The IAF said on Thursday that it had airdropped a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-developed "Type V Platform" from a C-17 Globemaster heavy lift aircraft.
The system developed by DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) is employed to transport weapons and other military equipment weighing up to 20 tonnes in inhospitable terrain or battlefields.
The system developed by DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) is employed to transport weapons and other military equipment weighing up to 20 tonnes in inhospitable terrain or battlefields.
Type V Platform
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"An Indian Air Force C-17 airdropped an ADRDE developed Type V Platform (24 ft), for the first time. This successful outcome is a result of the efforts of dedicated teams from IAF, Indian Army, and ADRDE, in showcasing the strength of indigenous innovation," the IAF said in a statement.
The development is significant for the IAF as ferrying arms and ammunition to forward areas in India's border regions in the Himalayas is a tough nut to crack, especially during the harsh winter months.
Type V Platform
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Though India is making rapid strides in improving road and rail infrastructure in hilly regions of its northern and northeastern states by building a network of tunnels, the DRDO-developed platform would ease some of IAF's work about transporting arms and ammunition there.