Mission:
Ensure paratrooper safety during static line operations and conducting airborne missions over or near water obstacles.

Description:
The Parachutist Floatation Device (PFD) is a reusable emergency flotation device that Parachutists will wear with military static line or military ram air parachute systems during personnel airdrop operations over or near water obstacles. The PFD utilizes two independently activated inflatable flotation bladders (often referred to as cells) located in separate containers (often referred to as pouches and carriers) under the armpits providing sufficient buoyancy for the 98th percentile parachutist landing in water.

The Parachutist Emergency Release System (PERS) will be designed to mitigate the aforementioned gap and will consist of an emergency parachute system that allows a towed jumper (conscious or unconscious) to descend to the ground safely under the recovery parachute. The PERS will reduce the time it takes to release the jumper and will decrease the chance of injury and/or death to the parachutist.