New extreme cold weather military clothing withstands up to minus 50 degree Celsius

By Anish Kumar  |  First Published Dec 28, 2021, 7:00 PM IST

The extreme cold weather clothing is a three-layered system that has been designed to provide thermal insulation between +15 degrees to minus 50 degrees Celsius. 


The Indian Army will not have to import extreme cold weather clothing from foreign countries to sustain its operations in Himalayan peaks as the Defence Research and Development Organisation has handed over the technology to five Indian companies. The technology has been transferred to domestic companies so that they can also export military-grade clothes to other countries.  

Designed and developed by DRDO's Delhi-based lab Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), the extreme cold weather clothing is a three-layered system that has been designed to provide thermal insulation between +15 degrees Celsius to minus 50 degrees Celsius. The new extreme cold weather clothing has been designed to five physiological comforts according to the different ambient climatic conditions in Himalayan regions during varying levels of physical activity.

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The ECWCS incorporates physiological aspects like rapid absorption of sweat while providing waterproof, reduced respiratory heat and water loss, unhindered range of motions, windproof features with adequate breathability and enhanced insulation as well as strength features required for high-altitude operations. 

Considering that the weather at the Himalayan peaks witnesses widely fluctuating weather conditions, the new extreme cold weather clothing would provide an advantage of fewer combinations to meet the required insulation for the prevailing climatic conditions. DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy said that developing an indigenous industrial base for special clothing and mountaineering equipment items will not only address Army's requirements but also increase export potential.

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