New Protection Ahead in Helmets, Body Armor

DoD - American Forces Press Service ^ | Nov. 20, 2003 | Donna Miles

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

New Protection Ahead in Helmets, Body Armor

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2003 -- New, reinforced helmets and body armor being fielded to the military today represent just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's on the drawing board for protecting warfighters of the future.

Tomorrow's fighting force will have far superior protective systems that provide enhanced capabilities while imposing less weight on the user, according to officials at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center at Natick, Mass. The center conducts research and product development for all the military services.

Robert Kinney, director of Natick's Individual Protection Directorate, said engineers are looking at new materials and composites that offer enhanced protection with less weight.

Already, the Marine Corps is fielding a new helmet that, thanks to new materials, offers 6 percent more fragmentation protection and the ability to stop 9 mm rounds, Natick officials said. The helmet, at just over 3 pounds, weighs about a half-pound less than the previous Kevlar helmet, introduced in the early 1980s.

A similar but somewhat streamlined helmet developed by the Army for special operations forces, the MICH or "modular integrated communication helmet," also provides increased ballistic protection. Kinney said the Army has expressed "tremendous interest" in fielding the new helmet to other forward-deployed troops, including the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq.

Looking a decade down the road, warfighters' helmets are expected to become even more impenetrable to enemy rounds, while offering an array of added protections.

The Objective Force Warrior program — which LeeAnn Barkhouse, business liaison for the program, describes as a "system of systems" the Army is developing for warfighters in 2010 and beyond — integrates thermal sensors, video cameras and chemical and biological sensors within the helmet. It also includes a visor that can act as a "heads-up display monitor" equivalent to two 17-inch computer monitors in front of the wearer's eyes, Barkhouse said.

Similarly, Natick officials said new technology is improving warfighters' body armor systems. The new Interceptor body armor system is in wide use by the Army and Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq, where it "is saving lives left and right," Kinney said.

The vest, which the Marine Corps began fielding in late 1999, includes two 4- pound inserts that protect the vital organs against 9 mm submachine gun fire at point-blank range, according to Dee Townes, project officer for Natick's Marine Corps team. The vest also includes removable flaps that cover the groin, throat and neck.

Lightweight boron-carbide protective plates make the Interceptor weigh just over 16 pounds, compared to 25 pounds for the flak jacket, the previous body armor.

But Kinney said Natick is exploring different materials and composites of materials that will provide increased ballistic protection while shedding as many as 6 more pounds from the vest. "Sixteen pounds is still too heavy," he said. "Our goal is to get a one-third to one-half reduction in weight. If we can get under 10 pounds, that would more reasonable."

The body armor system being developed for the Objective Force Warrior program incorporates next-generation boron-carbide ceramic plates that will weigh 10 to 30 percent less than those in the Interceptor, while delivering equal or greater protection.

Dutch DeGay, equipment specialist for the Objective Force Warrior program, said new construction processes are being explored to shape the plates so they fit more snugly against the chest and spine.

In addition, he said Natick plans to replace the 20-plus layers of Kevlar in the Interceptor vest with a new M-5 fiber that will weight about one-third less.

The self-adjusting vest will position the protective plates about two inches from the torso, DeGay said, to reduce chest injuries or bruising in the event that the wearer takes a hit, he said.

"Our goal is to create a protective system that is lower profile, lower bulk and lower weight," he said. "We want it to be like a second skin, so the warfighter barely even knows that it's there, but that offers the protections needed in a combat environment."

Related AFPS Article:
Army, Marines Rushing Body Armor to Troops in Combat Zones

[jjm2111]

These Blast points... too accurate for Sand People, only Imperial Storm Troopers are so precise."

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

New, reinforced helmets and body armor being fielded to the military today represent just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's on the drawing board for protecting warfighters of the future.

Tomorrow's fighting force will have far superior protective systems that provide enhanced capabilities while imposing less weight on the user, according to officials at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center at Natick, Mass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PING.

Y  Thank a wounded Soldier.   

[blackie]

New Protection Ahead in Helmets, Body Armor ~ Bump!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I hope we can make sure that only the good guys get this stuff.

[Dick Vomer]

Let's kill some BUGS!!!

[Ajnin]

It concerns me that there is so much advancement in the way of military and police technology that may not ever find it's way into civilian hands. What good will the second amendment be if arms available to civilians are rendered absolete?

[Lurker]

Trust me. If you can afford it you'll be able to buy it.

L

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Joe Brower]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[Joe Brower]

Perhaps of interest.

[archy]

Let's kill some BUGS!!!

I always get the shakes before a drop....

