After Waiting For Decades, Army Jawans To Finally Get Their First Modern Helmet

[The_Showstopper]

After Waiting For Decades, Army Jawans To Finally Get Their First Modern Helmet

The new helmets are designed to bear the impact of 9 mm ammunition fired from a short range (File photo)

NEW DELHI: For the first time ever, each and every jawan of the Indian Army will be equipped with a world-class helmet, an essential piece of kit that can be the difference between life and death during military operations. NDTV has learnt that an Indian company, the Kanpur-based MKU Industries has been contracted to manufacture 1.58 lakh helmets in a deal worth Rs. 170 and 180 crore, and the production of the new helmets is now beginning. This is the first large scale order of helmets by the Army in more than two decades.

The new helmets will be delivered within three years by MKU Industries, which is a world leader in the manufacture of body armour (bulletproof jackets and helmets) which it exports to armed forces around the world.


The new 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 many of them can be integrated with communications devices.


More than a decade back, the Indian Army's elite para special forces were equipped with an Israeli OR-201 helmet made of Glass Reinforced Plastic. However, regular soldiers in infantry formations had to make do with heavy domestically-made helmets which were not comfortable to wear during combat situations. A unique and often preferred solution for Indian Army soldiers, particularly during counter-insurgency operations, is wearing a bulletproof 'patka', though these have severe limitations since they offer protection only on the forehead and the back of the head. In addition to this, they weigh more than 2.5 kilograms.


In March last year, the government signed an 'emergency contract' to purchase 50,000 new bulletproof jackets from Tata Advanced Materials Limited after a delay of more than 10 years. This is a stand-in acquisition - the Army is in the process of evaluating far more advanced jackets which can provide soldiers a greater degree of protection from enemy bullets or shrapnel in the battlefield.


http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/excl...odern-helmet-1649923?pfrom=home-lateststories

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Have been hearing this for a while now....

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Have been hearing this for a while now....

You heard they were doing it, but not inked. Nothing signed. Emergency order and now new contracts to MKU is there.

You are seeing the first order.

 

[ranadd]

And the funny part is, there is a supplier for NATO in India!!!!. They have already gone through stringent requirements of being a NATO supplier.

But yeah, lets propagate India doesn't make anything good. Idiot babus.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

And the funny part is, there is a supplier for NATO in India!!!!. They have already gone through stringent requirements of being a NATO supplier.

But yeah, lets propagate India doesn't make anything good. Idiot babus.

Not just the babus, the IA was trials jackets from several, several companies, all failed. What do these guys possibly demand that they delay the induction of jackets? Jet pack?

 

[Thorough Pro]

What's so modern in this helmet? looks like Nazi era helmet with fabric top, btw who uses 9mm in combat? these helmets are already failed if they are designed for 9mm only, as mentioned in the article.

After Waiting For Decades, Army Jawans To Finally Get Their First Modern Helmet

The new helmets are designed to bear the impact of 9 mm ammunition fired from a short range (File photo)

NEW DELHI: For the first time ever, each and every jawan of the Indian Army will be equipped with a world-class helmet, an essential piece of kit that can be the difference between life and death during military operations. NDTV has learnt that an Indian company, the Kanpur-based MKU Industries has been contracted to manufacture 1.58 lakh helmets in a deal worth Rs. 170 and 180 crore, and the production of the new helmets is now beginning. This is the first large scale order of helmets by the Army in more than two decades.

The new helmets will be delivered within three years by MKU Industries, which is a world leader in the manufacture of body armour (bulletproof jackets and helmets) which it exports to armed forces around the world.


The new 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 many of them can be integrated with communications devices.


More than a decade back, the Indian Army's elite para special forces were equipped with an Israeli OR-201 helmet made of Glass Reinforced Plastic. However, regular soldiers in infantry formations had to make do with heavy domestically-made helmets which were not comfortable to wear during combat situations. A unique and often preferred solution for Indian Army soldiers, particularly during counter-insurgency operations, is wearing a bulletproof 'patka', though these have severe limitations since they offer protection only on the forehead and the back of the head. In addition to this, they weigh more than 2.5 kilograms.


In March last year, the government signed an 'emergency contract' to purchase 50,000 new bulletproof jackets from Tata Advanced Materials Limited after a delay of more than 10 years. This is a stand-in acquisition - the Army is in the process of evaluating far more advanced jackets which can provide soldiers a greater degree of protection from enemy bullets or shrapnel in the battlefield.


http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/excl...odern-helmet-1649923?pfrom=home-lateststories

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

They are designed to withstand the impact of a 9mm pistol round from short range?

It's a good thing then that all modern armies fight primarily by running up to their adversaries with 9mm pistols.

 

[Indika]

But yeah, lets propagate India doesn't make anything good. Idiot babus.

