Multiple Mechanism (MULTIMECH) Body Armor

The goal of this project is ultimately to develop a new mechanism to enable rigid body armor plates to defeat armor piercing threats. Our Phase I results showed three separate mechanisms for defeating both traditional armor piercing rounds as well as new AP rounds that use tungsten carbide penetrator cores. With these mechanisms now understood, our Phase II work will focus on optimizing the physical system design and evaluating the resulting armor solution in terms of SWaP (size, weight and power) to provide the warfighter with a radically new concept in personal ballistic protection. Not only will this design address current threats, but we will also be looking forward, addressing the newest and most dangerous ballistic threats whose introduction onto the modern battlefield is already looming. While military body armor is the thrust of this development, we will be looking at what it takes to provide this new technology to the federal law enforcement community as well.