Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment are to trial rucksack-sized paragliders that can fly 200 miles behind enemy lines

Wiltshire start-up Blakcro has secured £6 million in Ministry of Defence funding to produce Britain's first foot-launched military paraglider — a system that requires neither a runway nor any aircraft, whether helicopter or drop plane, for deployment. Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment troops are expected to begin trials later in 2026 and into 2027. Built around a titanium frame, the glider packs down to rucksack size, can be assembled in complete darkness in under eight minutes, and is capable of carrying a fully equipped soldier up to 200 miles into hostile territory.

The gliders are already in operational use with undisclosed customers, with agreements spanning the UK and NATO allies including the US Department of Defense.

The system generates minimal acoustic, visual and radar signatures, making it considerably harder for adversaries to detect than conventional aircraft insertion methods.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the programme is helping build a 'more resilient, homegrown defence supply chain' for British armed forces.