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After decades of wait, Indian Army finally gets modern Bullet-Proof Ballistic Helmets
YB WEB DESK. Dated: 6/27/2017 9:51:35 PM
For a soldier today, a bullet-proof helmet is an essential part of his kit that can prove to be the difference between life and death during combat operations.
But Indian Army soldiers, who fight in adverse conditions to save lives of fellow countrymen, were deprived of even this basic need.
Indian armed forces have relied on patkas that are worn over outdated infantry helmets to save themselves from enemy fire. But they have severe limitations as they are bulky and heavy, weighing over 2.5 kgs, and can protect only the forehead and back of the head.
Now, there is a good news for our soldiers. After decades of life-threatening wait, Indian Army has finally received modern bullet-proof helmets this month which can bear the impact even from short range.
Earlier this year, a Kanpur-based company, MKU limited, which supplies military equipment to the UN and NATO, was awarded a contract worth Rs 180 crore to supply nearly 1.6 lakh helmets. The company has recently delivered the first tranche.
ET got an opportunity to visit the manufacturing facilities of MKU in Kanpur and Fatehpur districts of Uttar Pradesh to watch the production of helmets.
The bullet-proof helmet has the main protective layer of Kevlar, the material used by Batman for his Batsuit and cape. Although the helmet won't let our army men do things batman does, it will surely save them by bearing the impact of an enemy bullet.
The helmets are designed to bear the impact of 9 mm ammunition fired from a short range. This meets the global standard for protection among leading armed forces. They are also designed to be comfortable and can be integrated with communication and night-vision devices.
Indian Army has ordered the bolted version of bolt-free ballistic helmets. Not currently on the Indian Army order list, bolt-free is a higher and expensive version of bullet-proof helmets, which gives all-round protection from head injuries as helmet bolts increase the risk of injuries due to vibrations produced by direct impact of bullet on helmet.
MKU claims that these helmets go through rigorous quality tests and ballistic lab test conducted in company's testing facilities in India and Germany.