UK looks to airdrop Jackal

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking a parachute-based delivery solution to insert Jackal long-range patrol vehicles (LRPVs) into Afghanistan's harsh terrain.

The Main Stores Parachuting programme is intended to replace the ageing Medium Stressed Platform that currently meets only a "fraction" of existing requirements, an MoD spokesman told Jane's on 14 January.

The Supacat 4x4 Jackal weighs around 7,000 kg but has the capacity to carry an additional 3,000 kg payload, including fuel, water, ammunition and weapons for operations in Afghanistan. The Medium Stressed Platform can only carry an all-up weight of around 8,000 kg so the MoD wants to replace or modify it with a system capable of carrying up to 10,000 kg.

The MoD said the programme represented a "sizeable challenge" and confirmed that an invitation to tender has already been submitted to industry quoting a requirement for a high-altitude aerial delivery system capable of hitting drop zones of unspecified size.