Advanced Tactical Parachute System
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The Advanced Tactical Parachute System (ATPS) is a replacement parachute system for the United States Army's T-10 system.
The goal of the ATPS is to provide a modern parachute and reserve chute to reduce the rate of descent thus reducing landing injuries. The T-10 system has a descent rate of 22–24 feet/second (6–7 m/s) while the ATPS has a descent rate of 16 feet/second (5 m/s). ATPS also increases the reliability rate of chute opening from 80% with the T-10 to 95%.
The main chute is a modified cruciform shape with an inflated diameter 14% greater than that of the T-10, with 28% more surface area. This chute weighs 36.5 pounds (16.6 kg).
The reserve chute is a cone-shaped design. The reserve has pocket scoops, small pouches located at the top of the canopy to catch air as the chute deploys, and skirt assist lines to ensure rapid opening of the reserve chute, even in low speed situations. This chute is designs to be manually opened with either hand and weighs 14.7 pounds (6.7 kg).
The harness has also been updated to displace the opening shock along the length of the jumper's body and away from the lumbar region.
[edit] Contractors for the ATPS
[edit] References
- Injuries expected to drop with new chute System to replace T-10 model. U.S Army Training and Doctrine Command News Service. Retrieved on September 2, 2005.
- Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (2003). "Advanced Tactical Parachute System (ATPS)", in Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army: Weapon Systems 2003. Colorado: United States Government Printing Office, 12-13. ISBN 0-16-051357-X.
