During last week’s SOFIC we mentioned the new AJAX Armor System from Tactical Revolution for use with crew served weapons in fixed positions that are not equipped with gun shields.
Now, we’d like to share the video of ballistic testing of the system so you can see that it works and why it has such an elaborate mounting system. In this high speed camera footage, you’ll notice how the plate returns to its proper position after mitigating the energy of the projectile strike.
Available through International Armored Group and manufactured by Tactical Revolution, LLC
Tags: Tactical Revolution
Very cool footage. Now skip the music and camera data and tell me something pertinent like what round you are defeating there. I hope that is 7.62X39 or 7.62X54R.
The high-speed video was taken during our NIJ testing. The plate shown is rated as stand-alone Level III. For this testing, the AJAX Armor System was shot 6 times with the 7.62 x 51 mm M80 NATO cartridge from 50-feet away, without failure.
With that said, the ability of the AJAX Armor System to absorb energy allows the system to defeat much larger projectiles. In fact, we have quite often defeated the Level IV standard test projectile, the .30-06 M2 AP, with the same product version shown in the video. Also, a special operations unit tested the system against a .338 Lapua Magnum from 100-meters. The projectile was defeated, and AJAX continued to function.
how does it do with multiple shots at a time?
The rebound of the AJAX Armor System is extremely rapid. The camera data was left in the video to provide documentation to those desiring such technical information.
On the video shown, the AJAX Armor System rebounds to its original position 0.0244 seconds after impact. Mathematically, this equates to AJAX being able to absorb such impacts at a rate roughly equivalent to 2,460 per minute. This will obviously change based on the type of projectile impacting the system, and its velocity. In theory, you could fire an M240 at AJAX from point blank.
At 2 hundredths of a second rebound, you’re not likely to get two hits in the same time frame from the same weapon, but was it tested with hits at full compression versus the extension test shown here?
Great innovation, nice work!
Firstly, I want to thank you for the kind words!
Your question relates in particular to the shock component of the AJAX Armor System. This shock acts like any other. It serves two purposes: 1) it keeps the system in the fully deployed position, and 2) it dampens ballistic impacts.
The situation that you bring up is extremely unlikely to occur, but nothing is impossible. The shock would basically have to sustain a catastrophic failure of some sort in order for it to get stuck in that position. It is specifically designed to be as simple as possible to ensure reliable, consistent operation in the field under extreme conditions. During all of our testing and evaluation, this has never been an issue.
With that said, in order for us to test the AJAX Armor System in that position would require us to either physically restrain the system in such a position, or it would require removal of the shock springs. We have not done this. However, I can address this question with other experiences during the testing and evaluation process.
If you look at the high-speed video, you can observe 3 separate impact locations. The very first impact shown in the video is actually the third impact on the armor plate. This impact occurs on the far outside portion of the plate, distal to the rail connection. An impact to such an area maximizes the stress on the shock, for which the shock is designed.
The second impact in the video is actually the first impact on the same test plate. You can see that the impact is proximal to the rail attachment. In this type of impact, stresses are maximal on the rail attachment and the forward armor mounting component. The situation you bring up would be very similar to this situation, as the posterior portion of the system is designed to exactly the same criteria as the anterior portion. Even though these areas of the device look different, they have the same structural capabilities.
In addition, if the armor plate was to be impacted while in the retracted position, the armor plate would be at an angle of 45-degrees with respect to the primary axis of the weapons platform. In the fully deployed position, this angle is equal to 70-degrees. The impact energy transfer at 45-degrees is substantially less than at 70-degrees. This equates to roughly a 25% decrease in ballistic energy transferred to the system, provided the projectile is coming directly from the direction the weapon is pointed.
There are an infinite number of situations that may occur in the battlefield. In designing the AJAX Armor System, we had at our disposal experienced combat veterans, including those experienced with the types of weapons the AJAX Armor System was designed for. Their experience substantially contributed to our design ingenuity. As a result, we were able to make a system that should perform extremely well under all circumstances.
Hopefully I was able to answer your question.
Oh wait it’s a pic mount? So fits to anything with a quad rail? Okay now that’s pretty darn clever.
Yes, the AJAX Armor System is compatible with any weapons platform with standard Picatinny rails at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. The idea was to create a man-portable up-armoring system that is compatible with nearly any weapons platform being used by US forces and other friendly nations.
Weapon accessories are omnipresent these days. Most weapon mounted accessories are easy to attach, and easy to use. The AJAX Armor System fits this bill… it can be fully installed and deployed on a weapons platform within 10-seconds per side with a single hand – without using tools. The AJAX Armor System really is ground-breaking. It has the features and conveniences of a well designed weapon mounted accessory, but with the added benefit that it could save your life.
Since the SOFIC tradeshow, Tactical Revolution has been receiving an enormous amount of interest and questions regarding the AJAX Armor System, and we truly appreciate it. As a result, we will be creating a brief video in the near future to demonstrate the deployment of the system on a weapons platform. We hope this will answer many of the installation and functionality-related questions.