Novel Lightweight Materials and Designs to Deflect Bullets for Body Armor and Helmets

Current standard military armor is designed to stop fragments or bullets. Another concept of protection is through deflection of bullets as compared to today's heavyweight concepts of protection through stopping the bullet. Deflection instead of stopping the bullet could lead to extremely lightweight body armor, extremity armor and helmets for soldiers in standing or prone fighting positions. A combination of materials and obliquity of the surface from the threat, offers a potential to protect a soldier in the standing or prone position. This program proposes to develop novel materials compositions, surface tribology and concept designs for integration onto the individual with weight estimates, ballistic coverage, ballistic holes and bullet deflection paths. The goal is to achieve deflection at 1.5 to 2 lbs/ft2 and within the current helmet weight of 3.3 lbs.