During the recent exercise "ATHENA" 2026, the Air Force element of the French Special Forces took a new step in the validation of the Rapid Response concept.

They undertook the challenge of setting setup a complete detachment including: crews, mechanics, commandos and intelligence specialists, as close as possible to the live action in a constrained time frame without breaking the conduct of operations.

To achieve this, several Caracal helicopters from the 1/67 "Pyrenees" helicopter squadron, were dismantled and then transported on board A400Ms to a location. Once on site, the aircraft were unloaded, reassembled, with only the deployed technical mechanics, completed a control flight and then immediately re-engaged in the exercise scenario, leaving no respite for the fictitious adversaries.

For the first time, this maneuver was performed simultaneously on several helicopters, validating the entire operation under a strong fixed time constraint.

This exercise demonstrated a solid demonstration of the interoperability of the A400M and Caracal together, capable of quickly putting both men and resources in depth and meeting the requirements of the Special Forces air operations.