MEL Group

[Lord Jim]

Didn't realise this, but MEL Group in Sudbury manufacture Silent Arrow in the UK...presumably under licence from Yates Electrospace in the US.

Really do think this is a capability that the RAF should have, up to 1 tonne of supplies delivered accurately from over 40 miles away by a C-17, A-400, C-130 or CH-47...apparently a lot cheaper than JPADS as well (allegedly half the price, JPADS is around $70,000 per set, that would put Silent Arrow around $35,000). And re-usable when recovered. Apparently its already in service with either Saudi Arabia or the UAE, presumably in Yemen. It's not cheap, but neither are parachutes....and if it keeps a very expensive aircraft out of harms way, makes a delivery more covert or saves some very expensive kit dropping into enemy hands then its not a bad idea to have a few in the locker...

https://themelgroup.co.uk/

https://silent-arrow.com/

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/4 ... deployment

[topman]

Having dealt with them in the past, they do what they say. They are a pretty good company to deal with.

They have quite a few MoD contracts already, hopefully they'll keep going for some time to come.

I believe they also export quite a bit as well.