India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed thermally regulated shelters for Soldiers serving in the Himalayas.
According to a report in Rediff News:
“these shelters are equipped with integrated temperature regulators, bio-digestors and air-monitoring systems. Modular in design, the shelter has all the facilities like electrical, plumbing, water supply and sewage disposal. Kerosene gensets and solar power are well integrated within the shelter. They have been designed to withstand seismic activities up to a level of zone 5, wind velocities up to 55 m/sec and sub zero temperatures up to minus 35 degree Celsius.”
Additionally, the tents are equipped with carbon dioxide detectors. They were developed to help Indian Soldiers deal with operating from 9000 to a staggering 20000 feet in the Eastern and Western Himalayas. Since the vast majority of Indian troops come from warm climes close to sea level, DRDO has also developed a “three-stage acclimatization” process to mitigate the effects of altitude sickness.
Check out the Rediff News article to learn about other DRDO initiatives for mountain warfare including the HAPO bag a portable hyperbaric bag.
