Britain seeks capability to drop boats from planes
The British Army aims to airdrop boats that are 8.5 to 12 meters long, up to 3.5 meters wide, and weigh 3.8 to 12 tons
Cmdr. (res.) Eyal Pinko
| 10/08/2021
Photo: USAF/ Staff Sgt. Matthew Plew
The British Ministry of Defence published a request for information as it intends to issue a tender for acquisition of capability to drop large boats from its A400M planes. The required capability includes airdropping boats that are 8.5 to 12 meters long, up to 3.5 meters wide, and weigh 3.8 to 12 tons, as part of operations by day or at night, anywhere in the world. British Special Forces had such capabilities in the past, but over the years the Army decided to relinquish them.
Development of this capability, called Large Boat Aerial Delivery (LBAD) in Britain, is required without modifications to the planes themselves, with an intention to use 25 planes for such airdrops. The British Army intends to carry out about 40 airdrops a year as part of special operations and training.
Currently, the British Army only has the capability to drop relatively small boats (mainly rubber boats) from its Hercules planes. This capability, used mainly by the British Marine Corps and Special Forces, is called the Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (MCADS). The main reason for the new project is the fact that the British Hercules C-130 planes are expected to go out of service by 2023. The British Royal Air Force acquired 22 A400M planes that are expected to replace the aging Hercules planes.
Besides the technical details of the expected tender and the request for information, the project is part of a force-building process that started in the British military, mainly in the Royal Navy, in recent years in order to restore naval warfare capabilities that were abandoned during the last 20 years. The British Defense Ministry (and especially the Navy) is preparing for operational activity in the area of the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea to assist U.S. forces operating in the theater, mainly against the naval forces of Iran and China.
The British Army aims to airdrop boats that are 8.5 to 12 meters long, up to 3.5 meters wide, and weigh 3.8 to 12 tons
Photo: USAF/ Staff Sgt. Matthew Plew
The British Ministry of Defence published a request for information as it intends to issue a tender for acquisition of capability to drop large boats from its A400M planes. The required capability includes airdropping boats that are 8.5 to 12 meters long, up to 3.5 meters wide, and weigh 3.8 to 12 tons, as part of operations by day or at night, anywhere in the world. British Special Forces had such capabilities in the past, but over the years the Army decided to relinquish them.
Development of this capability, called Large Boat Aerial Delivery (LBAD) in Britain, is required without modifications to the planes themselves, with an intention to use 25 planes for such airdrops. The British Army intends to carry out about 40 airdrops a year as part of special operations and training.
Currently, the British Army only has the capability to drop relatively small boats (mainly rubber boats) from its Hercules planes. This capability, used mainly by the British Marine Corps and Special Forces, is called the Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (MCADS). The main reason for the new project is the fact that the British Hercules C-130 planes are expected to go out of service by 2023. The British Royal Air Force acquired 22 A400M planes that are expected to replace the aging Hercules planes.
Besides the technical details of the expected tender and the request for information, the project is part of a force-building process that started in the British military, mainly in the Royal Navy, in recent years in order to restore naval warfare capabilities that were abandoned during the last 20 years. The British Defense Ministry (and especially the Navy) is preparing for operational activity in the area of the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea to assist U.S. forces operating in the theater, mainly against the naval forces of Iran and China.
