UK hunts for A400M boat airdrop capability
A US MC-130J Commando II airdrops a Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (MCADS) over the Gulf of Mexico during a training exercise in 2015. (Photo: USAF/ Staff Sgt. Matthew Plew.)
The UK aims to create a new boat airdrop capability for its A400M fleet — it remains to be seen which branch or branches of the armed forces will adopt it.
The UK MoD is calling on industry to provide information on potential solutions to drop large boats from A400M transport aircraft by day or at night, anywhere in the world.
The requirement is for a system capable of launching boats between 8.5-12m long, 2.8-3.5m in the beam, up to 2.2m in height, and weighing 3,800-12,000kg.
In the past, boat airdrop capabilities have been known to have been used by special forces.
The MoD detailed its request in an RfI (last modified on 16 July), in which it stated: ‘The User requires the ability to airdrop - select boat types with
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