ST. PAUL, Minn. – March 1, 2018 – The U.S. Army has awarded Ceradyne, Inc., a 3M company, an additional $34 million to continue supplying its ballistic helmet of the future. The Integrated Head Protection System (IHPS) – which Popular Mechanics described as “straight out of science fiction” – uses advanced materials, an ultramodern design and add-on accessories to give soldiers greater comfort and advanced protection for modern missions. This brings Ceradyne’s total IHPS contract value to more than $52 million.
The U.S. Army created the highly technical IHPS to give soldiers a lighter-weight ballistic helmet with passive hearing protection and increased blunt-impact performance. It is a component of the Army’s next-generation Soldier Protection System (SPS) program, which seeks to optimize soldier protection while reducing total equipment weight.
“This order reinforces the Army’s confidence in 3M to design and produce the IHPS, which is so advanced, it sets a new global standard for head protection,” said Cheryl Ingstad, global business manager, Advanced Ceramics Platform – Defense, 3M.
The IHPS is designed to protect against modern battlefield threats, including powerful rifle projectiles and handgun bullets. It can be fitted with accessories, such as mandible, visor, night vision goggle attachment, rails and a modular ballistic applique for increased protection. 3M will begin delivery in early 2018 and will continue to deliver throughout the year.
For more information about 3M ballistic helmets, visit www.3M.com/ballistichelmets.
Tags: 3M
My neck hurts just looking at it. Talk about sealing in all the heat…
Was just thinking about that. People are going to roast inside that thing.
Maybe they will have fans inside like in the ESS TurboFan Goggles
I guess the Army doesn’t have many “Light is right.” proponents.
the weight will be worth it once you realize how perfect your stock weld is
First thing I thought of with that was “how are you going to get a cheek weld”
Also going in the prone does not look like it will be fun
Perhaps the next evolution in cheek/stock-weld technology will be corresponding Mil std 1913 rails on the stock and on the helmet mandible. With an inertia-reel tether between the two, to snap into a perfect “weld”…or maybe rare-earth magnets, like the new Yeti cup lids. Perhaps with a gunshot audio and computer actuator to cut out the middleman and save precious microseconds of reaction time.
Don’t interrupt – I’m brainstorming here!
Can we, like, not do this and do high cuts instead?
Sincerely,
One of the idiots who will have to wear this
Hell, issue it with all that extra stuff as long as I can peel away layer after layer and find my peace in an Ops Core underneath it all.
The helmet is high cut, it’s modular. The mandible is optional. You can also add rifle rated plates to the helmet.
Yea… i feel like this is gonna cause a CIF nightmare at some point….
Look how well it works for Stormtroopers.
I would personally rather see what a motorcycle helmet company could come out with. Would also like to see all the electric needs be integrated (wiring Atleast). We starting to get to the point where it’s about how much stuff we can put on our heads and it’s still feels good jumping through a window.
A motorcycle company? You do realize that they don’t make armored helmets, right? Above all else, the helmet has to protect the noggin and that means using materials not used for safety helmets and constructions not condusive do riding a motorcycle at 90mph.
Schuberth, in Germany, makes some of the best motorcycle helmets in the world. They also make military and fire fighter helmets. A motorcycle helmet company can make other types of helmets.
The helmet is modular, and the mandible is just one part that can be attached, similar to how you can attach more armor plates to the helmet.
Ill take shit that no combat experienced person wants to fuck with for $8000 Alex…..
The answer to questions no one is asking.
To the contrary, this is the culmination of a multi-year program to offer the US Army a modular helmet system. Troops have been begging for a high cut helmet since they saw SOF wearing them. Commanders have wanted a scalable design so that they can increase the level of protection when needed. You asked and the Army listened. One important factor is that the Army owns the TDP for this helmet, meaning they can have anyone manufacture the design without paying royalties.
Based on the factors of cost, performance and schedule, this is the Army’s solution to the need for Modular Head Protection System.
Better check for delamination on those.
