British paratroopers are flying drones to deliver blood to wounded soldiers and using secure radios to consult medical specialists thousands of miles away, according to the British Army.
Medics from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment tested the innovations during Exercise Rhino Bizz in Canada. The exercise saw 16 Air Assault Brigade rehearse fighting on a battlefield dominated by drones and electronic warfare.
Solving a Battlefield Blood Problem
As airborne troops, 2 PARA soldiers could be dropped behind enemy lines and cut off from resupply. Blood poses a particular challenge because it is a live product that is difficult to transport and keep usable.
Sergeant Mark Gordon, the battalion’s medical sergeant, commented that a bleeding casualty will die without a blood replacement. To address this, 2 PARA built its own blood donation network. Every paratrooper’s blood type has been tested and their battlefield position is tracked digitally. Medics can now draw blood from the nearest suitable donor and fly it to the casualty by drone.
Lance Corporal Olivia Snoots, a Combat Medical Technician and qualified drone pilot, added that she values using the same technology for saving lives that adversaries use to kill and wound.
Remote Expert Consultations
The battalion has also received MPU5 radios, which provide secure voice and data links over a self-healing mesh network. Medics now use this connectivity to video call specialist clinicians in the UK for advice on treating complex injuries.
Sergeant Gordon commented that a battlefield medic can show a UK-based consultant a casualty’s injuries in real time. This expert input improves survival chances and gives medics greater confidence during treatment.
According to the British Army, the exercise reflects wider efforts to prepare airborne forces for future warfare against a technologically capable adversary.
Learn more on The British Army website
