Air Warrior Col. John W. Thompson - KMI Media Group

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The key to the T-11’s lower RoD lies in the surface area of its canopy, which is 28 percent larger than that of the T-10. However, it weighs only seven pounds more than the T-10. low e r o p e n i n g s H o C k The T-11’s opening shock is significantly lower than that of the T-10. Rather than the canopy opening immediately after it comes out of the deployment bag like the T-10, the T-11 canopy is covered by a canopy sleeve. The static line pulls the deployment bag out of the pack tray, elongates the suspension lines and exposes the pilot parachute. The pilot parachute pulls the canopy sleeve off the canopy, and the canopy inflates. The inflation of the canopy is further controlled by a slider controlling the amount of air entering the bottom of the canopy. The combined use of the canopy sleeve and slider controls inflation of the canopy, thus decreasing the opening shock. As a result, the parachutist counts to six seconds, as opposed to four seconds with the T-10, before performing the canopy check to ensure the canopy is fully inflated. new re s e r v e pa r a C H u t e In addition to a new main canopy, the Modified Improved Reserve Parachute System (MIRPS) is being replaced by the T-11R Reserve Parachute. The T-11R is an aero-conical design based on the current British Low Level Parachute (LLP) reserve canopy. The T-11R was tested extensively under various types of main canopy malfunctions and proved to be more reliable and more effective than the MIRPS. It has a lower opening shock than the MIRPS and can be deployed using either hand, requiring 15-22 pounds of pull force. The RoD is approximately 26 feet per second, a significant improvement over the MIRPS, with less oscillation. More importantly, the T-11R supports a TJW of greater than 400 pounds, whereas the MIRPS is limited to a maximum of 360 pounds for jump altitudes of 3,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) and below. Every additional increase of 1,000 feet in jump altitude requires a reduction of 12.5 pounds in TJW. inj u r y re s u l t s Since March 16, 2010, Program Executive Office Soldier’s program manager-Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM-SCIE), working with a team lead by Dr. Joseph Knapik, U.S. Army Public Health Command, has conducted an extensive study of parachute injuries at Fort Bragg, N.C. Additionally, PM SCIE is tracking all injuries sustained during the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning. As of August 6, students made 7,405 jumps with the T-11 and suffered only eight injuries. The same students made 27,366 jumps with the T-10 and suffered 78 injuries. This equated to an injury rate of 1.080 injuries per thousand jumps for the T-11, and 2.850 injuries per thousand jumps with the T-10. A parachutist is 2.6 times more likely to be injured jumping with the T-10 than the T-11. 26 | SOTECH 8.9 fielDing PM-SCIE is currently fielding the T-11 parachute and conducting new equipment training (NET) for jumpmasters and riggers. The Ranger Special Troops Battalion was the first unit equipped with the T-11 in March 2009. Since then, PM-SCIE has fielded 8,491 T-11 parachutes to units including all Ranger Battalions, 4th Battalion of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, 1st Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the Quartermaster School and the 11th Quartermaster Company supporting the 82d Airborne Division. The 82d Airborne Division was scheduled to have one full Brigade Combat Team of T-11s by October. man e u v e r a B l e Ca n o p y pa r a C H u t e (mC-6) The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) requested a replacement for the MC1-1 parachute due to high opening shock experienced on high elevation drop zones, resulting in jumper injury and unacceptable canopy damage. The U. S. Forest Service was already jumping a parachute, the FS-14, designed for heavy-laden smoke jumpers going into very small drop zones at high altitudes. The Army adopted the FS-14 large canopy as the SF-10A. This nonstandard canopy was matched with the T-10 harness and standard reserve parachute for use by USASOC as an interim replacement for the MC1-1 series parachute. Later, the requirements for the Advanced Tactical Parachute System (ATPS) were developed and PM-SCIE decided the ATPS should include both a mass tactical, non-maneuverable parachute, the T-11, and a maneuverable variant to replace the MC1-1 series parachute. The maneuverable variant became the MC-6. Both the MC-6 and T-11 have exactly the same harness and reserve parachute. The T-11R reserve parachute is the most robust reserve