[SLB]

Weight reduction is the key parameter. Here in the combat development field we keep adding more gadgets and gimmicks without taking into consideration the weight of doing so. I evaluated the XM25 stablizied binocular for the Army five or six years ago. It weighed almost 10 lbs! It did a great job, a 14X binocular that was rock steady. One could count the eyelashes on gnats at 1000 meters, but carrying it was just too much. We had to do a trade off, and the binocular lost out.

There was another gee whiz program using a binocualr with a laser for use as a LOS communications link. Great in theory, but the battery pack was huge. Between the weight of the batteries and having bright sunlight washout the laser the program did not advance.

We used to joke about having a little red wagon being pulled behind a soldier to provide power for all the gadgets and gimmicks we give them. Looks like we might have been close to being right.

[SLB]

Your number 12 - needs some serious (series) weight reduction.

[archy]

Let's kill some BUGS!!!

BTW, Starship Troopers 2 has come along very nicely. Filming is finished and the release date's set for March, 2004. They even had SFX pioneer Ray Harryhausen show up on the set.

<===Would you like to know more?

[archy]

Your number 12 - needs some serious (series) weight reduction.

12,000 horsepower at each of the knee and arm joints and you think it's overweight? Nemurlon/Transparent Steel composite and you want it lighter? You probably want more range for the Davy gun, too....

C'mon mate. Help us kill bugs....Charlie Soda and Cap'n Dax need your help!

[Squantos]

Saw a low profile ATV (for a better description ) at Sandia Labs that would follow a troop everywhere he went with his gear. It was dropped from possible deployment when it was found that when the GI tried to get something from it......it maintained the same distance from him as it did while following him before. It basiclly ran from him.

I think they drew the line when it also failed to call him bawana !

As to kewl tewls.....the neatest I ever saw was when one of my troops canabalized a old set of PVS-5 NVG's, a small laser rangefinder made by bushnell and a 10X monocular from tasco. All three tube bodies were almost the same size. He took some radio shack battery holders and rubber covered switches , wired the entire thing up and then engineered up a case that was about the same size and weight of standard binoculars.....maybe even a bit smaller. With one NVG , laser and 10X tube the dang thing worked well. It was by no means "perfect" but the concept was great. Range finder was on top of the NVG and 10X tubes.

He made up about 6 sets and when I retired we still were using em........I loved em !

Stay Safe !

[Squantos]

http://www.gear-guru.net/sofmod.htm

Good read on new grunt gear also........Stay Safe !

[Tijeras_Slim]

Mr. Coolest Toys.... rubbing it in again! :)

[Squantos]

And to think I was gonna show you my super secret discommbobulating exothermic oscillating combination BBQ and beer dispenser XM2020-4b that also displays holographic images of nekid wimmin dancin on the picnic table ! .............:o)

RULES TO LIVE BY


LIFE IS HARD...ITS HARDER WHEN YOU'RE STUPID


IF ITS STUPID BUT IT WORKS...IT ISN'T STUPID


NEVER BRING A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT (LAW OF GROSS WEIGHT AND HEAVY CALIBER)


NEVER FIGHT FAIR


THINK WAR


DENY EVERYTHING...ADMIT NOTHING...MAKE COUNTER ACCUSATIONS


EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED


THERE IS NO SECOND PLACE IN A GUN FIGHT-WINNERS KILL, LOSERS GET KILLED, FIGHT TO WIN- TRAIN TO LIVE


NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON A THREAT


YOU FIGHT AS YOU TRAIN


LEARN IT RIGHT AND YOU'LL DO IT RIGHT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE LEARN IT WRONG AND SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TRYING TO GET IT RIGHT


A WARRIOR IS HARD FROM THE INSIDE OUT


FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO WIN THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO TRAIN

AGGRESSIVELY SEEK ANY KNOWLEDGE WHICH WILL ASSURE MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT AND MAKE YOU A SURVIVOR AND A WINNER


IT TAKES A SHOOTER TO LEAD A SHOOTER

USE A SIMPLE TEMPLATE WHEN DECIDING THE VALUE OF SOMETHING EVERYTHING EITHER HAS TACTICAL VALUE OR IT DOES NOT

ACTIVELY SEEK NEW TTP's AND EQUIPMENT THAT COULD MAKE YOUR UNIT MORE CAPABLE IN COMBAT


EVERY DAY, ASK YOURSELF, "WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR MY UNIT?"


BE SNEAKY, STEALTHY, AND DO THE UNEXPECTED WITHOUT BEING DETECTED


FRONT SIGHT....FRONT SIGHT....BY GOD, FRONT SIGHT


DON'T CONFUSE ENTHUSIASM WITH CAPABILITY


Stay Safe Slim !