DRDO, OEF’s Under-The-Radar Deal For ToT For Su-30 Brake Parachute System Is Actually A Big Deal

At the biennial Aero India 2025 airshow being held in Bengaluru, it is no overstatement to say that deals are being signed left, right, and center. Companies- from startups to public-sector firms- have caught the limelight with significant agreements and announcements.

However, one deal of great importance has flown significantly under the radar.

DRDO, OEF sign ToT agreement

On Tuesday (February 11), the Ordnance Equipment Factory (OEF) Hazratpur, which is a defence manufacturing unit under Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), announced that it has received a Transfer of Technology (ToT) from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The ToT was for the Brake Parachute system used in Su-30 fighter jets.

A Brake Parachute (also called a drag parachute) is a specialized parachute that helps slow down a fast-moving aircraft upon landing.

Fighter jets like the Su-30MKI land at very high speeds, and while they use brakes and reverse thrust to slow down, a brake parachute provides additional deceleration to ensure safer landings. This is particularly useful on shorter runways or in emergency landings.

Brake parachute systems are different for each aircraft because they are designed based on the specific speed, weight, and landing characteristics of each fighter jet.

For instance, factors like the location of storage of the parachute in the aircraft, release and detachment system, and size and shape variations of the warplane are important considerations.

Moreover, The parachute must generate enough drag force to slow down the aircraft efficiently without damaging it. A lightweight aircraft like a trainer jet needs a less powerful brake parachute compared to a heavy, high-speed aircraft like the Su-30MKI or MiG-29.

The ToT means that the developer of the particular parachute technology for Su-30, DRDO, has officially given OEF Hazratpur the right to manufacture it.

The handover of this technology was done by Sanjay Seth, the Minister of State for Defence (Raksha Rajya Mantri) to the General Manager of OEF Hazratpur, Amit Singh.

OEFHZ's experience to be beneficial

OEF Hazratpur is a unit under Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), a company that was formed in 2021 when the functions of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), were corporatized into seven Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). OFB was a government agency under the Ministry of Defence responsible for the production of arms, ammunition, and equipment for the Indian Armed Forces.

Uttar Pradesh-based OEF specialises in manufacturing advanced textile-based defence products, such as technical parachutes and multi-spectral camouflage nets, contributing significantly to India's self-reliance in defence production.

That DRDO has inked a deal to transfer the technology for this crucial component that goes with the Su-30 is not only a show of confidence in OEF's capabilities, but also another step to ensure Indian forces' best interests are kept in mind.

That is because the domestic production of the brake parachute system by an experienced DPSU not only lowers costs compared to imports, it also ensures faster availability of spare parts, avoiding supply chain issues during critical operations.

Ashish Singh is an award-winning senior journalist with over 18 years of experience in defence & foreign affairs.