If it is local supplier then the babus will be denied the chance for phoren sightseeing, moolah under the table...etc Simply put its called conflict of Interest.

 

[Killswitch]

Helmets are primarily to protect from shrapnel (artillery), not head shots from rifles. The vast majority of combatants are trained to shoot for the center of mass, not the head. These helmets will wiegh less and protect troops from shrapnel better than the WW2 era tin buckets or the Patka. The Patka is still superior in stopping bullets to the forehead, so its a trade off.

 

[Bossman]

After Waiting For Decades, Army Jawans To Finally Get Their First Modern Helmet

The new helmets are designed to bear the impact of 9 mm ammunition fired from a short range (File photo)

NEW DELHI: For the first time ever, each and every jawan of the Indian Army will be equipped with a world-class helmet, an essential piece of kit that can be the difference between life and death during military operations. NDTV has learnt that an Indian company, the Kanpur-based MKU Industries has been contracted to manufacture 1.58 lakh helmets in a deal worth Rs. 170 and 180 crore, and the production of the new helmets is now beginning. This is the first large scale order of helmets by the Army in more than two decades.

The new helmets will be delivered within three years by MKU Industries, which is a world leader in the manufacture of body armour (bulletproof jackets and helmets) which it exports to armed forces around the world.


The new 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 many of them can be integrated with communications devices.


More than a decade back, the Indian Army's elite para special forces were equipped with an Israeli OR-201 helmet made of Glass Reinforced Plastic. However, regular soldiers in infantry formations had to make do with heavy domestically-made helmets which were not comfortable to wear during combat situations. A unique and often preferred solution for Indian Army soldiers, particularly during counter-insurgency operations, is wearing a bulletproof 'patka', though these have severe limitations since they offer protection only on the forehead and the back of the head. In addition to this, they weigh more than 2.5 kilograms.


In March last year, the government signed an 'emergency contract' to purchase 50,000 new bulletproof jackets from Tata Advanced Materials Limited after a delay of more than 10 years. This is a stand-in acquisition - the Army is in the process of evaluating far more advanced jackets which can provide soldiers a greater degree of protection from enemy bullets or shrapnel in the battlefield.


http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/excl...odern-helmet-1649923?pfrom=home-lateststories

are they being imported from China or Pakistan?

 

[Fenrir]

What's so modern in this helmet?

I hesitated to call them modern in terms of appearance too - to a lesser extent the cloth, mostly the shape - but then I realized that half of Europe is still using similar designs, existing and new:

Others are phasing out those types of helmets for lighter, more durable hardened plastic or ceramic helmets. You can see the older helmet and newer Ops Core (Norwegian owned) ones used by the Norwegian Armed Forces here:

The HV is still in the process of phasing out the older helmets and older firearms like the AG3, though both are almost completely out of service.

Hey! I know that girl. The cloth helps disguise the helmet's appearance (color and outline) in wooded environments.

Without the cloth. You can see the front adaptor for optics like GoPro cameras or night sights here:

Those being adopted by Indian Jawans might not be the most modern design by Western standards, but so long as they work and the soldiers like them, who really cares?

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Those being adopted by Indian Jawans might not be the most modern design by Western standards, but so long as they work and the soldiers like them, who really cares?

It depends what they ordered from MKU.

Boltfree helmets from MKU feature a shell which has no holes or bolts. The nodrill concept not only provides enhanced comfort but also increases protection against ballistic threats. Boltfree helmets are available in both, PASGT and ACH shapes.

G-Factor from MKU is the world's lightest ballistic helmet, weighing in at 1Kg. It is water-proof, corrosion resistant and UV resistant. G-Factor is available in both PASGT and ACH configurations and is compatible with a host of modern communication equipments and NVDs.

 

[AMCA]

They are designed to withstand the impact of a 9mm pistol round from short range?

It's a good thing then that all modern armies fight primarily by running up to their adversaries with 9mm pistols.

This is the standard all over except the US forces who have moved over to UHMWPE. Now as a matter of fact, the standard issue to the Indian Army in front line combat is PATKA, it is designed to withstand a full powered 7.62 mm round from AK.

are they being imported from China or Pakistan?

There exists no competition for a company like MKU in Pakistan, so Chill!!

 

[Sloth 22]

@Fenrir

Question.
Can you compare the MK7 of UK, OR201 of Israel, SPECTRA of France, ACH of US on protection level , to the one above ?

 

[thesolar65]

Not just the babus, the IA was trials jackets from several, several companies, all failed. What do these guys possibly demand that they delay the induction of jackets? Jet pack?

I have a proposition. If a Private or Govt. company develops a certain weapon system and IA, IN, or IAF rejects it, then that Pvt. company or PSU should get liberty to produce it and export it to other foreign customers....even enemy countries if that suits them.