DRDO hands over Indian Integrated Life support technology for Tejas fighter aircraft Project

DRDo today handed over nn integrated life support system (ILSS) for fighter aircraft is a state of the art technology for the IAF’s LCA Tejas fighter aircraft project. ILSS enables a fighter pilot to venture to the limits of the aircraft capability in terms of flight altitudes and G-forces. This technology had hitherto been the hallmarks of the few highly advanced countries. Now Defence Bioengineering & Electro medical Laboratory (DEBEL) Bangalore, under DRDO, has taken a lead in this technology that, to start with, will go into Tejas aircraft. The engineering model of ILSS prototype has been rolled out from DEBEL Bangalore by Dr W Selvamurthy, Distinguished Scientist and Chief Controller R&D (Life Sciences) of DRDO. The ILSS consisting of 12 Line Replacement Units (LRUs) has been handed over to Dr PS Subramanyam, Distinguished Scientist, Program Director-CA and ADA, for fitment and further trials.

ILSS essentially performs the tasks of protecting the pilots against the extremes of altitudes, severe G forces imposed during aerial combats and also provide breathing 100% oxygen in the case of ejection from aircraft. The On-board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS) keeps the pilots’ oxygen status always to the sea level condition despite being at high altitudes. The OBOGS enables the aircraft to undertake long endurance task, free from the burdens of recharging the Oxygen gas. The Demand Oxygen Regulator (DOR) ensures that the breathing gas is delivered as per requirement at various altitudes and also during anti-G straining maneuvers (AGSM) that the pilot undertakes during combat operations. The anti-G valve (AGV) renders adequate G-suit inflation pressure to prevent G-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC). There is a unique electronic control unit (ECU) that ensures proper OBOGS functioning with changing altitudes, monitoring the ILSS and also activates the back-up system in the case of any failure. It is a unique technology that takes care of both single and dual pilot operations.

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This important milestone could be achieved due to the untiring effort of the DEBEL scientists led by its Director, Dr VC Padaki with the guidance of Chief Executive of CEMILAC, Dr K Tamilmani and able support of the teams from ADA, HAL, RCMA(a/c), DGAQA, NFTC and IAM. L&T has played a big role as development partner to DEBEL in manufacturing of the ILSS. The ILSS at a later date, can also be customized to the needs of other Indian aircraft capable of long duration flights like MiG-29, SU-30, Mirage-2000 etc.