Dog-in-a-pod and HALO

As we all know, the use of dogs in the military is increasing daily. No longer are they disposable items but important members of an elite team of soldiers whose lives they regularly save as we make use of their extraordinary skills that we are unable to replicate. So it heartening to know that some in the military continue to advance the equipment that increases the welfare of our canine recruits. Of course, without being cynical, it’s quite obvious that a dog that is unable to perform its function due to injury is totally useless, so it is in the military’s best interests to keep updating the equipment available for their canines.

So today, we are concentrating on parachute jumps and the amazing inventions designed for the welfare of the hairy member of the team.

The first is the dog-in-a-pod. As any special forces soldier will tell you, if you are attached to the team’s canine, the problem is landing. It’s all down to legs, not just the human but also the dog’s legs. You see, they dangle, the dog’s legs that is! So the parachutist must not only consider the safety of his own landing but also the dog because if the dog breaks a leg on landing, he is out of commission, and the team is short of one of its most important members and realistically, the loss of the canine can be critical as no other member of the team can carry out his role. Let’s face it the dog is not taken into a war zone for fun. He is there because only he can perform the duties required for the successful completion of the mission. This, therefore, has necessitated a rethink on how we get the dog member of the team down safely without risk of injury, hence dog-in-a-pod.

One of the requirements for any special forces dog is to be able to lie prone. That is to lie on his chest, legs tucked underneath so that at a moment’s notice, he is able to spring forward. This part of his basic training has now been adapted for getting this most vital member of the team down safely.

In France, Captain Jerome of the 132^nd dog-handling infantry regiment approached a company called Paratec, who, at their own expense, developed what is now known as the K9F Parafox.

Essentially it is a zip-up bag with a soft lining for comfort. The zip is fastened so that only the dog’s neck protrudes, which is protected by a specially constructed collar. The collar is closed and cannot be activated by the dog but has a magnetic release controlled by the handler. The whole thing is then placed on a tray, straps secure the two elements together, and the whole apparatus is attached to the handler, and both are ready to jump. The bag can accommodate dogs of various sizes and allows for the fact that some will be required to wear essential kit, including Kevlar vests and goggles. (commonly referred to as “Doggles.”)

Tests show that the whole thing works well, and it has been noted that the dogs show no distress whatsoever. In fact, according to Captain Jerome, they are almost queuing up to try it again!!

H.A.L.O

HALO is short for High Altitude Low Opening.

The principle is that when it is necessary to infiltrate soldiers into a hostile environment, it is done by flying the plane to between 15,000 feet (4,6000 metres ) and 35,000 feet (10,700 metres) way beyond the normal height that one would normally drop paratroopers, they then jump and delay opening their chute until they are at 3,000 feet. (910 metres ) Along with the use of minimal use of metal, it becomes almost impossible for the enemy to detect the incursion, particularly at night. To do this requires the jumper to inhale oxygen and naturally. Therefore it has been impossible to infiltrate dogs in the same manner.  Another hazard is the extremely low temperature at these heights, dropping to as low as -45c, thus requiring insulated suits but having created a dog suit, the outstanding problem was the oxygen mask. Elite troops undertaking some of these highly dangerous missions have expressed their frustration at not having the opportunity to take their canine with them because a state-of-the-art oxygen mask was not available. The obvious problem has been to find a way to make it sealed so the oxygen doesn’t escape. This has defeated designers for years due to the shape of the dog’s head and the obvious problem of hair, making it impossible to get a reliable seal. Well, special forces are now “very happy soldiers” because a canine oxygen mask has now been designed and, as Lieutenant Vincent, the initiator of the Arcane project, put it.

“The dog is essential to have tactical autonomy.”

The first HALO dog jump was carried out in November 2020 by the Air Parachute Commando 10^th unit of the French Air Force. Using “The Adaptive Canine Respirator” (Arcane)

A mannequin was used for the first test jumps with this innovative system before a suitable dog was chosen to test the real thing.

The mask is a standard one with an adapter created by using a 3D printer; thus, very modern technology makes it possible to make an airtight mask.

The dog chosen was a 5-year-old called Laos, who jumped from a C160 Transall of the Poitou transport squadron.

This only took place following a whole year of preparation. He was then subjected to a number of tests under veterinary supervision to establish that he had not suffered any physical or psychological damage.  All tests show that Laos had suffered no ill effects of his pioneering exploits.

So it appears that whether it’s the dog-in-a-pod or the canine oxygen mask, it’s nice to know that the welfare of canine troops continues to be at the forefront of innovation.