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Archive for the ‘Helmets’ Category

Milipol 19 – Hjelm from NFM

Tuesday, November 19th, 2019

NFM has launched an entirely new helmet at Milipol. Although it incorporates numerous innovations, it remains compatible with common ear pro systems and offers a lightweight NVG Shroud.

Developed in conjunction with Final Forge, the goal was to take as much weight off of the helmet as possible. One of the most pronounched things you will notice about Hjelm is that there are no continuous rails attached to the helmet.

Instead, they’ve introduced an Edgemount Attachment System which allows the user to attach items only where necessary, much like M-LOK does for weapons. In fact, they even have an M-LOK adapter, along with others. The reverse side of the Edgemount Attachment System also offers a guide for rounding cables on the inside of the helmet. The grid-like pattern on the shell is called Helmet Attachment System Pattern and replaces the Velcro used on my other helmets. HASP is lighter than Velcro and won’t wear out from adds ing and removing items. Instead, this web of high strength composites is used as a base to attach accessories, including camouflage materials.

Naturally, they’ve also reduced weight on the shell itself, but you’ll have to contact NFM for exact ballistic capabilities. NFM also improved fit by introducing four different sizes and two different widths to better accommodate different head shapes.

The Skullplate Liner system improves breathability due to its lower profile suspension and also provides better impact protection during rotational impacts thanks to Koroyd welded tubes which serve as crumple zones.

The new chinstrap actually buckled at the rear, just above the nape of the neck, on either side of the adjustment dial. This moves buckled away from the chin meaning the helmet can be worn with masks whether the strap is worn on or below the chin.

www.nfm.no

NFM Is Launching New Helmet At Milipol

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

Hjelm

At the Milipol Expo later this month in Parais, NFM is launching a new helmet line called, naturally enough, Hjelm.

Thyrm Introduces the VariArc

Monday, October 21st, 2019

A helmet light mount with 360 rotational indexing
Sunnyvale, CA – Thyrm is excited to announce the launch of their latest product; the VariArc™ Helmet Mount. Featuring positive indexing at forward, umbrella and admin angles, the VariArc mount directs light right where you need it with a quick twist.

Conceived by Josh Jackson (SWAT-LEO) at LMS Defense, with input from other SWAT-team leaders and active-duty special operations soldiers, the VariArc helmet mount features locking teeth biased to the forward position, keeping your light aligned for the most critical uses; but with a firm twist, the VariArc mount unlocks and rotates through 8 additional lower-force index points for administrative tasks and diffused lighting options. Its small footprint and low-profile keep things tidy and the 1913 picatinny rail allows for maximum compatibility with visible and IR lights. Its reinforced polymer construction is built to remain fully functional through extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, sand, water, drops on concrete, and other rough handling. 

“We wanted to develop a no compromises mounting solution that allowed our customers to mount one light and use it for all their needs” said Andrew Frazier, CEO of Thyrm, “ and it’s been great to see initial production units already in use with both elite law enforcement and military personnel across the globe.”  

Features include

-Positively locks in the forward index position
-Picatinny accessory rail with 3 slots and 4 ridges
-Retention holes on both ends for dummy wiring critical gear
-Durable, reinforced polymer construction with steel hardware
-Compatible with dovetail-style helmet rails
-Available in black and flat dark earth colorways

As with all Thyrm products, VariArc mounts are designed and made in the USA.

To learn more or purchase, head to www.thyrm.com or your favorite Thyrm dealer. Government orders: gov@thyrm.com

AUSA 19 – Gentex Celebrates 125th Anniversary

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Gentex has been doing business for an amazing 125 years! To celebrate, they displayed some of their early helmets at AUSA.

This Marine Corps Combat Vehicle Crewman helmet dates from 1963 a s the Navy flight helmet next to it dates from 1951. They rounded out the display with their latest designs for SOCOM.

3M Ballistic Helmet Portfolio Pushes the Boundaries of Technology to Save Lives

Tuesday, October 15th, 2019

Using the performance-to-weight ratio brings clarity to selecting the right ballistic helmet

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Oct. 14, 2019 – Each day, thousands of military and police forces across the world rely on cutting-edge protection to keep them safe. When it comes to equipping these service members with helmets, decision makers look for ballistic protection they can count on, as well as designs that deliver the right fit, comfort and weight for each end user’s mission and operational environment.

Today, Ceradyne, Inc., a 3M company, announces new options for decision makers with the availability of its 3M™ Ballistic Helmet F70. The F70 delivers a high level of protection at a light weight that far exceeds conventional (ACH) ballistic helmet specifications. The helmet geometry creates a comfortable and modular design that is well suited for a wide range of missions and includes a novel no thru-hole construction for mounting the NVG shroud, retention system and rails. The elimination of thru-holes increases the shell’s effective protection area, reduces overall system weight by up to 31% (compared to the finished shell of an ACH helmet) and eliminates the risk of bolts becoming secondary projectiles during ballistic events.

