Cuts to RAF’s legendary Hercules fleet could leave Special Forces grounded

CUTS to the RAF’s Hercules fleet could leave Special Forces grounded because the replacement plane is not ready for combat parachute jumps.

The rotor wash from the Atlas A400M engines collapses the chutes, military sources told The Sun.

And when troops jump out both sides they get blown into each other in the wake.

The heavier £2.75billion Atlas fleet also cannot fly as low or slowly, which is key to SAS and SBS missions.

A Special Forces source said there was a “race against time” to solve problems before Hercules is scrapped in 18 months, as announced this week.

They said: “If they can’t get it fixed then the Paras are stuffed.”

The first Atlas was delivered in 2014 but it yet to be approved for simultaneous combat jumps and low-level missions by the Military Aviation Authority.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace axed all 14 Hercules as part of the deepest cuts to the armed forces in more than 300 years.

The MoD said cutting the Hercules would let them invest in “deepening A400M capacity” to undertake a full-range of tactical roles, including the expansion of parachute operations.

A spokeswoman said: “There will be no disruption to parachute training as the RAF modernises to the Atlas.”

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