The 10th Parachute Brigade (, Jawi: ), better known as 10 PARA BDE, is special operations capable unit in the Malaysian Army. A brigade-sized force with both airborne and marine capabilities, designed to carry out rapid-response missions within Malaysia or overseas. As the main component of the Malaysian Rapid Deployment Force (Pasukan Aturgerak Cepat – PAC), 10 PARA BDE is specially trained to be the first on the ground during emergencies, conflicts, or humanitarian operations.
Unlike regular army units, the 10 PARA BDE operates as an independent combat formation that reports directly to the Chief of Army. It is not part of any field army command structure within the Malaysian Army. In April 2023, a two-star general was appointed to lead the brigade—a move considered a sign of the unit's rising strategic importance, bringing it closer in stature to a full division. Despite this symbolic upgrade, 10 PARA BDE continues to operate under its original brigade structure as of 2025.
10 PARA BDE is unique is that it is the only elite unit in the Malaysian Armed Forces that accepts women. This makes it one of the few inclusive specialised units in the country. The only other elite Malaysian unit to do the same is the Special Actions Unit from the Royal Malaysia Police.
The current commander of this division is Brigadier General Khairul Anwar Soib, who replaced Major General Datuk Khairul Azmizal Ahmad Natal on 4 February 2025.
Etymology The official Malay name, 'Briged Infantri Ke Sepuluh Paracut', translates to 'Tenth Parachute Infantry Brigade' in Malaysian English. The Malay term 'paracut' is borrowed from the English word 'parachute'. Alternatively, 'payung terjun' is another common Malay translation for parachute.
In English, the unit is officially known as the '10th Parachute Brigade'. Informally, people also refer the unit as the '10th Airborne Brigade', as the abbreviation 'PARA' indicates 'Airborne'. All terms—10 Brigade (Para), 10th Brigade (Parachute), 10th Brigade (Airborne), and 10th Paratrooper Brigade—refer to the same unit.
The units under this brigade, such as the 8th Battalion (Parachute), Royal Ranger Regiment, can be denoted in American English as the '8th Battalion (Airborne), Royal Ranger Regiment' or simply 8 RANGER (Airborne). Similarly, the special operations unit within this brigade, Pathfinder Company (Para), can be referred to as 'Pathfinder Company (Airborne)'.
History
Established as an infantry brigade The 10th Infantry Brigade was officially established on 5 October 1979 at Camp Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur during the Communist insurgency in Malaysia (1968–1989). At that time, the brigade was placed under the 2nd Infantry Division. Later, the brigade was relocated to Camp Pengkalan Hulu in Perak to relieve some of the area of operation from the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Downsized to Task Force The 10th Infantry Brigade was downsized in December 1982 and renamed to Task Force 083, while their area of operations remained unchanged. Since 1 January 1983, Task Force 083 has been assigned responsibility for the area of operations named Operation KOTA Echo/Foxtrot (). Members of the task force are rotated among battalions from the Royal Malay Regiment and the Malaysian Ranger Regiment (now known as the Royal Ranger Regiment). On 2 May 1984, the task force was placed under the 11th Strategic Division.
Reorganised as a Strategic Defence Brigade On 1 January 1990, Task Force 083 was upgraded back to the strength of a brigade and renamed the 10th Strategic Brigade. During this time, the Communist insurgency in Malaysia (1968–1989) had recently ended. The 11th Strategic Division was tasked by the Army Headquarters () with strategic defence, requiring them to experiment in planning, doctrine, training, and other areas to ensure the Malaysian Army had an advantage in the event of a new armed conflict. In December 1992, the brigade was relocated from Camp Pengkalan Hulu to Camp Terendak in Malacca.
Integrated into the Rapid Deployment Force In early 1994, the 10th Strategic Brigade was integrated into a new military unit named the Malaysian Rapid Deployment Force. Simultaneously, the brigade was unofficially upgraded to an airborne brigade. On 10 October 1994, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, officially announced the establishment of Malaysian Armed Forces' Rapid Deployment Forces, and the 10th Strategic Brigade was officially renamed the 10th Parachute Brigade. Simultaneously, the brigade became an independent military formation directly under the command of the Chief of Army, and the 11th Strategic Division was officially dissolved. As of 2023, the 10th Parachute Brigade is the sole component of the Malaysian Rapid Deployment Force, supported by the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Upgraded to the status of special operations-capable Although initially trained in airborne operations, the battalions under the 10 PARA BDE were originally designated as standard infantry battalions, performing conventional infantry duties. At the time, they were classified by the Malaysian Army as Batalion Infantri Standard or Standard Infantry Battalions in English. However, on 9 October 2020, under the 'ARMY 4NEXTG' plan, General Zamrose Mohd Zain, the Chief of Army, upgraded 10 PARA BDE's status to special operations-capable. This transformation relieved them of the conventional infantry roles previously assigned to standard infantry battalions, allowing them to focus on more specialised tasks.
