Produced by Kanpur-based MKU company, the helmet provides Level III protection and is also weatherproof, chemically safe, flame resistant
According to MKU, Sikh soldiers can comfortably wear the ‘Veer’ helmet over their under-turban cloth. Image Courtesy: mku_official/Instagram
For the first time ever, a combat helmet has been created keeping the Sikh soldier in mind.
Kanpur-based Global Defense and Homeland Security Company MKU has come out with a dedicated combat helmet, called Veer, which is capable of providing all-round ballistic protection against bullets and also fragments of up to Level IIIA.
Veer helmet’s features
According to MKU, Sikh soldiers can comfortably wear the helmet over their under-turban cloth.
This helmet is the first of its kind across the world as to date, a Sikh soldier was unable to wear a helmet that could be worn over the under-turban cloth comfortably. And this exposed them to injuries, often leading to death in some instances.
Speaking further on the head covering, MKU said that the headcover is lightweight, anti-fungal and anti-allergic. It is also weatherproof, chemically safe, flame resistant and has excellent shock absorption.
Besides these features, the Veer helmet, as per the company statement, also comes with the advanced ‘Reduced Helmet Trauma Technology’. This helps in providing protection from secondary injuries to the skull.
The Veer helmet is also fully compatible with Multi Accessory Connector System {MACS} that would enable a soldier to use the latest head-mounted sensors, cameras, torches, communication equipment and night vision devices for their operations.
What MKU had to say about the helmet
When asked for the need for such a helmet, MKU’s Chairman Manoj Gupta was quoted as saying by AsiaNet News, “We observed a need for better head protection for our Sikh troops. Despite having contributed so much towards national security and defence in India, and across the world, the Sikh soldiers do not have adequate head protection against ballistic threats that can be comfortably worn, without having to compromise on their faith or identity.”
Echoing similar sentiments, MKU’s Managing Director Neeraj Gupta said in a report to Financial Express, “The turban for a Sikh is his pride. It is not just an article of faith and a symbol of courage, self-respect, dedication and piety, but also an important marker of Sikh identity. India’s Sikh soldiers have never hesitated to face bullets even without comfortable headgear to protect them.”
“The Veer helmet offers heroic Sikh soldiers the option of safeguarding their body and life while continuing to wear their under-turban cloth,” he added.
Use of helmets in Armed Forces
Body armour and helmets have been around since the advent of the musket in the 16th century.
Interestingly, it has been found that during World War I, up to 75 per cent of all battlefield injuries could have been prevented with the help of effective body armour and helmets.
The Indian Army has been slow when it comes to body protection and helmets.
A report by The Print states that the Indian Army used World War II helmets until 1974 when fibreglass helmets were gradually introduced. These proved ineffective in anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Hence, an improvised low-cost solution, the bulletproof patka helmet was designed by Major General VK Datta in the early 1990s, and is still the standard issue in counterinsurgency operations.
It was only in 2018 that 1,58,000 Kevlar-based modern helmets costing Rs 170 crore were procured from Kanpur-based defence company, MKU. However, these too proved to be ineffective against AK-47 steel core bullets used by terrorists.
Later, a ceramic plate was procured from another firm and used as an add-on. It was only in 2020 that the process began to procure 1,00,000 modern helmets worth Rs 500 crore that can stop steel core bullets of AK-47.
With inputs from agencies
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