The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi have jointly developed lightweight bulletproof jackets named ABHED (Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat), which offer 360-degree protection.
The armour plates for the jackets have successfully passed all required R&D trials according to the protocols. The jackets meet the highest threat levels and are lighter than the maximum weight limits specified in the Indian Army’s respective General Staff Qualitative Requirements, as stated by the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday.
The Ministry mentioned that these jackets, designed with modular front and rear armours, offer 360-degree protection. They have minimum weights of 8.2 kgs and 9.5 kgs for different Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Levels.
The jackets were developed at the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Delhi, established in 2022. They are made from polymers and indigenous boron carbide ceramic material. The design was based on characterising various materials at high strain rates, followed by appropriate modelling and simulation in collaboration with the DRDO.
Based on the selection-criteria matrix, some Indian industries were shortlisted for Transfer of Technology (ToT) and handholding. The Centre is ready to transfer the technology to three industries.
Regarding the development, Secretary of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO Samir V Kamat stated that the lightweight bulletproof jacket exemplifies the effective ecosystem of successful defence R&D by the DRDO, academia, and the industry.
Team BharatShakti
