Hardfaced Lightweight Composite Armor Materials for Helmets

Current helmets for ground troops provide excellent protection against fragmentation-type threats, but not as good protection against small arms fire or similar higher energy projectiles. soldiers' survivability and effectiveness will be enhanced by a new lightweight helmet which will better protect them against a variety of threats. This Phase I project will develop such a helmet armor using a hardfaced configuration, an approach which has been proven effective in aircraft and vehicular applications. Existing state-of-the-art materials and processing methods will be integrated by innovative methods to provide a superior and cost effective helmet armor system. The helmet will consist of a single or multiple part hard outer shell, most likely of ceramic or similar material, and a tough composite inner shell. Phase I will define and demonstrate this helmet armor through initial ballistic tests of flat samples. The project team consists of experts in the areas of ceramics, polymers, composite materials, and armor. The new helmet and its armor system technology will not only be applicable to ground troops, but also to other military personnel and law enforcement agencies which use tactical armor.