CENTRAL LAKE, MI, February 6, 2017 – Central Lake Armor Express, Inc. (“Armor Express”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance body armor solutions, announced today that the Company has entered an exclusive distribution agreement with Germany’s Busch PROtective, to market its revolutionary ballistic helmets certified to the VPAM standard. Building on Armor Express’ strong heritage in innovation, these latest ballistic helmets are now commercially available to law enforcement officers across the Americas (North, South and Central America), who stand to benefit from an unprecedented level of protection.
“The new VPAM-certified ballistic helmets surpass current NIJ helmet testing levels of performance, creating an entirely new benchmark in head protection for today’s officers,” stated Steve Murphy, Tactical Channel Manager, Armor Express. “Working with the Busch PROtective team, we have determined the very best ballistic material and capabilities typically utilized by the most elite police and military allies around the world, were also the very best solutions for our law enforcement officers here in the U.S. We’re extremely excited about this partnership, being the first licensed distributor in North America to deliver these cutting-edge helmets to the men and women who deserve the highest-performing head protection on the market. In addition to VPAM-certification, the helmets have been independently tested against NIJ .06 Level IIIA threats, as well as special threats, surpassing some of the most stringent requirements of the NIJ Standard.”
Certified to VPAM, the Gold Standard of ballistic testing within Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the advanced helmets bring first rate protection to tactical law enforcement, anti-terror and specialized police officers who may be exposed to close quarter combat and increased risk of being shot within the head region. The AMP-1TP specifically, is the lightest and first composite (non-metal) helmet to achieve the certification through independent testing labs both in Europe and the U.S. The helmet is constructed of a multi-layered aramid composite, using a patented EBSP method – a unique production technique that creates elite ballistic capabilities previously attainable only in Titanium helmets.
Weighing an average of 3.6 pounds, the AMP-1TP is capable of stopping ballistic threats as close as .78” from the edge and multiple shots on a small surface area. The increased edge and multi-impact capabilities enhance the helmet’s protective area by up to 50%, compared to standard ballistic helmets. For officers at risk of taking multiple hits at close range, another key protective element is the helmet’s ability to transfer and dissipate energy around the helmet’s shell, thereby reducing back-face deformation/blunt force trauma. VPAM’s extremely high testing requirements measure back-face deformation, ensuring when the helmet is hit by an incoming round, there is minimal energy transferred from the helmet shell to the user’s head.
Further, the AMP-1TP offers high fragmentation protection of more than 2,034 f/s, in accordance with STANAG 2920, the NATO testing standards for military ballistics protection and armor.
Commenting on today’s news, Matt Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Armor Express, stated, “We believe this is a disruptive technology in the marketplace that will transform the way the industry has addressed protection of officers in one of the most critical areas of their body – the head – particularly when this region comes under greater threat in certain hostile environments. It’s not only about stopping bullets; we looked extensively to find the right solution that safeguards against trauma to the head, and with Busch helmets, we believe we have found the best helmet technology the industry has seen.”
See how the VPAM-certified AMP-1TP helmet with patented EBSP technology (right) stacks up against a standard IIIA style ballistic helmet (left). Watch the comparison of three helmets on bullet impact by visiting www.armorexpress.com/busch.
Compared to other test standards, the VPAM protocol uses a more realistic ballistic testing aspect for close quarter combat threats. Unfortunately, most helmets used today by law enforcement and first response teams are more suited for military operations.
“We are thrilled to have Armor Express as our partner, as they have one of the strongest distribution networks throughout North America. Most importantly, they are a leader in innovation and have earned the trust of the law enforcement community,” stated Shammass Khan, International Sales Director, Busch PROtective. Together, I believe we will do great things and provide the most essential head protection that officers deserve.”
All helmets come with a unique rail-system with speed-system technology, advanced protective padding system certified to the EN 397 (impact/shock attenuation standard), wheel dial for ultimate uni-sizing flexibility, and protective bag. The ‘uni-size’ feature is especially instrumental, helping LE departments with typical limited budgets to remove the cost of having to purchase multiple units based on individual fit.
The unique rail-system and its speed-system connector point (SSCP) gives the user even more tactical and modular protective capability. The modular protective visors (Impact, Fragmentation, 9mm/44Mag) can be added/removed from the helmet within seconds, without ever having to take off the helmet – providing the benefit of always being protected. Additional accessories include the NVG 3-hole shroud, helmet cover (black or green color), helmet Velcro kit, helmet counter weight kit, visor protective cover, and side-rail adaptor. The AMP-1TP helmet comes in black, green and sand colors.