The 3M Ballistic Helmet F70 provides V50 fragmentation protection against 17-grain (.22-caliber) fragment-simulating projectile (FSP) at greater than 2,760 feet per second (greater than 840 meters per second). The ballistic shell weight starts at 1.52 pounds in the high-cut version and 1.75 pounds in the mid-cut version. This line of light-weight helmets meets or exceeds all U.S. Army Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) ballistic fragmentation requirements for 2-grain, 4-grain, 16-grain and 64-grain RCC, and 17-grain FSP when tested in accordance with MIL-STD662F.

In addition to the F70, the 3M ballistic helmet portfolio includes the 3M™ L110 and N49 offerings. Designed for military combat operations and counterterrorism police missions, the Combat II L110 helmet can help protect service members from bomb fragmentations, certain rifle projectiles, handgun bullets and blunt impacts. The helmet provides protection against select small-arms projectiles including V50 ballistic limit value greater than 2,400 feet per second (greater than 731 meters per second) against the 7.62 x 51 mm M80 NATO ball projectile.

The Ultra Light Weight Ballistic Bump Helmet N49 is the first multi-use helmet for bump and ballistic operational requirements. At just over one pound (shell weight, size L), the N49 is the lightest helmet to provide ballistic fragmentation and blunt impact protection. It provides V50 protection against 17-grain (.22-caliber) FSP at greater than 2,200 feet per second (greater than 670 meters per second) when tested in accordance to STANAG 2920.

“Having a wide range of choices is critical, as ballistic protection and mobility requirements differ for each end user,” said Terry Griffith, defense business manager, 3M Advanced Materials Division. “But with all the different helmet options available in the marketplace – and the varying information about them – it can be a struggle to compare them and evaluate which one best meets the requirements. Identifying the performance-to-weight ratio of different helmets can bring clarity to this decision-making process.”

A performance-to-weight ratio is calculated by identifying the V50 ballistic resistance against the 17-grain .22-caliber FSP, then dividing it by the helmet shell aerial density. 3M understands the value and supports the use of this ratio to give decision makers a consistent means of comparing helmet choices.

3M will discuss the performance-to-weight ratio and showcase its portfolio at booth 2442 at the UASA 2019 Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 14-18, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. For more information about soldier protection solutions provided by 3M, visit www.3M.com/ballistichelmets.

Gentex Awarded Contract for USSOCOM Coxswain Helmet System

Friday, October 11th, 2019

Carbondale, PA, October 11, 2019. Gentex Corporation, a global leader in personal protection and situational awareness solutions for defense forces, emergency responders, and industrial personnel announced today that its new Ops-Core® FAST SF Carbon Composite Helmet System has been chosen by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to fulfill their contract for Special Operations Forces Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements (SPEAR) Family of Tactical Headborne Systems (FTHS) — Coxswain Helmet System. The five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Firm Fixed Price (FFP) production contract carries a maximum value of $95M.

Gentex Corporation has been supplying products to USSOCOM since its activation in 1987 and is focused on designing and delivering solutions driven by end user input. Just recently, the company was awarded contracts for the USSOCOM SPEAR FTHS Ballistic and Non-Ballistic Helmets, as well as the USSOCOM Communication Accessory Suite Land (CASL) program for it’s Ops-Core Adaptive Mission Platform (AMP™) Communication Headset.

“We’re extremely pleased to have been chosen to provide the Coxswain Helmet System for USSOCOM,” said Tom Short, vice president of Ground Systems, Gentex Corporation. “The FTHS Coxswain contract validates our design process and helmet system innovations while bringing the FTHS Ballistic/Non-Ballistic and FTHS Coxswain Helmets together as one family of headborne systems with interchangeable accessories, common parts and simplified logistics.”

The FTHS Coxswain Helmet System consists of the Ops-Core FAST FTHS Carbon Composite Helmet with modular Ops-Core accessories:  Step-In Visors with clear and tinted lenses, NVG Snap Shields, FAST Ballistic and Carbon Composite Mandibles, and FAST Low Profile Ballistic Appliques. Additionally, the helmets will come with a variety of Ops-Core VAS shroud options, helmet covers, ARCTM rails, pads, exterior Velcro and will be available in four sizes with various color/camouflage options.  The Ops-Core FAST FTHS Carbon Composite Helmet is available today and commercial versions of the Coxswain Helmet System accessories will be available later this year.

Part of Gentex Corporation’s portfolio of helmet systems for defense, emergency response, and security forces, the focus and dedication of the company’s Ops-Core brand remains the same – protecting elite forces.  The modular, scalable, open-architecture design of Ops-Core products allows for the seamless integration and true system level performance.

shop.gentexcorp.com/ops-core-fast-sf-carbon-composite-helmet

Visit Gentex at AUSA

Monday, October 7th, 2019

Raptor Tactical – WW II-Style Army Combat Helmet Net Cover

Sunday, September 22nd, 2019

Raptor Tactical has introduced a World War Two-style net Helmet cover for the Army Combat Helmet.

Shown over a MultiCam cloth cover. Mesh is OD.

www.raptortactical.com/home/232-army-combat-helmet-net-cover-wwii-style