DRDO's combat parachute pushes limits; freefall jump carried out from 27,000 feet

 In a major achievement, the combat freefall jump of military combat parachute system (MPCS) developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was carried out recently.

MCPS is a sophisticated parachute system designed for military operations, particularly for special forces. It allows paratroopers to jump from aircraft with a combat load, deploy their parachutes at predetermined altitudes, and navigate and land safely.

The parachute system can be used in High Altitude High Opening (HAHO), High Altitude Medium Opening (HAMO), and High-Altitude Low Opening (HALO) modes, depending on the operational requirements.

In a tweet, the DRDO announced that the freefall jump was done from an altitude of 27,000ft with a full combat load, making it the only parachute system capable of being deployed above 25,000ft currently in use by Indian armed forces.

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The jump was carried out by Wing Commander Vishal Lakhesh VM(G), MWO R J Singh, MWO A. A. Baidya demonstrating the effectiveness of the indigenous combat parachute system.

"MCPS offers improved tactical features, including a lower rate of descent and enhanced steering capabilities. It enable paratroopers to jump from aircraft and deploy their parachutes at predetermined altitudes, navigate and safe landing to designated areas," the tweet from DRDO said.

"The system is engineered in such a way that apart from the Army, Air Force and Navy, the special frontier force could operate. More than 350 trials were executed by ADRDE and Paratrooper Training School (PTS), Air Force, Agra. The system was commissioned in 2023," Times of India had quoted Gyasuddin Quraishi, a scientist and PRO of ADRDE, as saying.