Untitled Page

A new parachute system known as the Gryphon has been designed by ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Dräger. The Gryphon enables parachutists, paratroopers, and military Special Forces to fly through the air at high speed before opening their chutes, so they could be dropped miles away and fly to their intended targets.

The ESG Gryphon is aimed primarily at the military market, allowing parachutists can be dropped from 40 kilometres away from the landing pad and then glide there silently and nearly invisible to any radar cover.

The next stage of development is to add small turbo jet drives which will increase the range even further up to 200 kilometers and allow take offs from much lower altitudes.

According to Flight Global, a parachutist could jump from up to 33,000ft using the system, with oxygen equipment and thermal clothing. On reaching an altitude of 3,000-5,000ft, the parachute is opened and the wing lowered on a cord to hang several metres below the user.

The German Army and Luftwaffe as well as the USAF have already expressed interest in this unique flight system that goes back to the original "Flying soldier" WW2 German Himmelstürmer flightpack and even the first rocketpack in history way back in 1933 by a German civilian stuntman using the rocketpack and roller skates for a publicity stunt!