British L118 105mm Light Guns can still be deployed by parachute, but only from suitably cleared allied aircraft, while 16 Air Assault Brigade retains the option of flying the weapons into a Tactical Landing Zone using RAF A400M Atlas aircraft, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The position was set out by Defence Minister Luke Pollard in response to a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who asked what impact the current restriction on parachute deployment of the Light Gun was having on 16 Air Assault Brigade’s operational airborne capability.
Pollard said: “16 Air Assault Brigade remains able to deploy Light Guns by air, including through Rapid Air Landing using A400M ATLAS aircraft once a Tactical Landing Zone has been established. The Light Guns may also be deployed by parachute from suitably cleared allied aircraft when operating as part of a coalition. The Department keeps all operational capabilities under regular review.”
The answer confirms that the brigade retains an airborne route for moving its artillery, but distinguishes between rapid air landing from British A400M aircraft and parachute delivery from allied aircraft that have been cleared for the task.
The L118 Light Gun is the British Army’s lightweight 105mm artillery system and is closely associated with rapidly deployable formations because it can be moved by air and operated in areas where heavier artillery would be more difficult to deploy. For 16 Air Assault Brigade, the ability to move artillery quickly is particularly important because the formation is designed around high-readiness forces capable of deploying at short notice by air.
The answer is pretty clear that one option remains to transport Light Guns aboard A400M Atlas aircraft and land them once a Tactical Landing Zone has been established. That method differs from dropping the gun directly by parachute and therefore depends on access to a suitable landing area. Where the brigade is operating as part of a coalition, however, Pollard confirmed that the gun can still be parachuted from allied aircraft that have the appropriate clearance.
Pollard added that Defence keeps operational capabilities under regular review, leaving open the possibility of further changes to the arrangements governing airborne deployment of the L118.
So parachuted from everyone else who sensibly retained their C130s??
Does UK not havenC130s? That surprised me,
I for one am extremely pleased that they can’t be parachuted from enemy aircraft.
Well I for one am extremely pleased that they can’t be parachuted from enemy aircraft.
Today’s enemy often becomes tomorrow’s ‘long term friend and ally’, so don’t rule that out so quickly
That begs three questions:
Which allied aircraft can be used to parachute in the artillery?
Is the decision not to have this capability one of cost or doctrine?
Does the MOD have a dedicated taskforce just for answering Ben Obese-Jecty’s questions?
I suspect ones that don’t huge amounts of wake behind the aircraft, as the A400M does. C130s and lighter transport aircraft such as the C27 Sparten will be a lot less risky of throwing the gun off the ramp. Mind you, the C17 is cleared for both troop based parachuting as well as heavier equipment such as the L119. Though I can’t see the RAF using a C17 in a tactical role compared to the A400M. It’s the enormously powerful engines of the A400M which is the problem. As the contra-rotating propellers they drive generates a very long stream of wake behind the wing and aircraft. The aircraft was only recently cleared for air to air refuelling, by using very long hoses compared to those used by the Herc.
Thanks
It’s possibly just a bureaucratic formality, and they simply haven’t had the time or resources available to carry out the certification. During the drop, the payload quickly exits the wake, and there have been successful drops of other large payloads, including a K3 Scout USV and a German Wiesel armored vehicle.
In-flight refueling from the A400M has been carried out successfully for many years (just not in the UK). German A400Ms have been operating in this role in Jordan since 2019.
Add a fourth question if i may: are they looking at deployable 120mm mortars and Himars to add to this LG role?
I’ve read they’re looking at replacing LG with 120mm entirely…
They will have a ferret unit reporting to a High Up who go scurrying down rabbit holes.
Anyone actually ever seen or heard of the Light Gun being pushed out the back of an Aircraft.
I have seen plenty towed behind RB44, Pinzgauer and Landrover Forward Control, and underslung under Chinook and I think Puma, but never dropped by parachute.
Yes, I’ve seen it done.
It’s not some dark science.
Never said it was, just never seen or heard of it being done. What did you see it dropped from ?
C130, one of ours.
In terms of allied aircraft, they’re either going to be C130 (which we used to do), A400M (which we own), or C-17 (which we also own).
Sometimes, I wish people would just think before reacting to a UKDJ puff piece about yet another obese-rejection FOI request about airborne forces.
No.
Though i think most of the platforms used were cut ages ago so a capability not oft or ever used.
Airborne would know if he’s about, his brother is /was, in 7 RHA.
Should have kept a mixed fleet ,C130J around 12 plus A400.as well.
The RAF needs a flying boom as well, for F35A,the Rivet Joint,the Posidon,E7 and A330-200 so it can do buddy – buddy.
The C130J can also be used as a backup hose and drouge tanker in the Falklands.
Can’t use the C130Js anymore as we’ve sold them to Turkey.
I know that!
What I am saying we should have KEPT them.
I was in the RAF for 22 years and I know most of this stuff.
Just debating, not a pile on!
Absolutely, having two Hercules based in the Falklands for refuelling the Typhoons and maritime patrol duties would be a lot cheaper than operating 1 x Airtanker and 1 x Atlas.
Think people need to understand the difference between “can’t” and “can’t yet”.
You can drop a light gun from an Altas, it’s just no one has done it yet so it’s not cleared yet. If one needed to be pushed off the tailgate, do not worry your pretty little heads, it will be done.
That extra money promised by Starmer has really helped, hasn’t it?
“You’re going to get more money.”
“Can you please cut hardware and training to save money.”
“We may be at war with Russia in only three years.”
“We’re reducing the effective strength of our military.”
“The British population are far-right racists who should be ashamed of their colonial heritage.”
“Actually can you fight foreign powers in foreign territory for us.”
– Labour’s 2 years so far
L118 currently makes up 68% of the UKs artillery pieces
Sadly due to the dire state of our artillery equipment at the moment
More BS from govt 😡
Any C130js for sale 🙄
An extremely niche capability that i struggle to see a use-case for. Dropping onto a remote island? Ben needs to ask fewer pointless questions, then the meaningful ones will hit harder.