Shantanu Bhowmick, a scientist and professor of Amrita University has designed an ultra lightweight, thermoplastic jacket, which can be manufactured completely in India and has been approved by the Ministry of Defence.
The jacket is completely made from indigenous thermoplastic technology. It will go a long way in propelling ‘the Make in India’ project. Manufacturing will start after Modi’s approval.
Bhowmick, departmental head of aerospace engineering in Coimbatore’s Amrita University, collaborated with the DRDO and the Ministry of Defence to create a bullet-proof jacket that will be the first in 70 years to be manufactured in India.
The jacket will bring down the money that the government spends on Kevlar considerably. The current one that is used is imported from the US and costs Rs 1.5 lakh per jacket. Bhowmick’s design will cost Rs 50,000 per jacket and will bring down the defence spending by Rs 20,000 crore annually.
Bhowmick dedicated the project to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.The new and improved version will weigh almost eight times less at about 1.5 kilograms. This does not, however, bring down its performance in combat with the 20 layers of carbon fibre proving to be very efficient in keeping away the bullets that travel 1400km per second. The jackets are designed to be wearable at even 57 degrees Celsius.
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