New Parachute To Allow Russian Paratroopers Fire Weapons in Mid-Air

Russia has developed "D-14 Shelest airdrop parachute system" that will allow paratroopers to fire their guns mid-air.

"The next-generation D-14 Shelest airdrop parachute system designed for jumps in the Ratnik soldier combat outfit principally differs from the previous systems. It is based on the strategy of going into battle immediately after leaping out of an aircraft," Chief Designer of the Research Institute of Parachute-Making Vladimir Kachalov was quoted as saying by TASS on Friday.

Small arms mounted on the chest are now accessible unlike in the case of previous configurations where the spare parachute was located in the front placing the assault rifle far from the paratroopers reach.

"The assault rifles had to be fastened from below and was beyond reach so the paratrooper could not instantly get hold of it," the designer said.

The tests for the D-14 Shelest parachute will begin at the Research Institute of Parachute-Making in the immediate future, he added.

While the old system split the spare and primary parachute to the front and back of the paratrooper respectively, the new system puts both parachutes in the back while the cargo container is placed in the front. The new system is also equipped with hardpoints to mount equipment,weapons and extra cargo containers.