SSD,
You just defended 3M, a company that will profit from equipment worn on the battlefield by sighting the desire for a high cut helmet. We are now spending $34 million of the taxpayers money for technology that already exists. 3M (a $55 billion dollar a year company) has just half asked a design with arguably no user input and you want us to clap?
This program has been going on for several years, although it spent some of that time in “selection hell”. In IHPS, the Army asked for a helmet which did not exist. Furthermore, they wanted to obtain the IP rights to that helmet. 3M, and other vendors, designed a helmet, built to a spec in a solicitation which did not yet exist before it was created.
That particular helmet was downselected by the Army from all of the entries. There were user trials.
Everything you said is untrue.
Arguably? Sure I will argue that assertion:
“I gave fair, honest and comprehensive feedback on the IHPS helmet,” said Cpl. Samuel Emling, a Combat Engineer with the 57th. “I enjoyed the testing. The test personnel were extremely professional.”
“Soldiers and test units have the ability to impact the development of systems by training while executing doctrinally-realistic missions, and then provide direct input to the combat developer of the system,” said Lt. Col. Vinny Intini, executive officer at ABNSOTD. “Their feedback is invaluable.”
(These quotes are from the last link provided below)
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2017/08/12/soldiers-test-the-armys-newest-new-combat-helmet/
https://www.military.com/kitup/2017/08/integrated-head-protection-system.html
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.army.mil/article-amp/191718/armys_new_integrated_head_protection_system_test_jumps_from_the_sky
http://www.defenseworld.net/news/18248/US_Army___s_Next_Gen_Personnel_Protective_Equipment_System_Enters_Production_Phase#.WtsW_3ApCEc
34 million dollars to create a closed helmet, is the concept too hard to do for the military?
The military doesn’t develop helmets but rather outsources that to companies which design helmets for a living.
The initial award for this contract was in 2016.
https://ssdaily.tempurl.host/2016/11/04/3m-subsidiary-wins-contracts-for-two-us-army-soldier-protection-programs/
These additional funds are for helmets and not development.
SSD,
3M (a $55 Billion dollar a year company) has received $34 million in taxpayer dollars to come up with technology that already exists (Ope-Core product line)? The warfighter asked for a high cut helmet and they came up with something that obviously was void of user input. Look at the comments…this is not a good jumping off point. Don’t try to pander to 3M and also have your viewers clap for a failed project!
No…this helmet was designed and built to answer an Army solicitation for an Individual Headborne Protection System. Other vendors also submitted solutions, but this is the one the Army selected. Not to speak for Gentex, but their submission was not one of the helmets you can currently purchase, but rather a system, designed specifically for this solicitation.
The initial award for this contract was in 2016.
https://ssdaily.tempurl.host/2016/11/04/3m-subsidiary-wins-contracts-for-two-us-army-soldier-protection-programs/
Ryan,
You have no idea what your talking about. You have not seen what this helmet looks like when you remove the visor, appliqué, and mandible. You have no understanding of the new shape (that meets the coverage requirements while reduce surface area and reducing weight). You have no idea how many test and evaluations were conducted by the army to get to this solution. You have zero understanding of the technology to get to this weight/performance … and no … GENTEX does not already have this. Ask GENTEX who made all the OpsCore Shells before they bought OpsCore (hint… the company starts with a number and ends in a letter). Oh … and Gentex, Revision, and several others also developed solutions for this … and after extensive user trials, 3M was selected. Do some research and learn who actually has led the market in advancing light weight ballistic technologies.
Looks like it came out of one of the AMTRAK Wars books https://www.patricktilley.co.uk/amtrakwars/death_bringer.php
This in it’s fully buttoned up mode is perfect for that urban deathscape war fighting scenario, just needs heat extraction fans like those airsoft helmets and ear buds that double as earpro, comms and auditory enhancement function, and for the kicker a mono screen inside the visor displaying a thermal & night vision fusion view, also an ability to switch to the gps and receive texts would be handy.