A Modular, Lightweight, Removable Ballistic Protection System for Aviation Helmets

The HGU-56/P aviator helmet is designed to protect the head from blunt impact trauma in survivable helicopter crashes and configured to serve as a platform on which to mount the helmet-mounted equipment (HME). Except for the visor, it is not designed to provide ballistic protection as the concurrent increase in weight of past designs would not have been acceptable. Recent progress in materials development now makes the addition of some level of protection a viable option. SAFE's proposed program is structured to develop a ballistic cover for the HGU-56/P flight helmet. The ballistic cover will be compatible with the HME and can be easily donned or doffed in flight, as needed, so the small amount of added weight is acceptable to the pilots for the relatively short periods of time the extra protection is needed. SAFE's program is structured to thoroughly investigate the available candidate materials, perform a trade off, select the most efficient materials, or combination of materials, and to perform a design development effort to produce the configuration that provides the most ballistic protection possible within acceptable weight limits while retaining the blunt trauma impact protection of the existing helmet. The program includes use of an advanced methodology that assures achievement of the optimum design.