The airborne soldiers from 2 Para head to the drop zone in Brittany on board an RAF Atlas C.1 - better known as the A400M (Picture: MOD) — The airborne soldiers from 2 Para head to the drop zone (DZ) in Brittany on board an RAF Atlas C.1 – better known as the A400M (Picture: MOD)

The paras take the opportunity to rest while the Atlas flies to France - it's a capable aircraft, being able to transport up to 116 paratroops and their kit (Picture: MOD) — The paras take the opportunity to rest while the Atlas flies to France – it's a capable aircraft, being able to transport up to 116 paratroops and their kit (Picture: MOD)

French paras from 11e Brigade Parachutiste get a final briefing in the hangar before boarding their aircraft for the drop with their colleagues from the UK (Picture: French defence ministry)

A soldier from 2 Para prepares to jump out of the Atlas - such exits are usually carried out via the side doors, with the loading ramp used to drop heavy kit on pallets (Picture: MOD) — A soldier from 2 Para prepares to jump out of the Atlas – such exits are usually carried out via the side doors, with the loading ramp used to drop heavy kit on pallets (Picture: MOD)

As the Brits made their way to the DZ, their French comrades from 11e Brigade Parachutiste were also preparing to jump from their own A400M (Picture: French defence ministry)

A soldier, with his bergen already on his back, packs away his parachute after landing on the drop zone at the St Cyr-Coëtquidan training area (Picture: MOD)

With clear skies and sunshine, the paras benefited from some extremely good weather for this time of year in northern France (Picture: MOD)

Paras from the mortar platoon patrol away from the drop zone carrying two 81mm mortar tubes and their baseplates in addition to their personal kit (Picture: MOD)

Army

Red on, Green, Go! Paras jump into DZ in Brittany alongside their French counterparts

British paratroops and their French army counterparts have made a jump together – proving their ability to work and fight alongside each other if called upon to do so.

The jump is part of Exercise Orion, a nine-day wargame which sees 2,000 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste tested in northern France.

Two French and one British airborne infantry battlegroups parachuted onto a drop zone, or DZ, at the St Cyr-Coëtquidan training area in Brittany to practise fighting defensive operations.

They have been given a realistic scenario in which they were tasked to support a Nato ally tackling an insurgency and the threat of invasion by a hostile neighbour.

Maintaining the French connection

The two brigades serve as their respective armies' rapid reaction forces. As the Airborne Combined Joint Force (A-CJF), they have been trained and ready to deploy together since 2013.

Command of the A-CJF alternates every two years and is currently held by 11e BP.

The A-CJF is at the forefront of Franco-British military and security co-operation initiated by the 2010 Lancaster House Treaties, which were updated in 2025.

Exercise Orion runs until 3 March.