With this upgrade, 10 PARA BDE now operates at a level comparable to the United States Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and the British Army's Specialised Infantry Group (now known as the Army Special Operations Brigade). Their primary focus revolves around air assault operations, airborne operations, and amphibious warfare operations with extended capabilities in special operations light infantry roles or functioning as special operations-capable forces.
Restructure as a special operations-capable with hybrid airborne-marine capability
Malaysia, as a nation in maritime Southeast Asia with a maritime zone, realises the importance of an amphibious military unit such as Marines. In 2013, the Malaysian government expressed its desire to establish a marine corps, but they couldn't decide which military service should be in charge of the marine corps. For instance, while most marine units fall under the navy, there are instances where marine units fall under the army, as seen with the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, a part of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
The 10 PARA BDE has been trained as a substitute for the Marines, since the early 2000s. In June 2002, the 8th Battalion (Parachute), Royal Ranger Regiment (8 RANGER (PARA)), underwent training with the United States Marine Corps. In August 2002, the 8 RANGER (PARA) was deployed to Sabah under Operations PASIR to defend the coastline alongside other Malaysian army units. In 2006, the 10 PARA BDE participated in the CARAT exercise, assuming the role of a Marine unit. Due to conflicts in the South China Sea, in 2022, the Army Headquarters directed the 10 PARA BDE to restructure as a hybrid airborne-marine unit. The new role of the 10 PARA BDE was showcased to the public during the 89th Army Day (), with members of the brigade conducting beach raids from the Royal Malaysian Navy's KD Mahawangsa.
Potential upgrade to division sized unit On 17 April 2023, the Chief of Army, General Mohammad Ab Rahman, promoted the 10 PARA BDE commander, Brigadier General Khairul Azmizal Ahmad Natal, to the rank of Major General. With this promotion, the 10 PARA BDE was unofficially upgraded to a division-sized military unit. This marks the first time, since the establishment of this brigade, that it is led by a major general. As of 2020, the 10 PARA BDE's members exceed 4800 personnel, falling only short of 200 personnel from the division size according to NATO standards.
Integration of amphibious and air assault operations In January 2024, the Chief of Army, General Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, announced future development plans for the Malaysian Army. Several units, including the 10 PARA BDE, were identified for inclusion in these initiatives. For the brigade, the programme is officially designated Way Forward 10 Briged (Para), or 10 PARA BDE's Way Forward. The plan places particular emphasis on enhancing the brigade's capability to conduct amphibious and air assault operations.
To support the implementation of these concepts, the Army Headquarters engaged with the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps, seeking assistance in areas such as exercise planning, organisational structures, force composition, logistics, and asset deployment. By March 2024, a blueprint for the initiative had been finalised, and implementation commenced within the 10th Parachute Brigade.
In December 2024, the first nucleus cadre of instructors and trainers, designated as the Mobile Training Team, was established. Comprising approximately 20 officers and 108 other ranks, the team underwent retraining in amphibious and air assault operations. The Mobile Training Team now serves as the foundation for training future members of the 10th Parachute Brigade in these specialised roles.
In Series 1/2025, the 10 PARA BDE introduced an experimental pilot version of its selection pipeline, incorporating elements of basic amphibious warfare and basic air assault training. This extended the course duration to six weeks. The brigade headquarters is currently planning to test a seven-week version in the upcoming series, with the most effective structure to be adopted as the official standard in the future.
Establishment of the Amphibious Boat Company On 1 August 2025, as part of the follow-up to the Way Forward programme, the 10 PARA BDE established a nucleus team for a new amphibious combat formation. The unit, officially designated the Amphibious Boat Company (), was created as an experimental element within the brigade to trial the concepts and plans developed since early 2024.
The nucleus team serves as a testbed for shaping the brigade's future amphibious role and determining the final structure and functions of the unit. Current plans envisage the company being deployed using hovercraft, Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC), and Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC), with embarkation and support provided by the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Timeline 5 October 1979 – The 10th Infantry Brigade was established at Camp Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur. October 1979 – The 10th Infantry Brigade moved to Camp Pengkalan Hulu in Perak and became part of the 2nd Infantry Division. December 1982 – The 10th Infantry Brigade was reorganised and became Task Force 083. 2 May 1984 – Task Force 083 was placed under the 11th Strategic Division. November 1984 – Task Force 083 comprised the 8th Battalion of the Ranger Regiment (8 RANGER), which was stationed at Camp Terendak in Malacca. 1 January 1987 – The 8 RANGER underwent training as an experimental airborne battalion. 1 January 1990 – Task Force 083 was elevated to brigade formation and re-branded as the 10th Strategic Brigade. January–November 1992 – Combat support units, including armoured, artillery, engineering, and others, were incorporated into the structure of the 10th Strategic Brigade. December 1992 – The 10th Strategic Brigade moved to Camp Terendak in Malacca at the same time that the 9th Battalion and 17th Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment were assigned to the brigade. 1994 – The Malaysian Rapid Deployment Force was informally established, and the 10th Strategic Brigade was assigned to this force. 10 October 1994 – Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, officially established the Malaysian Rapid Deployment Force, re-designating the 10th Strategic Brigade as the 10th Parachute Brigade.