Expeditionary warfare is a military invasion of a foreign territory, especially away from established bases. Expeditionary forces were in part the antecedent of the modern concept of rapid deployment forces. Traditionally, expeditionary forces were essentially self-sustaining with an organic logistics capability and with a full array of supporting arms.
Alexander the Great fighting in India
Empire of Alexander the Great
"Yermak's conquest of Siberia", a painting by Russian artist Vasily Surikov depicting the Russian conquest of Siberia.
A squadron of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force off New Britain in September 1914
A rapid reaction force / rapid response force (RRF), quick reaction force / quick response force (QRF), immediate reaction force (IRF), rapid deployment force (RDF), or quick maneuver force (QMF) is a military or police unit capable of responding to emergencies in a very short time frame.
Saitama Prefectural Police Riot And Tactics Squad (RATS) officers on the side of a police helicopter. Riot Police Units such as RATS are the rapid reaction forces of Japanese prefectural police.
A United States Army quick reaction force staging area at Camp Buehring, Kuwait in 2005
82nd Airborne Division paratroopers boarding a transport aircraft
