11 Aug 11. IAF seeks airborne APS for helos. The Israel Air Force (IAF) is working to develop an active protection system (APS) for helicopters that would protect them from rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and man-portable surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) that it could face in a future conflict in Lebanon or the Gaza Strip. News of Israeli R&D efforts in this area come in the wake of the loss on 6 August of a US CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan, which was was struck by an insurgent-fired RPG and subsequently crashed, killing all 38 personnel on board. (Source: Jane’s, JDW)
31 Aug 11. DuPont Protection Technologies will be exhibiting at the Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) and launching innovative products in helmet and vehicle armour protection from the 13thSeptember on stand N5 – 233 (Excel, London UK).
The logical task of providing forces with the right protection equipment whilst being cost-effective, durable and high-performing can prove a challenge. However, at DSEI DuPont will be displaying two materials suitable for helmets and vehicle armour protection.
The DuPont™ Kevlar® Prepreg HPA is an innovative material that combines the high-tenacity and ballistic Kevlar® K129 fibres with a proprietary PVB phenolic resin formulation, giving the material its strength and flexibility suitable for helmet and armour applications. The Kevlar® Prepreg HPA is a high performance material offering ballistic protection in the toughest of environments and displays excellent durability in-service and protection against projectiles and fragments. Additional manufacturing benefits include minimal wastage and enhanced productivity, producing a very efficient and cost-effective solution, particularly where fire and flame resistance are important. Several contracts have been secured across Europe for this new, innovative technology.
For military combat and police personnel, the right helmet is crucial for effective day-to-day duty and ultimately for survival, but the weight of every item of protective wear is crucial to maximise burden reduction. The DuPont™ Kevlar® XP H170 provides a light weight, more comfortable solution to advanced head protection. It is designed to be co-moulded with skins of other fibre-reinforced plastic materials to enhance structural integrity and – for optimum performance – should be co-moulded with Kevlar® 129 based phenolic prepregs. The solution is a hybrid of Kevlar® thermoplastic resin prepreg and Kevlar® phenolic resin prepreg, offering a 20-25% lower shell weight than conventional aramid-phenolic solutions. The material consists of high performance Kevlar® 129 fibre combined with a proprietary tough thermoplastic resin matrix core – giving it an enhanced ballistic strength – layered between an inner and outer skin of high performance Kevlar® phenolic prepreg. DuPont™ Kevlar® XP H170 can be cut and compression moulded, using typical hydraulic pressing equipment and moulds, to obtain the desired helmet contour.
With many military fatalities and serious injuries happening during transport, improving vehicle protection is one of the key ways of keeping personnel safe. The DuPont™ Kevlar® ACV, an effective solution to vehicle protection will be displayed at this year’s DSEI. It is a thermoplastic ballistic liner solution that provides additional protection for armoured vehicles by shielding those inside from bullets and fragments. The DuPont™ Kevlar® ACV material combines cost efficient Kevlar® K29 fibres and a unique thermoplastic DuPont patented resin technology, designed for durability and ballistic efficiency. The material has been designed to resist extremes of temperatures (-50°C to 120°C) to ensure low level back face deformation and reduced edge effects even at elevated temperatures. In tests, DuPont™ Kevlar® ACV proved to be an excellent, weight efficient ballistic protective material. The DuPont™ Kevlar® ACV has an unlimited shelf-life and can be formed into complex shapes to