Every year on August 2, Russia celebrates the Day of Airborne Troops (Airborne Forces). We are talking about parachutes that are already being operated by Russian paratroopers or are one step away from being adopted.
Promising "Cadets"
"Cadet-100" – a representative of a whole promising family – is already undergoing state tests. This parachute system will be able to replace the main landing parachute D-10, which has been in the service of the Airborne Forces for over twenty years.
Parachute systems of the Cadet-100 family increased the flight weight – 160 kg instead of 140 kg. Of course, we are not talking about the extra weight of paratroopers, but about twenty kilograms of additional equipment. At the same time, the minimum height from which you can make a jump with a "Cadet" is 50 meters lower than with a D-10 parachute. As experts explain, thanks to this, special forces can start performing tasks more quickly.
Parachute systems of the Cadet-100 family provide for the possibility of control and flight back. In less than 12 seconds, a paratrooper can make a 360-degree turn, which allows avoiding convergence with other parachutists, it is better to examine the terrain and observe the landing site. "Cadet-100" is also the base for two new training systems - "Cadet-75" and "Cadet-100D".
"Junker" and the service dog
The Junker series of parachute systems is one of the main novelties of recent years. On the basis of this parachute, systems with special capabilities are being created, for example, "Junker-PPSS" – a dog's suspended parachute system. Four-legged employees of law enforcement agencies often participate in military and rescue operations. If it is difficult to get to the destination, and it is impossible to land a helicopter or an airplane, a special suspension system will come to the rescue.
The suspension system of the "Junker" provides the landing of a dog handler and a dog from a height of up to 4 thousand meters. A dog weighing up to 45 kilograms will be able to make the jump, that is, the system is suitable for landing almost any service dog.
The state tests of the suspended parachute system for landing with a dog ended the other day. After a series of jumps, all four-legged participants in the experiment felt good. According to the test parachutists, the dogs calmly endure the flight and even watch the clouds through the porthole. Another real discovery for the testers was the fact that even from a height of three kilometers, the dog observes the earth – at some point he tries to "catch" it with his paws. It used to be thought that dogs couldn't see that far.
"Stayer" for jumping from the stratosphere
In 2020, deliveries of serial systems with Stayer parachute domes began, which are designed for landing special forces and law enforcement agencies from extreme heights – from 700 to 10,000 meters.
Airborne soldiers are already familiar with this system: in April 2020, they were the first in the world to make a group jump over the Arctic from a height of 10 km – the lower boundary of the stratosphere. This happened during the exercises that took place on Franz Josef Land.
By the way, anyone could feel like a paratrooper and repeat the record jump from the stratosphere with a Stayer parachute. At the Army-2021 forum, it was possible to use VR glasses that allow you to virtually spend two and a half minutes in free flight over the Arctic.
"Dalnolet": a long flight with comfort
For high–altitude landing, another system is designed - the "Rangefinder". With its help, you can make jumps from heights of 1200-8000 meters at distances up to 60 km from the point of leaving the aircraft with a tailwind. This helps in performing the most difficult tasks, including behind enemy lines.
The "rangefinder" allows you to fly far and comfortably – the system provides a special seat for a long stay under the canopy of the parachute. Also at the disposal of the parachutist are quick–release carbines - for quick release from the suspension system after landing.
"Smart" cargo parachute
A "smart" transport parachute system is being developed. The system allows you to drop cargo weighing up to 250 kg from a height of up to 8000 meters and do it automatically thanks to GLONASS and GPS.
The main advantage of this "smart" cargo parachute is accuracy. According to the tests carried out, the landing error does not exceed 100 meters.
With the help of this system, you can land weapons, equipment and ammunition. If today we are talking about cargo weighing up to 250 kg, then there are plans to increase the payload to 500 kg – a universal parachute cargo harness has been patented, which allows, if necessary, to increase the mass of the landed cargo.
Zapaska – the guarantor of safety
As parachutists say, there is no such thing as an absolutely safe jump – there is always a risk. Of course, the experience of a parachutist and the reliability of equipment make any jump safer. But no one canceled critical situations. In a situation where the earth is approaching at an incredible speed, and the parachute does not open, the best helper and savior is a spare parachute, or "spare" in the slang of parachutists.
The latest development in this area is the Z–7 reserve parachute. The novelty will replace the Z-5, which has been in use for several decades. The main difference will be the vertical rate of descent – it will not exceed 6 meters per second. At the same time, the flight weight will be increased from 140 to 160 kg.
The spare Z-7 is easily and quickly mounted and dismantled to the suspension system of the main parachute. It is located in the front, which facilitates its activation by the ring of the manual opening link. When the reserve parachute system is triggered, the picture will be something like this – the air flow extracts the dome with slings from the satchel, the dome of the "spare" is filled, ensuring the parachutist's descent at a safe speed and his normal landing.
