Inside the major UK military exercise simulating an invasion of Nato ally
These dramatic pictures show the moment hundreds of British troops parachuted into action during the largest UK military jump in more than ten years.
Around 270 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade leapt from three RAF A400M aircraft flying at just 800ft over Salisbury Plain on March 30.
A fourth plane dropped 24 tonnes of equipment and supplies, allowing the troops to operate immediately after landing.
The exercise was launched from RAF Brize Norton and tested the UK’s Joint Airborne Task Force (JATF) – a rapid deployment unit designed to respond to global crises.
The scenario comes amid a backdrop of the growing crisis in the Middle East after the US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran.
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Earlier today, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated the UK won’t be drawn into the conflict – but admitted it will ‘affect the future of our country’.
The training scenario saw troops deployed to reinforce a NATO ally facing a potential invasion.
After landing, soldiers from 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) collected their kit and marched around 10 miles from the drop zone.
They then dug defensive positions and prepared for combat using Javelin anti-tank missiles and 81mm mortars.
The troops were also equipped to deal with drone warfare, reflecting the changing nature of modern conflict.
Brigadier Ed Cartwright said parachuting remains the quickest way to insert forces into a crisis zone.
He added that the exercise demonstrated the strong working relationship between the Army and RAF, with air mobility playing a key role in rapid response operations.
An RAF squadron commander said crews were ‘incredibly proud’ to deliver such a large force package in a single coordinated drop.
Private Hugo Stone, from 3 PARA, described the jump as the biggest he had taken part in.
He said: ‘The sense of scale was quite something. I had a clean exit and a good landing, but once you’re on the ground, it’s about getting your kit sorted and being ready to fight straight away.’
The drop is the largest in the UK since 2015, when around 200 troops jumped onto Salisbury Plain.
The RAF’s A400M Atlas aircraft has now taken over the role previously carried out by the retired C-130 Hercules fleet.