Paragliders for British troops: the £6m plan to fly up to 200 miles behind enemy lines

British minister set to build 'resilient, homegrown defence'

The backpack-sized machines would allow Royal Marine and Parachute Regiment troops to fly into hostile areas at night without needing to drop from an aircraft.

According to the Ministry of Defence paraglider trial reported by BBC News, the technology is already in use by other Nato member countries.

How the paragliders work

The system is made by Blakcro, a Wiltshire-based manufacturer, which says the machines can be assembled in eight minutes and launched on foot.

They are powered by a fan, and the company says their titanium frames are harder to detect by radar or sound than traditional aircraft. The gliders can carry body armour, night vision equipment and weapon mounts.

Blakcro is not a defence giant. The company employs 11 people, was founded in 2023, has already received government support for two other projects, and also works with the US Department of Defense. 

That profile is the point: the government has said it wants to spend more on UK-made defence equipment and bring smaller companies into the supply chain.

A homegrown supply chain

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the government was building a "more resilient, homegrown defence supply chain and ensuring our armed forces receive the pioneering equipment that can give them the edge on the battlefield."

It also lands at an awkward moment for defence spending. Chancellor John Healey is under pressure to increase defence spending after resigning from Sir Keir Starmer's government in protest at its investment plans.

As defence secretary, he accused that government of having no clear timetable for reaching the target of spending 3% of the UK's national income on defence.

The brief has since changed hands: Wes Streeting, who has defence now, has described an 'unbelievable volume' of homophobia since taking the job.

Healey is expected to increase spending further, but will not set out any plans in his first Budget in October.

Instead, a revised defence plan will be published as part of a wider government spending review in the spring.

A government spokesperson said: "The first duty of government is to keep its citizens safe."

They added: "The prime minister and chancellor are committed to fully funding the defence investment plan."

Small kit, big backdrop

The paraglider order is small, but it fits what the government says it wants: more UK-made equipment, bought from more British suppliers.

Blakcro, with 11 staff and three years of trading behind it, is exactly that kind of supplier.

It also comes in a week when Russia warned the British public of 'catastrophic consequences', as JOE reported on Thursday.

For now, the paragliders are a trial, with the first flights due in the coming months.