Air Force procured untested, unsafe helmets, says CAG

As per the report, an audit in September 2013 noticed that eight helmets had flown off pilots’ head during ejection in the years 2010 and 2011, with the official audit body stating that these “indigenous helmets” were inducted into service without requisite testing and certification.

While the CAG detected the unsafe helmets in 2013, the IAF seems to have been aware of the problem earlier. Air Force authorities had held an interactive session among various stakeholders in September 2011 in which users brought out various problems such as availability of the helmets in only two sizes and sought necessary improvement for comfort and safety.

Accordingly, the Director General (Inspection & Safety) had suggested both ‘short-term’ and ‘long-term’ measures to effectively eliminate the problem of helmets flying off during ejection, stating that these helmets would be replaced by ‘common helmets and masks’ which would be tested and certified products.

As a result, the Directorate of Stores, IAF, informed the CAG that 157 helmets were modified at a cost of Rs 21.81 lakh and that another lot of 94 helmets were then under modification at Rs 13.06 lakh. The  headquarters also told the Defence Ministry in June 2014 that once the issues were noticed, steps were taken at the highest level and the helmets were made usable. It, however, allegedly did not respond to the CAG observation regarding authorisation granted for the induction of indigenous helmets without requisite testing and certification.