DRDO successfully tests combat parachute system in high-altitude Ladakh
New Delhi, August 27. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted high-altitude trials of its indigenously developed Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS) at Nyoma in Ladakh, one of the world’s highest military drop zones.
The trials were conducted near the Line of Control in south-eastern Ladakh, where the Indian Air Force has recently commissioned the world’s highest airbase for fighter aircraft operations.
Developed jointly by DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, and the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru, the MCPS underwent testing under extreme environmental conditions.
According to the DRDO, its test jumpers – Wing Commander Rahul Jha, Chief Test Jumper, along with MWO RJ Singh and MWO Vivek Tiwari – made the jump from an altitude of 22,000 feet above mean sea level. The parachute was deployed at 20,000 feet, and the team landed safely at an elevation of 13,700 feet.
The trial was conducted in temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius. The test jumpers used the complete MCPS configuration, including the indigenous para computer, oxygen system and specialised jumpsuits.
Nyoma has previously hosted several military exercises involving the airdrop of troops, vehicles and equipment.
The DRDO said the successful trial demonstrated the MCPS’s effectiveness, reliability and tactical suitability for operations in extreme high-altitude environments. It also highlighted India’s growing capabilities in developing critical defence technologies domestically.
The MCPS had earlier successfully completed a combat freefall jump from 32,000 feet. With this capability, it is currently the only parachute system in operational use by the Indian armed forces that can be deployed from altitudes exceeding 25,000 feet.
The system features enhanced tactical capabilities, including a lower rate of descent and improved steering. These features allow paratroopers to safely exit aircraft, deploy their parachutes at designated altitudes, navigate with greater precision and land within designated zones.
