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Posts Tagged ‘Dyneema’

Point Blank Enterprises Uses DSM Dyneema for US Army Gen II Soldier Plate Carrier System

Tuesday, December 16th, 2014

DYNEEMA FORCE MULTIPLIER TECHNOLOGY MEETS CHALLENGE OF PROVIDING NEXT GENERATION PROTECTION FOR U.S. ARMY

Point Blank Enterprises uses DSM Dyneema material innovation to develop Generation II Soldier Plate Carrier System armor designed to maximize mobility and provide superior protection

Stanley, N.C., Dec. 16, 2014 – DSM Dyneema, the manufacturer of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMwPE) fiber, branded as Dyneema, and a world leader in life protection materials and high performance fibers, announced today that the U.S. Army has chosen a new body armor system that incorporates Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology to deliver unparalleled ballistics protection combined with unprecedented weight reduction.

Point Blank Enterprises, the worldwide leader in the production of soft body armor, designed the advanced ballistics package incorporated in the new system – the Generation II Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS).

Using revolutionary Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology, Point Blank developed the core ballistics package for the SPCS to create the lightest soft armor system ever to be fielded to the U.S. Army. The lighter weight ballistics package meets the Army’s requirement for the SPCS to provide protection equal to the current Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV), but in a standalone capacity that reduces the soldier’s load and provides optimum mobility.

“Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology helps armor manufacturers achieve the goal of combining the best protective performance with the lightest possible weight,” said Shitij Chabba, Global Segment Director, Life Protection, DSM Dyneema. “We are very pleased that our latest material innovation has achieved qualification for an advanced program like SPCS that must meet modern mission requirements.”

Built on the company’s Radical Innovation Platform and manufactured in Greenville, N.C., Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology combines breakthroughs in polymer science, next-generation UHMwPE fiber technology and unique uni-directional engineering. Compared to body armor made from traditional materials such as aramid, protective vests engineered with Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology can reduce weight by up to 30 percent, while enhancing comfort and agility with fewer layers of material.

“Current and near-term predicted threats dictate that service personnel exhibit greater flexibility than ever before and an ability to respond quickly and decisively to changing conditions,” said Sam White, Executive Vice President, Point Blank Enterprises. “The combination of our cutting-edge ballistics package design and DSM Dyneema’s breakthrough Dyneema® Force Multiplier Technology has resulted in an unmatched ability to accomplish the critical objectives of SPCS specifications, all while delivering the lightest and highest-performing protection. We’re honored to partner with DSM Dyneema to bring this game-changing system to our service men and women, and remain committed to protecting those who risk their lives every day to safeguard ours.”

www.dyneema.com

www.pointblankenterprises.com

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Posted in Armor | 11 Comments »

PowerArmor Solar Panels From IDG Europe Are First To Provide Ballistic Protection, With Dyneema High Strength Fibers

Tuesday, November 18th, 2014

Dyneema 1

The Netherlands, 17 November 2014 – A new solar panel system for Defense Forces provides ballistic protection and is lighter and more portable than systems currently available. The PowerArmor™ unit from IDG Europe has low-reflectance solar panels protected by an anti-ballistic surface made in an exceptionally strong unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite.

The composite is based on an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE) produced by DSM Dyneema and branded as Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. It replaces the aluminum normally used for portable solar panels, which provides no ballistic protection. IDG says this is the first time that solar panels have been given such a high level of ballistic protection. Panels made in Dyneema® also weigh around 20% less than aluminum panels of the same thickness.

Dyneema 2

DSM Dyneema and IDG Europe cooperated closely in IDG’s development of the dual-purpose system, intended to power electrical and electronic equipment used by armed forces in the field. The combination of ultra-light, low profile (anti-glare) solar panels and anti-ballistic panels with Dyneema® results in a system capable of providing energy and protection ranging from fragmentation to high-power rifle ammunition.

IDG Europe says that the switch from aluminum for the general-purpose stand-alone solar panels also meets calls from the market for lightweight units with high environmental resistance.

“As Defense Forces continue to carry more and more electronic systems into dangerous, inhospitable and isolated places, the need to keep portable electronic devices operable at all times in hostile environments is essential,” says Göran Johnson, CEO at IDG Europe. “With PowerArmor™, we think that we have a winning combination of solar panels that supply power and provide protection. We believe its chances are very good, especially as the two individual products were already being independently considered—and in some cases used in practice—by various Special Forces around the world.”

