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Soldiers yet to get bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets
NEW DELHI: Leave alone big-ticket items like missiles, helicopters or specialized tank ammunition, the government is yet to even provide soldiers with basic protective gear like modular bulletproof vests or ballistic helmets.
After going around in circles for several years, the much ballyhooed project to acquire 1,86,168 bulletproof jackets for the humble soldiers has come to a big naught. Similarly, the case for ballistic helmets with internal communication gear is yet to make any headway.
The 1.86 lakh jackets were to be inducted in the first phase under the fresh global tender or RFP (request for proposal) issued once again in March 2011, after obtaining approval from the defence acquisitions council chaired by defence minister A K Antony in October 2009.
While the first lot was to be inducted in the 11th Army Plan (2007-2012), another 1.67 lakh jackets were to be acquired in the second round. Around a dozen companies did come forward with their proposals and were ready for trial evaluation but the RFP was "retracted'' last December due to problems in the technical parameters or the GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements) drawn up for the jackets. The entire process will begin afresh this year, with "suitable'' tweaking of the GSQRs.
Soldiers currently are saddled with heavy, ineffective jackets and helmets, which greatly restrict their mobility during counter-insurgency and other operations. Over 150 security forces personnel, incidentally, die every year while battling militants in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.
The new gear is supposed to more effectively protect the head, neck, chest, groin and sides of soldiers as well as allow them to move with greater agility. The trials of the new "ergonomically designed'' jackets will be conducted both in hot and cold conditions, as also in the Terminal Ballistics Research Lab in Chandigarh to ensure they provide adequate protection against the latest lethal bullets.
As reported earlier by TOI, the Army wanted the modular jackets to provide "graded levels of protection''. For a "low threat perception'' mission, for instance, the jacket was to weigh less than 4 kg and have "a trauma pad with all-around soft armour plate, including front, sides, back, collar and neck''.
Conversely, for a high threat mission, the jacket's weight could go up to 11.5 kg, with "hard armour plates'' for front, rear, sides, upper arms, groin and throat, capable of protecting against 7.62mm x 39mm mild steel core ammunition fired from an AK-47 from 10 metres.
Taking note that it has been "consistently'' raising the critical shortage of bulletproof jackets over the years, the parliamentary standing committee on defence said it was high time the government fast-tracked their acquisition.
"We express unhappiness over the way procurement of such an important life-saving item required for the armed forces is being delayed. We also deplore the way the defence ministry has dealt with the issue of the weight of jackets by holding that soldiers are not required to wear them at their maximum weight under low threat levels,'' it said.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiat...1_bulletproof-jackets-bulletproof-vests-gsqrs
NEW DELHI: Leave alone big-ticket items like missiles, helicopters or specialized tank ammunition, the government is yet to even provide soldiers with basic protective gear like modular bulletproof vests or ballistic helmets.
After going around in circles for several years, the much ballyhooed project to acquire 1,86,168 bulletproof jackets for the humble soldiers has come to a big naught. Similarly, the case for ballistic helmets with internal communication gear is yet to make any headway.
The 1.86 lakh jackets were to be inducted in the first phase under the fresh global tender or RFP (request for proposal) issued once again in March 2011, after obtaining approval from the defence acquisitions council chaired by defence minister A K Antony in October 2009.
While the first lot was to be inducted in the 11th Army Plan (2007-2012), another 1.67 lakh jackets were to be acquired in the second round. Around a dozen companies did come forward with their proposals and were ready for trial evaluation but the RFP was "retracted'' last December due to problems in the technical parameters or the GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements) drawn up for the jackets. The entire process will begin afresh this year, with "suitable'' tweaking of the GSQRs.
Soldiers currently are saddled with heavy, ineffective jackets and helmets, which greatly restrict their mobility during counter-insurgency and other operations. Over 150 security forces personnel, incidentally, die every year while battling militants in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.
The new gear is supposed to more effectively protect the head, neck, chest, groin and sides of soldiers as well as allow them to move with greater agility. The trials of the new "ergonomically designed'' jackets will be conducted both in hot and cold conditions, as also in the Terminal Ballistics Research Lab in Chandigarh to ensure they provide adequate protection against the latest lethal bullets.
As reported earlier by TOI, the Army wanted the modular jackets to provide "graded levels of protection''. For a "low threat perception'' mission, for instance, the jacket was to weigh less than 4 kg and have "a trauma pad with all-around soft armour plate, including front, sides, back, collar and neck''.
Conversely, for a high threat mission, the jacket's weight could go up to 11.5 kg, with "hard armour plates'' for front, rear, sides, upper arms, groin and throat, capable of protecting against 7.62mm x 39mm mild steel core ammunition fired from an AK-47 from 10 metres.
Taking note that it has been "consistently'' raising the critical shortage of bulletproof jackets over the years, the parliamentary standing committee on defence said it was high time the government fast-tracked their acquisition.
"We express unhappiness over the way procurement of such an important life-saving item required for the armed forces is being delayed. We also deplore the way the defence ministry has dealt with the issue of the weight of jackets by holding that soldiers are not required to wear them at their maximum weight under low threat levels,'' it said.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiat...1_bulletproof-jackets-bulletproof-vests-gsqrs
