DARING paratroopers have broken new ground after successfully making the first low-level parachute descents from the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas Mk1 aircraft.

Trials of parachuting from the new Atlas aircraft saw soldiers from Colchester-based 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team jumping and landing on Salisbury Plain

The Atlas aircraft will be next in line to deliver the military’s parachuting capabilities, when the current C-130J Hercules retires from the RAF service in 2023.

Major Aden Philpott is airborne plans officer for headquarters 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team.

He said: “The speed and reach of deploying by air are the defining characteristics of air manoeuvre forces and vital to the brigade’s role as the global response force.

“Across a wide range of strategic and tactical scenarios, parachuting retains relevance through enabling us to hold the initiative.

“We can take off from the UK to deliver troops by parachute to where they are needed rapidly, out manoeuvring the enemy and putting us in position to win the first battle when, where and how we want to fight it.”

Bombardier Daniel Murray, of 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, said: "It's a great experience to get some jumps in and help develop the Atlas.

“It's all been straightforward and familiar - the parachute and all of the procedures inside the plane are the same, and there's more space in the Atlas which makes it easier with all the kit we jump with."

“The Atlas has a key role to play in our future, offering a significant boost to our capabilities through its ability to carry more paratroopers over a greater distance.”

The new Atlas aircraft adds parachuting capabilities to the range of other tactical capabilities it provides.

It will give the military the ability to airdrop supplies, refuelling in the air and landing on natural surfaces.

Air Commodore Andy Martin, the Atlas Programme senior responsible owner, said: “The successful initiation of mass low-level parachuting trials on the Atlas represents a major milestone for the Atlas Capability Programme. 

“This significant step is the result of a lot of hard work by the whole team and keeps the programme on track to transfer low-level and high-altitude parachuting capability from C130J Hercules onto the Atlas next year.”