The Andhra Pradesh Police wants its commandos to have jetpacks, and has already issued a tender for one. “The equipment is a very costly—more than Rs 50 lakh per unit—but is useful in counter terrorist operations. Within a matter of seconds, the commando would be able to land on a high-rise building during operations,’’ officials explained.
According to the tender notification, which lays down the specifications for a Jetpack, the equipment made of composite materials and engineered to be lightweight, strong and rigid, must be able to take the operator to 8,000 feet and have a range of 30 miles. A key requirement expected from the company dealing in Jetpacks is that it should meet the requirements of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “A certificate from DGCA, stating that it (Jetpack) can be used in India without a licence, should be obtained by the vendor,’’ it says. Going into the technical specifications, the state police said the equipment must have flight and engine displays, ballistic parachutes, and a retractable undercarriage with a fuel capacity of 5 gallons. “Each one has to weigh more than 63.5 kg and less than 108.9 kg,’’ sources said. Air attacks could soon take on a different meaning for terrorists.
- Sunday Standard