A new paraglider could give British troops an innovative way to strike from the sky.
Blakcro, a Wiltshire-based start-up, has created Britain’s first foot-launched paraglider designed specifically for military operations, with approximately £6million in Ministry of Defence funding behind the project.
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The powered gliders, which pack down to roughly the size of a large rucksack, can cover distances of up to 200 miles under their own power and be put together in fewer than eight minutes, even in total darkness.
Both the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment are expected to trial the system in the coming months.
Soldiers using the kit need only their own legs and wind to get airborne, removing any dependence on runways, helicopters or transport aircraft for covert insertions deep into enemy territory.
The system is constructed around a titanium airframe manufactured in the UK, and its compact design allows it to fold into a carrying case comparable in size to a large bergen.
Crucially for special operations, the glider produces minimal noise, has a small visual profile and is difficult to detect on radar – characteristics engineered to support stealthy penetration of hostile airspace.
It is also equipped to carry body armour, night-vision gear, and weapon mounts, meaning operators can arrive mission-ready rather than needing resupply on the ground.
Blakcro built the gliders from the outset for military purposes rather than adapting civilian equipment, and the technology is already in operational use with contracts held both domestically and with Nato partner nations.
The company’s trajectory illustrates the impact of UK Defence Innovation, the MoD’s gateway for businesses without prior defence sector experience.
Since receiving UKDI backing, Blakcro has quadrupled its workforce from three to 11 staff and secured three prime contracts with both British and Nato customers.
A separate defence innovation loan enabled the firm to move beyond a single product line and scale up to full production capacity.
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Sam Wedgwood, Blakcro’s founder and chief executive, said: “From a UKDI success story perspective, we have very rapidly moved from base technology in 2024, through UKDI-supported rapid innovation, through to purchase, through to operational use by 2026.
“We could not have done that at this pace without the support we have received, not just the funding but the commercialisation support and the access to the right people. UKDI kept telling us we were special. I think it’s mutual.”
Luke Pollard, the minister for defence readiness and industry, said: “With UK Defence Innovation supporting SMEs like Blakcro from the drawing board through to deployment, we are building a more resilient, homegrown defence supply chain and ensuring our armed forces receive the pioneering equipment that can give them the edge on the battlefield.”
He described the arrangement as evidence of a fresh approach to working with industry, one that champions British innovation while creating skilled employment in areas such as Wiltshire.
The MoD characterised its partnership with Blakcro as a demonstration of how the government is supporting nimble, domestically grown innovators to deliver advanced military capability and long-term economic growth, while ensuring British forces maintain an advantage over evolving threats.
The company will continue supplying systems into 2027.
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