IAF to develop Kevlar safety screens for gunners on Dhruv helicopters
Even as safety concerns continue to dog the Dhruv helicopter fleet, the Air Force has initiated a project to develop Kevlar safety screens to protect on board machine gunners during operations.
The project is being undertaken by IAF’s No.3 Base Repair Depot at Chandigarh, which is primarily responsible for the maintenance and overhaul of Russian-origin helicopters.
When required, machineguns are mounted in the doorframe of transport helicopters to provide fire support during special heli-borne operations such as airborne assault, troop insertion or search and rescue missions in hostile territory. Such situations make the gunner prone to enemy ground fire.
