Watch RAF’s Atlas Drop a Quad Bike Over Morocco During Its Longest-Range Airdrop

No military operation can succeed without the proper supplies, ranging from food and medical aid to munition and all types of vehicles. The same goes for humanitarian missions and disaster relief operations. Distance makes it all even more challenging, and access by road or sea is sometimes not even possible. This is where heavy-duty cargo aircraft, such as the RAF Atlas, come in.

The advantage of these rugged aircraft is a combination of extensive range, massive payload, and flexibility. Most recently, Atlas flew all the way from Oxfordshire, UK, to Morocco, where British troops are participating in Exercise Jezebel Sahara.

The goal of the 1,400-mile (2,253 km) flight was to deliver a variety of supplies via parachute. In this case, the cargo included a quad bike, a vehicle trailer, and rations. “The loads are always different – it could be pallets of jerry cans or a single large boat,” said Corporal Williams, which is why the aircraft’s versatility is so important.

Obviously, these aren’t dropped just as they are but carefully packed into what is known as a Container Delivery System (CDS). This particular flight to Morocco set a milestone for RAF’s Atlas, as it was its first long-range insertion of CDS. Flight Lieutenant Kay explained that this is meant to confirm Atlas’ ability to deliver a heavy cargo of large dimensions to a precise location without landing.

Once dropped from the air, the precious CDS was then collected by the paratroopers from the British Army’s 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (2 Para).

The 147-foot-long (45 meters) Atlas can carry more than 40 tons of cargo over 2,000 nautical miles (2,300 miles/3,700 km). It also boasts a flexible configuration that allows it to deliver various combinations of vehicles, pallets, and personnel.