Paratroopers have made the first low-level parachute descents from the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas CMk1 as the aircraft develops its tactical capabilities, say the RAF.
According to a news release:
“The Atlas will be the aircraft to deliver the military’s parachuting capability when the C-130J Hercules retires from RAF service in 2023. Trials of parachuting from the Atlas have seen soldiers from Colchester-based 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team jumping onto Salisbury Plain.”
Bombardier Daniel Murray, of 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, was quoted as saying:
“It’s a great experience to get some jumps in and help develop the Atlas. It’s all been straightforward and familiar – the parachute and all of the procedures inside the plane are the same, and there’s more space in the Atlas which makes it easier with all the kit we jump with.”
Major Aden Philpott, airborne plans officer for Headquarters 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, said in a release:
“The speed and reach of deploying by air are the defining characteristics of air manoeuvre forces, and vital to the brigade’s role as the global response force. Across a wide range of strategic and tactical scenarios, parachuting retains significant relevance for contemporary operations through enabling us to hold the initiative. We can take off from the UK to deliver troops by parachute to where they are needed rapidly, outmanoeuvring the enemy and putting us in position to win the first battle when, where and how we want to fight it.”
Air Commodore Andy Martin, the Atlas Programme senior responsible owner said:
“The successful initiation of mass low-level parachuting trials on the Atlas represents a major milestone for the Atlas Capability Programme. This significant step is the result of a lot of hard work by the whole team and keeps the programme on track to transfer low-level and high-altitude parachuting capability from C130J Hercules onto the Atlas next year. Adding both parachuting capabilities to the range of other tactical capabilities that are already in service such as the ability to air-drop supplies, air-to-air refuelling, and landing on natural surfaces, puts the Atlas in a good position to take over from the Hercules in 2023.”
You can read more on this here.
There are people who know a lot more than me but this seems to mean more A400’s rather than keeping C130’s is a shoe in.
Ultimately the a400m is a much newer and better aircraft.
Agreed. I just wish they’d done these qualifications sooner it would have saved a lot of angst about it. The RAF will have priorities for the future but more A400’s should be one of them.
Would be great to see it go on and do helicopter re-fuelling next. Perhaps then we can get the AAR probes fitted to Chinook and Merlin and get some real CSAR capability.
Found good article by UKDJ on subject.
The future of UK aerial refuelling needs – Part 2
Methinks they may be in line for another 6 or so.
You’re probably right but if the new defence review comes down on the side of a ‘Global Britain’ Army it could be one for one. Akrotiri or Bahrain would make sense ?
New defence review? We had one last year.
It was announced by Wallace it’s due out before end of year. To take into account lessons from Ukraine and prospective increase in defence spending.
Many thanks David. I missed that being reported.
👍👍
Ukraine.
Interesting difference in reporting:
BBC:
(This quoted as Russian MOD line):
Russia has withdrawn its troops from the strategic Ukrainian town of Lyman, in a move seen as a significant setback for its campaign in the east.
The retreat came amid fears thousands of soldiers would be encircled in the town, Russia’s defence ministry said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63102220
Ukraine MOD:
We thank the “Ministry of Defense” of Russia for successful cooperation in organizing the “Izyum 2.0” exercise. Almost all russian troops deployed to Lyman were successfully redeployed either into body bags or into Ukraine captivity.
https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1576248108690079745
So no plans to cancel Hercules retirement it sounds like. 🙁
Our airlift capability is already significantly smaller than France or Germany’s; though with C-17s our range is considerably higher along with maximum payload. Not sure how large the planned additional order of A-400Ms is but if the Army increases in size so should the airlift fleet.
That’s nonsense, where did you get that from. Currently we are showing the same number of C130J with two more A400M. In addition we have 8 C17 strategic lifting aircraft and France has zero. The Germans are even worse off.
I don’t believe it’s nonsense at all; the Germans have 38 A400M in service, plus 3 C-130; they have a further 15 A400M on order. Admittedly, they do not – as I mentioned – have strategic airlift capability. France has 19 A400M in service but a further 31 on order; as well as 18 Hercules in service. Just to note, France’s air tanker fleet is also much larger with an extra 11 C-135 tankers that can be used for transport too.
Those aircraft on order where BS orders to secure work share agreements. The positive new is that it means the UK can negotiate with Germany and France to take them at reduced rates.
I was led to believe that most of German A400s were mothballed? We the Brits are buying at I hope discount some of these aircraft??
Army increasing in size? Where does that come from? On current plans it is about to lose 10,000 posts.
Good, it’s been a bit of a long, slow, low priority shit show but it’s now done and dusted! Two things however, firstly no matter if the capability has been developed, if needed the blokes would have lobbed out of the Atlas, low level, and take the twists, collisions and air steals as a calculated risk, and would get 95% of the blokes down on the ground good to go, regardless of the wether it was qualified to do so. Secondly, and more importantly, getting rid of the C130 is one of the biggest clusters the head sheds can do.… Read more »
How could this possibly have taken this long?
It’s peacetime risk assessment and standards. Why risk platforms and people unnecessarily. When shit happens it would, as I’ve already alluded to, would have been done quicker.
Presume USAF will bid for some/all discarded aircraft.
Pleased that UK has retained the core of the Parachute Regiment thus far, however currently titled.
3 x Battalions, one of which is SF support. Plus the Brigade support arms, to include Arty, Engr, Sigs, Medic, logistic etc all with a parachute capability! The main issue is the lack of CS and CSS to enable the Bde (BCT now) to carry out any operations for any length of time, sad to say.
Theres 4 Battalions of the Parachute Regiment.
The 4th is made up of what was 4 Para, 15 Para and 10 Para.
4 Para is a Reserve Battalion and provide fantastic soldiers to compliment the regular soldiers in all combat environments from NI, Afghan, Iraq, UN Cyprus etc.
I’ve served with all Battalions in different environments.
So let’s not forget the guys that have given everything even their Lives to make us The Parachute Regiment
I’ve had many of the 4 Para lads serve with me, but, the reply was the Airborne capability we currently retain, and that includes the all arms in the CS and CSS which make the Brigade work! To include the reserve element would have gone off on a bit of a tangent! Cheers!
My opinion too mate. Herc is a valuable asset for these jobs allowing Atlas to do other taskings.
It’s about time. The Hercs are being retired ridiculously early in less than twelve months and we are only now starting the transition.
And no David Steeper, we are NOT getting like for like replacements; don’t be silly! We are losing a huge capability but no surprises there eh?
Given the commitments of HM forces in comparison to others the Hercs should be retained in addition to the additional Atlas suggested as a future carrot. 22 Atlas. 14 Herc. 8 C17 plus the troop carrying Voyagers is a capable force. 22 Atlas, 8 C17 with the troop carrying Voyagers and Atlas taking on all roles including a SF role that 14 Hercs are needed for leaves the ATF screwed and out of assets while needed in all places at once. 1 Atlas would always be standby for SPAG, 1 Atlas is in Falklands. That is 20 left. Plus those… Read more »
Well additional A400Ms are in the budget and was announced on here a year or two ago. But I agree that it will be unlikely for 14 to be ordered.
I’d be chopping the C130s in for a few Spectres for battlefield suppression, a job the C130 has a proven track record in. Drones are all well and good but don’t carry anything like the same firepower!
There was a rumour of gunships being bought for the RAF to support DSF years ago but it came to nothing.
So all 3 said nothing.