Defence cost-cutting measures could see Britain's elite Parachute Regiment being stripped of its parachutes in favour of more affordable means of deployment.
The legendary unit, renowned for heroic operations in Normandy, Arnhem, the Falklands and Afghanistan, would instead be transported to combat zones via helicopter rather than jumping from transport aircraft.
Eliminating parachute operations would apparently save the RAF in excess of £15million annually.
As well as the equipment itself, funds would also be clawed back from ceasing specialist pilot and aircrew instruction, along with training for the paratroopers themselves.
The controversial proposal is understood to have emerged as part of the Government's Defence Investment Plan, which remains unpublished despite originally being scheduled for release last autumn.
Former Conservative Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood condemned the reported plans as "strategic and operational madness."
Mr Ellwood, a former British Army Lieutenant Colonel, warned that the consequences would be devastating for the regiment.
He said: "No aircraft means no training, no mass jumps, no airborne infantry - the slow death of the most elite line regiment in the British Army.
Airborne British Army regiment face being sent into battle without parachutes as part of latest cost-cutting measures | PA
"With increasing global uncertainty, this is not the way to prepare for possible war."
One former senior Parachute Regiment officer explained the practical limitations of deploying without parachutes.
"While technically, you can parachute from a helicopter, in practice, you wouldn't want to," he said.
The officer explained that helicopters did not have the “capacity or the flying endurance” of the aircraft currently used to transport large numbers of paratroopers.
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The legendary unit is renowned for undertaking heroic operations in Normandy, Arnhem, the Falklands and Afghanistan
|PA
"In effect, this cut-back would ground the Parachute Regiment and rule out any future mass parachute drop by British forces."
Tobias Ellwood also suggested that RAF chiefs may have ulterior motives for proposing the cuts.
He argued that the large A400M transport planes, which replaced the smaller C-130 Hercules aircraft, were unsuitable for parachute operations.
However, a former paratrooper challenged this assertion, stating the new aircraft were "cleared for parachuting last year."
'In effect, this cut-back would ground the Parachute Regiment and rule out any future mass parachute drop by British forces'
|GETTY
Another source indicated that the RAF had requested the Paras cease jumping from A400M aircraft due to insufficient numbers of the planes available, per the Daily Mail.
The A400M fleet is understood to be heavily utilised, with aircraft constantly deployed to locations including the Falklands, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Poland, Estonia, the USA, Australia, Kenya, Oman, Jordan and Norway.
This is not the first dispute over aircraft availability for the Paras.
Prior to the 2024 D-Day commemorations, a planned mass parachute drop over Normandy was threatened when only one A400M was allocated, requiring intervention from then Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.
An MoD spokesman said: "The DIP will set out the MoD's plans to ensure resources are directed effectively to meet its priorities and deliver value for taxpayers."
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