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IDA-71 External Components

The IDA-71 kit is furnished in a heavy wooden trunk. It is about the size of a standard military footlocker, and is well built for heavy-duty transport.

Once opened, the box reveals a series of partitions, holding the rig, scrubbers, spare-parts, and accessories.

The rig itself is generally furnished in a carrying bag, although some are not provided with this. I believe that the ones destined for parachuting operations are supplied with the bag, and those intended to be issued for diving are not. The actual selection of equipment furnished in either application does not vary.

Here it is, laid on the bench, brand-new! The paper covering the SPG and DSV has not even been removed yet in this photo.

Here's the top of the rig. Shown are the hose connections, auto-add valve, and the exhaust port. Notice the blanked-out cutouts. The one on the right is used in one application for the transducer of an underwater communications system. The one on the left is believed to be associated with one of the aviation applications, as it is not described in the diving technical manuals.

The automatic addition valve is located at the top of the rig. This is covered by a plastic cover to prevent free-flow when swimming hard in a forward direction. Many divers drill an access-hole through the cover so as to be able to manually depress the purge-button for a manual bypass mode.

This is the actual exhaust valve, located at the back of the divers right shoulder. Although the actual valve is located here, the exhaust gas is ported to the top of the rig.

The exhausted gas from the exhaust valve is ported internally through the counterlung to exit at the top of the rig. This design was done to provide an attitude independent cracking force for the exhaust valve. It also ensures that exhaust gas does not block the divers view at any time during the purge cycles, which vent a large amount of gas to the water.

Breathing hose connections are of high quality, and are constructed of chrome-plated brass. No plastic is used in any component, other than the covers on the auto-add valve and the exhaust valve.

Here's the ever-popular radioactive high pressure gauge. For the diver who still wishes to sire children, I have adapters available to use a standard gauge in place of this one.

A side-view of the pressure gauge shows the clip used to attach the gauge to the divers harness.

The harness borders on the bizarre. Actually, it's very comfortable and secure, it's just strange. The plate on the chest is to carry explosives, a reminder that this was designed as an implement of war, not a toy or piece of sporting equipment.

Fortunately, the harness removes with these pins. Just remove the split-rings, withdraw the pin, and the harness drops right off.

The rig is provided with 3 drilled and tapped plates at the divers upper back. These are designed to attach a special pressure-regulator for aviation use. It makes fitment of a backplate easy, as they are standard metric threads.

The attachments for the waist straps are equally easy to adapt for standard harness. Just unthread the bolt and the bracket hinges up to allow removal or installation of any sort of desired harness. The loop is for attachment of the offboard Nitrox cylinder.

At the divers right hip we find the on/off valve for the 02 bottle, placed for easy reach. Also seen is the quick-disconnect port for the offboard Nitrox cylinder.

As noted earlier, this system is also used for parachute operations. The bracket on the side is associated with communications systems that are installed across the bottom of the inside of the rig. You can also see the series of small holes drilled along the rib at the extreme left side of the photograph: This is for sewing a cable to the side of the case, leading up to the parachutists helmet or to the divers full-face mask. The two holes at the bottom of the rig are cable exits from the communications systems.

The entire chassis is perfectly streamlined, tapering from the counterlung area at the divers shoulders to a thinner cross-section at the divers waist. As you can see, the "gills" allow free water entry to the rig, assisting the work of breathing as the counterlung travels as the diver breathes.

This is the back of the rig, showing the original cylinder on/off valve and the exit for the high-pressure gauge. The connector at the bottom will be discussed in detail later.

The latch to open the case is at the bottom. Sliding the last to the right about 3/4 of an inch releases the latch, and the shell may then be hinged up and removed.

Once the shell is unhinged about 100 degrees, the top attachment bracket unhooks, allowing the top shell to be removed completely. This is a very neat and secure system.

One more little detail now that we've gotten the lid open. Here's what I like about Russian hardware: It's practical. Who else would have a spring-loaded bracket mounted to hold the scrubber-nut spanner wrench inside the shell? This is a nice little detail.

