SAS parachutists will lose vital minutes in battle because they can only jump out of one side of their new plane, according to a former Defence minister.
Labour MP Kevan Jones says special forces can now hop out of their Hercules C130-J transports from both sides.
But the aircraft are due to be replaced in six months by Airbus’s A400M Atlas which is not yet capable of symmetric parachuting.
Airbus’s military affairs director, Air Marshall Sir Kevin Leeson, told the Commons Defence Committee: “We do not have clearance yet for symmetric both doors.
“But we can certainly do single door large stick.”
Mr Jones said that is not good enough for soldiers embarking on deadly operations when every minute counts.
He added: “The demands we place upon our special forces are extremely high and it is essential the equipment supplied to them is of the very best possible quality.
“The MoD must show that it’s capable of fulfilling all tasks carried out by our special forces and has their complete trust.”
An MoD spokesperson said: “The RAF is working at pace to ensure the military effect delivered by the C130-J is either replicated through A400M or delivered in a different way.”
