The DRDO's Combat Free Fall parachute system will be supplied to the Indian Air Force. (Andrew White)
India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) displayed a new Combat Free Fall (CFF) parachute system at the Land Forces 2024 exhibition in Melbourne held from 11 to 13 September.
Speaking to Janes, a DRDO official confirmed the system had “recently qualified” and is now in the process of being supplied to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The DRDO official said the CFF “provides a total solution to paratroopers jumping from as high as 30,000 ft and gliding 30 km to land at a desired target”.
The parachute features a nine-cell ram air designmeasuring 8.84 m in length and providing a lift/drag ratio of 3.3:1. It offers a maximum forward speed of 40 km/h, supporting descents from 2,000 to 30,000 ft above ground level. Rate of descent is 1,000 ft in two minutes, the DRDO official said.
The CFF system has an assembly weight of 22 kg and a maximum payload of 150 kg. It also features a wrist-mounted altimeter and a GPS-based navigation system as well as a breathing and post bail-out breathing system and an oxygen console.
For more information, please see Indian Air Force .
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