Continue the tour with the DSV and HOSES

Return to Main IDA-71 Page

	The IDA-71 kit is furnished in a heavy wooden trunk. It is about the size of a standard military footlocker, and is well built for heavy-duty transport.
	Once opened, the box reveals a series of partitions, holding the rig, scrubbers, spare-parts, and accessories.
	The rig itself is generally furnished in a carrying bag, although some are not provided with this. I believe that the ones destined for parachuting operations are supplied with the bag, and those intended to be issued for diving are not. The actual selection of equipment furnished in either application does not vary.
	Here it is, laid on the bench, brand-new! The paper covering the SPG and DSV has not even been removed yet in this photo.
	Here's the top of the rig. Shown are the hose connections, auto-add valve, and the exhaust port. Notice the blanked-out cutouts. The one on the right is used in one application for the transducer of an underwater communications system. The one on the left is believed to be associated with one of the aviation applications, as it is not described in the diving technical manuals.
	The automatic addition valve is located at the top of the rig. This is covered by a plastic cover to prevent free-flow when swimming hard in a forward direction. Many divers drill an access-hole through the cover so as to be able to manually depress the purge-button for a manual bypass mode.
	This is the actual exhaust valve, located at the back of the divers right shoulder. Although the actual valve is located here, the exhaust gas is ported to the top of the rig.
	The exhausted gas from the exhaust valve is ported internally through the counterlung to exit at the top of the rig. This design was done to provide an attitude independent cracking force for the exhaust valve. It also ensures that exhaust gas does not block the divers view at any time during the purge cycles, which vent a large amount of gas to the water.
	Breathing hose connections are of high quality, and are constructed of chrome-plated brass. No plastic is used in any component, other than the covers on the auto-add valve and the exhaust valve.
	Here's the ever-popular radioactive high pressure gauge. For the diver who still wishes to sire children, I have adapters available to use a standard gauge in place of this one.
	A side-view of the pressure gauge shows the clip used to attach the gauge to the divers harness.
	The harness borders on the bizarre. Actually, it's very comfortable and secure, it's just strange. The plate on the chest is to carry explosives, a reminder that this was designed as an implement of war, not a toy or piece of sporting equipment.
	Fortunately, the harness removes with these pins. Just remove the split-rings, withdraw the pin, and the harness drops right off.
	The rig is provided with 3 drilled and tapped plates at the divers upper back. These are designed to attach a special pressure-regulator for aviation use. It makes fitment of a backplate easy, as they are standard metric threads.
	The attachments for the waist straps are equally easy to adapt for standard harness. Just unthread the bolt and the bracket hinges up to allow removal or installation of any sort of desired harness. The loop is for attachment of the offboard Nitrox cylinder.
	At the divers right hip we find the on/off valve for the 02 bottle, placed for easy reach. Also seen is the quick-disconnect port for the offboard Nitrox cylinder.
	As noted earlier, this system is also used for parachute operations. The bracket on the side is associated with communications systems that are installed across the bottom of the inside of the rig. You can also see the series of small holes drilled along the rib at the extreme left side of the photograph: This is for sewing a cable to the side of the case, leading up to the parachutists helmet or to the divers full-face mask. The two holes at the bottom of the rig are cable exits from the communications systems.
	The entire chassis is perfectly streamlined, tapering from the counterlung area at the divers shoulders to a thinner cross-section at the divers waist. As you can see, the "gills" allow free water entry to the rig, assisting the work of breathing as the counterlung travels as the diver breathes.
	This is the back of the rig, showing the original cylinder on/off valve and the exit for the high-pressure gauge. The connector at the bottom will be discussed in detail later.
	The latch to open the case is at the bottom. Sliding the last to the right about 3/4 of an inch releases the latch, and the shell may then be hinged up and removed.
	Once the shell is unhinged about 100 degrees, the top attachment bracket unhooks, allowing the top shell to be removed completely. This is a very neat and secure system.
	One more little detail now that we've gotten the lid open. Here's what I like about Russian hardware: It's practical. Who else would have a spring-loaded bracket mounted to hold the scrubber-nut spanner wrench inside the shell? This is a nice little detail.