DRDO conducts maiden live jump of Advanced High-Altitude Parachute system
The jump was executed at 16,000 ft above mean sea level (AMSL). The parachute was deployed at 15,500 feet AMSL and landing was undertaken at Nyoma (Mudh DZ), which is at 13,700 feet, the defence ministry said in a statement.
The jump proved the efficacy and tactical employability of the AHAP parachute at extremely high-altitude terrains, it said.
The DRDO conducted the maiden live jump of the AHAP at one of the highest-altitude drop zones, Nyoma (Mudh DZ), the ministry said.
Designed and developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, AHAP is a static line parachute system for mass drop of paratroopers, the statement said.
The system has been manufactured by Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF) Kanpur, inspected by the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and certified by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), RCMA Kanpur.
“AHAP offers various deployment modes, has a very wide operational altitude range (up to 18,000 ft) and has the safest rate of descent, especially suited for the tactical requirements of the Indian defence forces for high-altitude terrains. Static line parachute jumps at these high altitudes are complex and inherently risky owing to very high opening shock and rate of descent,” it added.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO, the defence forces, DPSUs and the industry on the successful maiden live jump of AHAP indigenous parachute system and termed it as another big step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman, DRDO, Rajesh Kumar Singh congratulated the team members associated with the design and development of the system.
