New Delhi, 26 August (APAC Media): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully tested its Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS) at an altitude of 22,000 feet in Nyoma, Ladakh.
This marks another milestone in India’s development of indigenous high-altitude military capabilities.
The trial was conducted at one of the world’s highest-altitude drop zones, with temperatures falling as low as minus 15°C. The parachute was deployed at 20,000 feet, while the test jumpers landed safely at an altitude of 13,700 feet.
Indigenous Systems Put to Test
During the trial, the test jumpers used the MCPS along with its supporting subsystems, including an indigenous para computer, oxygen system and specialised jumpsuits.
The MCPS has been jointly designed and developed by DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, and the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru.
According to DRDO, the successful test demonstrated the system’s efficacy, reliability and tactical employability under extreme high-altitude conditions. It also highlighted India’s growing self-reliance in critical defence technologies, with the parachute system and key supporting equipment developed domestically.
Advanced Capability for Armed Forces
The MCPS had earlier successfully completed a combat freefall jump from an altitude of 32,000 feet. DRDO said this makes it the only parachute system currently in operational use by the Indian Armed Forces capable of deployment above 25,000 feet.
The system incorporates enhanced tactical features, including a lower rate of descent and improved steering capabilities. These features allow paratroopers to safely exit aircraft, deploy parachutes at predetermined altitudes, navigate accurately and land in designated zones.
The latest trial comes as Nyoma gains strategic importance following the Indian Air Force’s commissioning of an airbase there, among the world’s highest airbases for fighter aircraft operations.Â
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