To me, it’s always exciting when a small, Veteran owned business makes a stride forward. I’m looking forward to taking a look at their ballistic data.
From their Facebook Page:
“Time for a major update! We’re always telling you how busy we are and can never say what we’re working on. All this talk of revolutionizing personal armor. Well, we finally have something we can show you! Keep in mind, the following data is PRELIMINARY ONLY until we complete additional testing! How about a “drop in” replacement flight helmet and mandible 4x more ballistic resistant than the current issue! How about a 1.5lb ballistic plate or a 2lb helmet (total weight)? We’re not releasing ballistic data on the prototypes yet, but you’re quite possibly looking at some of the most advanced, lightest weight armor in development. We now have the ability to rapidly manufacture lightweight, highly curvilinear ballistic armor. We are Ironman
www.mtekweaponsystems.com/supply
Tags: MTek Weapon Systems
If those plates can offer the same protection as ESAPIs that will be pretty impressive.
Yeah, I’m not buying it. With companies like Ceradyne, BAE Syestems etc throwing millions at the lighten the load effort, you’re gonna tell me that Cletus came up with an 80% reduction in weight using off the shelf materials? If they’re talking about a 1.5lb side plate, MSAP is already there. Someone post a link to this preliminary “data” I’d be interested in seeing the arial density, V50’s, V100’s BFD etc
Why not? The Original Accepted Police Armor was made by a Delivery Driver who got shot at work. He didn’t have a conglomerate or millions of dollars or teams of scientists and he revolutionized Police Safety and Armor. Ever hear of ‘Second Chance brand Armor?
Yeah, they must be referring to a 1.5lb Side Small Arms Protective Insert. Yeah day late and a dollar short. The issued MSAP already meets that weight. Because if they were referring to a plate at 1.5lb that was the size of an ESAPI (avg 8″x10″) and meant ESAPI performance, then their “2lb” helmet should weight around 8oz unless it stops the same thing as an ESAPI.
a bunch of hyperbol
So right AM, bunch of hyperbole and BS. How dare these guys spout such garbage about revolutionary light armor. Just a bunch of pie in the sky. Better they sit back and wait for the Big Boys to lead the way to the military standard, right?
You are a fool. I WANT pie in the sky thinking and I want everyone including Cletus (which I assume was an insult unless you know somewhere at Mtek is actually named Cletus in which case I retract my assumption) working toward it. Are you so entrenched that you believe innovation ONLY comes from the major companies? You seem not only angry, but totally dismissive for no apparent reason.
I wanted Dragonskin to work. Innovative and unique, but it hasn’t held up to testing (another debate, I know), but the point is someone keeps trying new and crazy shit. Amen and God Bless America for that (bless you too foreign developers). I want Mtek to work, so I am excited to see what they Are trying. If it fails, so be it, but I don’t doubt their efforts, sincerity, or their desire to make a better product to protect cops, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines.
Your “not buying it” attitude is common throughout history and if held to would have killed everything from airplanes to cell phones to ESAPI plates. Be a skeptic and ask for proof and testing, but don’t be such a dick.
Eric, I know I violated posting etiquette rules there, but I think he was being unfair and derogatory to Mtek, the original story and to Peter. I understand if it gets me banned.
#1- I AGREE!
I am so tired of people coming on this site and just bitching, bitching, bitching. Give it a rest.
1.5lb side plate at that weight very possible. Even lighter if its a straight NIJ Level III Dyneema plate. Less than 0.8lbs in 6″ x 6″ for those
The SPEAR MSAP (6″x6″) is a Stand Alone plate that meets ESAPI performance requirements which exceed NIJ Level III. Futhermore, your ignorance on the subject is completly illustrated by your association of NIJ and MILSPEC PPE Ballistic performance requiements. The two are completly divergent. You’re the reason Joe holds up his daddy’s cop vest and says “look how light it is and it’ll stop a .44 magnum!” But what he doesn’t realize is that frag will zip right through.
Angry Misha, perhaps you are too angry.
It wouldn’t hurt to be polite, these are well meaning professionals showing interest in an cool topic.
I buy it, I would like to see the data to confirm but there are a lot of new aerospace materials (composites and such). The problem is 2 fold, large companies (or well known) tend to fall in trap 1, “this is the way we always do it, we can change that cause’ we can certify it, etc. Trap 2 is “we charged the customer X cause we guessed at how much it’s going to cost and if it’s going to cost us more than 32 to cents to build than we can’t use it.” This leads to R&D being cut and to engineer designs being produced to meet customer expectation or just short and getting the customer to agree to the changes and not exceeded them.
I’ve seen this first hand working in commercial aviation engineering. Smaller companies usually don’t have the name or edge to beat out the bigger companies in contract wars they have have to either come up with products that exceed standards or make it cheaper.
1) The imperial helmet looks awesome; I want one.
2) There are many ways of making lighter armour plates. The most critical question is cost. Current plates weigh what they do because they can be reliably manufactured for an acceptable price in large quantities. Lighter and/or more durable products tend to be very expensive or difficult to manufacture.
If they have come up with something truly revolutionary though, at a reasonable price, good on them.
MTEK has a great team of innovators; they have been pushing the limits since day one. We should all be so fortunate to have these guys working on new products for the operator.
Rampart I.C. is right how about we wait until they release the findings, Angry Misha a lot of innovative findings came from small companies…