parachute the Army has ever developed. Its canopy is a multiconical design with a hem diameter of 20 feet. It has air scoops and skirt assist lines to ensure the canopy opens as quickly as possible. Upon activation of the reserve parachute, the ejector spring throws the extractor chute away from the jumper’s body, pulling the first third of the canopy and the air scoops into the airstream. The canopy rapidly inflates and if this is a high-speed deployment, the skirt assist lines break away from the canopy. If it is a low-speed deployment resulting from a partial malfunction, the skirt assist line remains attached and the canopy inflates quickly due the reduction in the hem diameter. The T-11 reserve is critically needed. The Soft Loop Center Pull Parachute, which it replaces, has a severe weight restriction—it cannot be jumped with more than 360 pounds jumper and equipment weight. This restriction severely hampers combat operations with full loads of ammunition and carrying of crew served weapons. The T-11R supports well over 400 pounds. If activated during a total malfunction, the T-11 Reserve will deploy in 0.7 seconds. t-11 Ha r n e s s At first glance, the T-11 harness looks much like the T-10 D harness, but on closer inspection it is much different. Both have www.SOTECH-kmi.com
the standard cable loop canopy release assembly. And both have the same five points of adjustment on the diagonal back straps. But that is where the similarities end. The D-ring attachments for the reserve are much higher, so the opening shock of the T-11 Reserve is spread along the long axis of the jumper’s body, eliminating lower back injuries associated with deployment of the legacy reserve parachutes. Nothing but the reserve fits on the D-rings—all other gear is attached to the equipment rings. There are separate triangle links on the lower portion of the harness for attaching lowering lines. With no other equipment attached to the D-rings but the reserve, there is no requirement for a safety wire on connector snaps on the reserve. The T-11 harness was specifically designed to fit 5th–95th percentile soldiers (160-332 pounds suspended weight). In addition, the T-11 harness was designed to accommodate jumping body armor. The T-11 harness on both the T-11 and MC-6 parachutes is approved for jumping with Improved Outer Tactical Vest, the Modular Body Armor Vest, and the KDH Plate Carrier. This allows the soldier to jump in the equipment worn into combat without having to get the body armor out of a parachutist drop bag or the MOLLE rucksack. rat e o f De s C e n t Another major advantage of the MC-6 is the vastly improved rate of descent over the MC-1. International Training Inc. The rate of descent for a 200-pound person at 9,000 feet MSL is 17+ feet per second. The same person at 9,000 feet MSL with the MC-6 has a rate of descent of 12 feet per second. for w a r D tH r u s t a n D tu r n ra t e The canopy of the MC-6 outperforms the MC1-1 in many other areas as well. The MC-1 takes 14 seconds to make a 360 degree turn. The MC-6 turns 360 degrees in five-seven seconds. The MC-1 parachute has a forward thrust of 8 knots (9.5 miles per hour) while the MC-6 has a forward thrust slightly greater than 10 knots (11.5 miles per hour). fielDing As of September 1, 2010, PM-SCIE has fielded 12,316 MC-6 parachutes (approximately 55 percent complete), with 11,073 going to Army units and 1,129 to Air Force and Navy units. O For more information, contact SOTECH Editor Dave Ahearn at davea@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.SOTECH-kmi.com. Off-Road Unimproved Road Course www.SOTECH-kmi.com SOTECH 8.9 | 27
Page 1 and 2: Air Warrior Col. John W. Thompson C
Page 3 and 4: Sp e c i a l Op e r at i O n S te c
Page 5 and 6: Compiled by KMI Media Group staff B
Page 7 and 8: Compiled by KMI Media Group staff p
Page 9 and 10: www.SOTECH-kmi.com Co u n t e r m e
Page 11 and 12: and in many ways can limit overall
Page 13 and 14: Mulholland Wish List Co m m a n D e
Page 15 and 16: Averting Personnel Injuries weight
Page 17 and 18: LORD MR Suspension Systems are acti
Page 19 and 20: sp e C i a l o p s p e r s o n n e
Page 21 and 22: NFS Fights Fires Multiple Ways NFS
Page 23 and 24: Q&A Needed: More Air Assets, Better
Page 25 and 26: mission ready Honeywell Defense Log
Page 27: Being Let Down Gently olD C H u t e
Page 31 and 32: compatible with JP8 fuel such as mi
Page 33 and 34: www.atvcorp.com Purpose Built COTS,
Page 35 and 36: And Transparent also does assessmen
Page 37 and 38: The advertisers index is provided a
Page 39 and 40: Next Issue Cover and In-Depth Inter

Air Warrior Col. John W. Thompson - KMI Media Group

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