Female Troops To Get 'Gender Specific' Full Body Protectors

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced about providing the women police and paramilitary forces with customised armours in January.  On Friday, CRPF in association with the DRDO unveiled the country's first full-body protector for women. This gender-specific body gear weighs six kilograms and is completely different in its design as compared to the regular body protectors worn by the police personnel. According to an official involved in the project, one such armour will cost around 9000 INR.

The customised full body protector was unveiled by the CRPF Director General R R Bhatnagar at the force's headquarters. “The confidence level of women who are deputed in law and order will go up. They would be able to move around with ease and thus would be able to do their duty in a much better manner,” says an officer posted in Kashmir. The CRPF officials also said that there are around 8000 women police personnel and CRPF will issue guidelines to provide them with commercial quality body protectors.

The CRPF officials also said that there are around 8000 women police personnel and CRPF will issue guidelines to provide them with commercial quality body protectors.

Female Troops No Longer Need To Carry 'Male' Specific Body Protectors

A DRDO official had previously said in a statement, “Female troops are frequently deployed for riot control and various law and other duties. At present, a full body protector is not available for female anthropometry. Initially, female troops wore the male FBP which is ill-fitting and also hindered their mobility. This was a glaring problem faced by the female troops. Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) generated an anthropometric database of female troops with the aim to provide a well suited FBP. This was the first of its kind study specifically keeping in mind the lacunae that exist with regard to anthropometric data of female troops for the design and development of a new female full body protector.”

The scientists of DIPAS carried out a very careful study of women troopers of CRPF's RAF to ergonomically design the body protector for women. This effort by DIPAS has paved the way for further development in the field of women-specific body armours and vests. The prototype for the full-body protectors has been developed after two years of research by the DRDO, while in collaboration with the Central Reserve Police Force and the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS).

The FBP is designed keeping the ergonomic conditions in mind and also the body structure of female troops. The protective ensemble comes in three sizes, small, medium and large.

Designed Particularly To Suit Female Anthropology

The FBP is designed keeping the ergonomic conditions in mind and also the body structure of female troops. The protective ensemble comes in three sizes, small, medium and large. The anthropometric data of female troops have also been used to provide them with the best. The FBP is lightweight and is closely attached to the body, especially the vulnerable parts of the body. These vulnerable parts need protection in violent situations like riots, FBP will prove to be of great help to the women officers.

It also provides the option of wearing either the upper part or the lower part as per the condition. To add to the qualities, it also provides protection against puncture and shrapnel which makes it a very good protective covering. It is also a protective gear from something impactful in nature, like in case of sudden attacks by rods or knives. It also gives the user time to discard the ensemble in case of severe fire incidences and is also resistant towards acids.

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