RAF A400M fleet to get advanced boat airdrop system in $34m IrvinGQ deal
August 29, 2025
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is set to upgrade its A400M Atlas fleet with a new aerial boat delivery system.
A £25 million ($34 million) contract awarded to South Wales-based defence firm IrvinGQ will equip the RAF’s Atlas A400M transport aircraft with a cutting-edge system capable of airdropping large rigid-hulled inflatable boats directly into maritime environments.
Known as PRIBAD — short for Platform, Rigid Inflatable Boat Aerial Delivery — the system enables the deployment of boats ranging from 6 to 14 metres in length, weighing up to 12 tonnes.
With its interchangeable cradle design, PRIBAD can quickly adapt to different loads, making it highly versatile for special operations, humanitarian missions and maritime security deployments.
RAF A400 boat airdrop trials start in 2026, deliveries by 2029
The contract covers the manufacture of up to 25 systems, along with in-service support for up to ten years.
Flight trials are set to begin later this year and into early 2026, led by the Air Test and Evaluation Centre, with support from the Air and Space Warfare Centre.
The systems will be delivered in multiple tranches through to 2029, accompanied by training programmes for RAF and Army crews as well as maintainers.
Replacing the Hercules: Why the RAF’s A400M needs PRIBAD
For the UK Ministry of Defence, the new capability represents more than an upgrade. It marks a significant expansion in what the A400M can achieve in maritime contexts.
Until now, boat airdrops have been typically carried out using the RAF’s C-130J Hercules, supported by units such as 47 Squadron and 47 Air Despatch Squadron of the Royal Logistics Corps. With the Hercules fleet being phased out, a solution that works with the A400M was urgently needed.
PRIBAD fills that gap with a system that has already proven successful in over 500 drops across multiple aircraft and allied nations.
“This contract award realises the aerial delivery of large boats as a significant step increase in the A400M capability,” said Peter Searle, Delivery Team Leader for Command Support and Airborne Equipment at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S).
“It is the result of hard work and collaboration between DE&S and specialist agencies who deeply understand this niche area.”
How the RAF’s PRIBAD system boat airdrop operation works
The PRIBAD system is part of a long British tradition of innovation in aerial delivery. In a typical boat drop operation, a rigid inflatable boat is loaded into the rear of the aircraft on a platform designed to absorb the impact of both the drop and the water landing. A drogue chute pulls the load out of the cargo bay, and the boat then descends under its own parachutes. Special Forces personnel follow shortly after, landing nearby to board the vessel and begin their mission.
Systems like PRIBAD are essential to the rapid response capability of elite UK units such as the Special Boat Service, allowing boats and crew to be inserted far from conventional launch points.
Its modular construction allows for fast turnaround and configuration, meeting the demands of missions held at very high or extremely high readiness.
UK defence contract secures jobs in South Wales
Back in South Wales, the contract also brings long-term industrial benefits. IrvinGQ confirmed that it will secure up to 20 skilled manufacturing jobs at its Bridgend facility for the next decade.
“Securing this landmark contract is a tremendous achievement for IrvinGQ and a testament to the dedication and expertise of our entire team,” said Mark Steer, President of IrvinGQ. “We are extremely proud to deliver this critical capability to our home nation, supporting the UK MoD with a proven solution that has demonstrated outstanding operational performance.”
“Winning this contract not only reinforces our position as a trusted partner to the UK Armed Forces, but also enables us to pursue new export opportunities and continue driving growth and skilled employment here in South Wales.”
As PRIBAD moves into the demonstration and manufacture phase, it brings with it both an operational upgrade for the RAF and a clear signal that the UK remains at the forefront of advanced aerial delivery technologies.
