British soldiers could soon be given powered paragliders for covert operations behind enemy lines

British soldiers could soon be given powered paragliders to enable them to fly up to 200 miles behind enemy lines.

The backpack-sized gliders mean Royal Marine and Parachute Regiment troops could fly into hostile areas during the night without the need to drop from aircraft.

Manufacturer Blakcro, which is based in Wiltshire, say the machines can be assembled in eight minutes and launched on foot.

The Ministry of Defence is spending £6m on the system, with trials set to begin "in the coming months".

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the government was 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".

The paragliders, which have a range of up to 200 miles, can carry body armour, night vision equipment and weapon mounts.

The manufacturers say the titanium-framed machines can be used to enter hostile territory covertly as they are more difficult to detect by radar or sound than traditional aircraft.

The gliders will be powered by a fan but pilots will be expected to launch them on foot.

The technology is currently being used by other Nato member countries.

Blakcro, which employs 11 people, was founded in 2023 and has received government support for two other projects.

The company also works with the US Department of Defense.

The government has said it wants to spend more on UK-made defence equipment and bring smaller companies into the supply chain.

Chancellor John Healey is under pressure to increase defence spending after he resigned from Sir Keir Starmer's government in protest at its investment plans.

As defence secretary, he accused Starmer's government of having no clear timetable to reach the target of spending 3% of the UK's national income on defence.

He is expected to increase spending further - but will not be setting out any plans in his first Budget in October.

Instead, a revised defence plan will be set out as part of a wider government spending review in the spring.

A government spokesperson said: "The first duty of government is to keep its citizens safe.

"The prime minister and chancellor are committed to fully funding the defence investment plan.

"At the spending review we will set out a pathway to meet our NATO commitment of 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035 and will set a target date to hit 3% on that path."