Special parachutes are being prepared at OPF factory in Kanpur
The OPF factory in Kanpur is preparing the seat ejection pilot parachute for the Navy’s fast fighter aircraft. This is an important achievement in achieving India’s goal of self-reliance. After that, India can also receive a large order for parachutes from abroad.
If the fighter malfunctions, this parachute will be used to bring the pilot to a safe landing. The Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF), Kanpur, has prepared a special type of parachute for Tejas pilots.
Until now, the military has been buying parachutes from abroad.
Previously, the Indian Army had been purchasing seat ejection pilot parachutes from abroad for its fighter jets, but now engineers from the DRDO Air Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) have prepared a special design that will help Tejas pilots in emergency situations A safe landing is possible. With this move, India will no longer be dependent on the United States and other European countries for the supply of such parachutes.
Why do you need a parachute?
After the design was approved, OPF Kanpur, a subsidiary of Defense Ministry PSU Gliders India Limited, in collaboration with ADRDE, started manufacturing these parachutes. The Tejas Mark 1A fighter jet has a top speed of 2,205 kilometers per hour and a flying altitude of 50,000 feet. In this case, the pilot needs this special parachute to land safely.
Twice the cost
So far, parachutes from abroad were quite expensive, but the parachutes manufactured by OPF cost almost twice as much and their quality meets international standards. The weight of the parachute is about 8 kg and the price is about 8 lakh rupees.
The OPF factory in Kanpur is manufacturing two types of parachutes: pilot parachutes and brake parachutes. These will be used in various types of fighter aircraft such as P7, Jaguar, Mirage, Sukhoi, MiG etc.
The great contribution of women in the parachute factory
Ordnance Parachute Factory general manager MC Balasubramaniam and work manager Rupesh Kumar said around 65 women are working in the women empowerment project. The factory prepares pilot parachutes for Tejas aircraft for the first time in Asia.
Now the Air Force will not need parachutes from the US and other European countries as the OPF now manufactures them itself. The manufacturing of parachutes for P7, Jaguar, Sukhoi, Tejas and other aircraft has started at the factory.
