. Described how tough they are. Pointed out that they come from a lifetime of high-altitude training. And since they're so danged tough, they just get fairly basic equipment, like an assault rifle (forgot type) and an antiarmor launcher.

Oh, and "if they run out of ammo," the narrator said, they have a khukri. The narrator made the one-chop beheading claim, but footage showed a bit of actual brush clearing with a diagonal downward (single) chop.

Maybe I've been lurking here too much, but the khuk's shown looked kinda small to me.
 
Really no diferent than French Foreign Legion selection.
Over 150,000 aplicant per year, for *maybe* some 1,000 positions.

The large selection ratio ensures a higher standard of fitness and mental capacity.

Which is *probably* why the Gurkha's comand so much respect for actions they have been in. They were the best of a strong, heathy, tough peoples.
 
The standard issue BAS is about 16.5 inch isnt it? Actually I thought the prestige attatched to joining the RGR was something to do with the way the regiment was formed, as the pride of a nation and all that. The other thing is that they do not get less kit than anyone else, they are issued standard light infantry equipment (as issued to the green jackets and light infantry) though they wear a slightly different No.2 uniform (with a slouch cap in place of the green jacket shako). The other thing is that not every Gurkha gets an anti-armour launcher, they are issued at squad level as required by the unit and mission.

Hang on a minute?!?! How can the Gurkhas be considered future fighting machined??? They have been some of the toughest soldiers in the world for 100's of years and will continue to be so.

EDIT: They are also not machines!
 
StmmZaum:

I don't understand what Ghurkas have to do with a show about futuristic, high-tech machines, either. I missed most of the show, so maybe there was a tie in. I'm stumped.

I didn't mean to imply everyone gets a launcher. What you said sounds right.

Sorry I don't recall exactly what the show said, but the tone seemed to be that these guys don't get issued the most exotic wiz-bang toys -- they're so tough they don't need 'em (or it'd just weigh them down for no reason?)
 
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