Slower Parachute Causes Fewer Injuries.

• Author: Baker, A. Duffy
• Position: Innovations in parachutes saves lives - Brief Article

According to the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, in Natick, Mass., parachuting injuries have increased because, the current T-10 parachute system that has been in use since the 1950s, is not designed to carry the weight that modern-day soldiers need to carry during airborne operations. This led the center to develop the Advanced Tactical Parachute System.

The new system decreases the rate of descent by 25 percent, from 21 feet per second to 16 feet per second. There are two parachute systems vying for the final production contract, according to Maj. Joel Rieman, assistant product manager for Soldier Support at Natick. The XT-11, developed by Para-Flite Inc., based in Pennsauken, N.J., uses a modified cross canopy...