NEW DELHI: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted the maiden live jump of the advanced high-altitude parachute (AHAP) at one of the highest-altitude drop zones, Nyoma (Mudh DZ). AHAP is a static line parachute system meant for mass drop of paratroopers.The jump was executed at 16,000 feet above mean sea level, the parachute was deployed at 15500 feet and landing was undertaken at Nyoma (Mudh DZ), which is at 13,700 feet. Nyoma (Mudh DZ) is a high-altitude military drop zone and newly upgraded air force station located in the Leh/Changthang district of Ladakh. The jump proved the efficacy and tactical employability of the AHAP parachute at extremely high-altitude terrains.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.
Maiden live jump of the indigenous AHAP in Leh.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO, defence forces, DPSUs and 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 DRDO chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh congratulated the team members associated with the design and development of the system.Designed and developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, the system has been manufactured by Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF) Kanpur, inspected by DGAQA and certified by CEMILAC, RCMA Kanpur.
