First-ever wind tunnel for combat free-fall training to help Special Forces refine skills

Vijay Mohan 

Chandigarh, October 25

Augmenting the training infrastructure of the Special Forces and free-fall combat paratroopers, the Special Forces Training School (SFTS) at Bakloh near Chamba in Himachal Pradesh, has established the Army’s first vertical wind tunnel (VWT). It was inaugurated virtually on Wednesday by Gen Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff.

Functioning as a free-fall simulator, the VWT creates a column of air at specific velocities, orchestrating different combat free-fall conditions. The system offers a controlled environment, enabling trainees to enhance their skills by simulating real-life free-fall para-drop conditions.

As part of the ongoing transformation of the Indian Army, technology is being infused into the training methodologies. Installation of a state-of-the-art VWT is a step in that direction, a defence spokesperson said here on Wednesday.

The VWT’s integration into the combat free-fall training curriculum at SFTS has numerous pay-offs. The system simulates varied free-fall scenarios which is crucial in assessing individual reactions to numerous situations in an airborne operating environment.

It reduces potential instability in the air during parachute deployment, thereby assisting trainees to get used to free-fall conditions. The VWT is not only beneficial for beginners but also an exceptional resource for delivering advanced training to seasoned free-fallers as well as instructors.

Installation of the first VWT is aligned with the current impetus given to modernising the training infrastructure in the Army. This project, a first of its kind in the Army, will deliver simulated training on combat free-fall to the Special Forces.

It is expected to greatly enhance the operational readiness of the Army, ensuring that the Special Forces are fully prepared to tackle contemporary challenges of current and future battlefields, besides promising faster and more precise training results.