Easily one of the most anticipated products in Spyderco's history, the Para 3 is the latest generation of their immensely popular Paramilitary family of folding knives. It traces its history all the way back to the first-generation Paramilitary model, which was introduced in 2004 and even further to that knife's inspiration: the iconic Military Model.

The original design intent of the Paramilitary was to provide the same proven reliability and cutting performance of the Military but in a more compact, easy-to-carry package. 

Although clearly based on the Paramilitary 2, the Para 3 was not named the "Paramilitary 3" because its smaller size qualifies it as a different knife design. Similarly, the "3" in its name actually reflects its three-inch blade length rather than identifying it as a third-generation of the Paramilitary design.