GUWAHATI: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully tested its indigenous Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS) at one of the world's highest drop zones. The trial took place in Nyoma, south-eastern Ladakh, near the Line of Control, where the Indian Air Force recently set up an airbase that is among the highest in the world for fighter jets.
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During the trial, ADRDE test jumpers Wing Commander Rahul Jha (Chief Test Jumper), MWO R.J. Singh, VM(G), and MWO Vivek Tiwari jumped from 22,000 feet above mean sea level. The parachute opened at 20,000 feet, and the jumpers landed safely at 13,700 feet, in temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius.
The MCPS was developed jointly by DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra and the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory in Bengaluru.
DRDO said the successful trial demonstrated the system's efficiency, reliability and readiness for tactical use in extreme high-altitude conditions, and reflects India's push toward self-reliance in defence technology.
Nyoma has previously been used for military exercises involving the para-dropping of troops, vehicles and equipment. The latest test comes after an earlier trial in which the MCPS completed a combat freefall jump from 32,000 feet.
According to DRDO, the MCPS is the only parachute system currently used by the Indian Armed Forces that can be deployed above 25,000 feet, providing a key capability for airborne missions in thin air and freezing conditions such as those found in Ladakh.