The Jäger Paratrooper is a specialized variant used by the elite escouades of the Rapid Deployment Air Wings and other southern airdropped units. Unlike other vehicles, which have to be secured to a drop pallet and equipped with a disposable parachute package, the Paratrooper has been designed with rapid-deployment airdropping in mind. All components and systems have been revised to take into account the additional stresses and jarring incurred by rough landings. The interior of the cockpit is entirely covered with thick padding and a steel security cage (similar to the ones in amusement park rides) is fitted to the seat. The waist articulation system is heavily reinforced and the leg power train features a sturdier suspension system to better absorb the shock of landing. Crashbars are also bolted on the torso, back, lower legs and feet. These modifications have the beneficial side effect of making the whole lower body assembly much sturdier and resistant to damage.
The parachute package is stored on a rack attached to the back and upper torso area, deploying twin parafoils to slow the Gear’s descent; two more are stored in the pack as back-ups in case the first ones fail to deploy. The descent can be further slowed and controlled by deployable air brakes installed on the legs. Both these systems can be ejected upon landing via explosive bolts if required. The armament is similarly compact and efficient: the integrated autocannon/grenade launcher is a somewhat unusual, yet highly effective weapon, despite its small ammunition reserve. Clips can be carried to alleviate the latter problem.
The Jäger Paratrooper was widely used during the War of the Alliance, being part of some of the most daring missions performed by allied forces, but has now become somewhat obsolete. It is slowly being replaced by the less specialized and more recent Black Mamba, which features a built-in airdropping capacity. The remaining Paratroopers are being transfered to second line regiments as new Black Mambas are supplied, but considering the relatively slow rate of production of the Mamba and the durability of the Jäger frame, the Jäger Paratrooper is likely to remain in service for many more cycles.