“Dyneema® offers the lightest armor protection materials in the market,” says David Cordova, Vice President Business Development for DSM Dyneema – Life Protection. “The combination of Dyneema® with the innovative low-glare IDG solar panels provides a unique value proposition to military personnel.”

IDG Europe introduced the PowerArmor™ concept at IESMA 2014, the conference and exhibition on Innovative Energy Solutions for Military Applications that took place in Vilnius, Lithuania, on November 12-14. IEASMA 2014 is organized by the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, and the DELTA State Military Scientific Technical Center of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

www.dyneema.com/americas

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Posted in Armor, International, Power | 1 Comment »

Coming January 2014 – Point Blank’s Alpha Elite

Monday, October 21st, 2013

Coming January 14th, 2014, Alpha Elite is Point Blank’s new Dyneema armor package.

Correction – The armor package is available now. The new carrier comes in Jan 2014.

Learn more at www.eliteproven.com

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Posted in Armor | 1 Comment »

New ECH Relies on Dyneema Material

Friday, March 16th, 2012

Ceradyne was recently awarded a contract for their Enhanced Combat Helmet for use by the US Army and Marine Corps. One of the key ingredients to the success of their design was DSM’s Dyneema HB80 unidirectional (UD) composite. HB80 happens to be the only material that passed stringent ECH testing and is currently used in vehicle armor applications.

In a press release, Dr. James Zheng, chief scientist Soldier Protective and Individual Equipment, PEO Soldier said, “The ECH program represents a major advance in helmet technology that can deliver enhanced superior protection for our troops. Our close collaboration with leading industry partners such as Ceradyne and DSM Dyneema enabled us to utilize their valuable technological expertise and support, resulting in the new ECH helmet.”

www.dyneema.com

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Posted in Contracts, Helmets, Materials, PEO-Soldier | 5 Comments »

PPSS Group Introduces Ultralightweight Armor

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011


Earlier this year we told you about PPSS Armour Group’s Cut-Tex fabric. Now, they have introduced a new lightweight armor package. The CV1 is a NIJ lvl IIIA vest that weighs 1.65 kg (3.63 lbs) and is 6.5 mm (just over a 1/4″) thick. Naturally, it uses a unidirectional material, in this case Dyneema® SB51, in order to reach these performance specs. Available Small – 6XLarge, the cover is a combination of Cordura and Outlast.

Check out their red band trailer.

PPSS CEO Robert Kaiser had this to say about the new CV1 armor in a press release, “Every gram we can shave off the weight of body armour will improve the comfort of the wearer, and subsequently reduce the risk of human error due to fatigue and exhaustion”. “Our ambitious goal was to develop one of the thinnest, lightest and most comfortable bullet proof vests, and it is now crystal clear that together with our manufacturing partners in Sweden we have successfully reached our objective”, said Kaiser.


www.ppss-group.com

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Ops-Core Wins Norwegian Helmet Contract

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

Boston-based Ops-Core, Inc was awarded a contract last week to supply the Norwegian Army with their Future Assault Shell Technology (FAST) helmet. The FAST helmet will replace the current PASGT style aramid helmet manufactured by Cato Ringstad AS.

While specific numbers have not yet been released, the Norwegian Army will purchase enough helmets to not only outfit their active forces, but some of the National Guard as well. The current strength of the Norwegian Army sits at around 22,000. However, a post on a Norwegian military forum in July by someone close to the program forecasted the delivery of 1000 helmets for operational use before the end of the year.

In order to supply these helmets, Ops-Core won a year-long competitive program named “Project 4004” with several down select mile-stones which included troop trials, ballistic and other safety testing. Norwegian Special Forces have already been using the Ops-Core helmet for over a year in training as well as operational roles so Ops-Core’s selection, while arduous, was not surprising.

In a press release from Ops-Core, member of Norwegian Defense Logistic Organization (NDLO) program manager Per Morten Brunborg is quoted as saying, “The FAST helmet gave our program flexibility to adapt to a variety of service positions and mission profiles that were difficult to accomplish with only one helmet in the past.” He went on to add, “This helmet saves the overall program money by allowing us to field it service wide in several configurations, instead of having to field several different kinds of helmets like we used to. It’s also very beneficial that we can provide our soldiers better ballistic performance at a much lighter weight than our previous helmet. The Ops-Core FAST High Cut version provides the Norwegian Army the right balance between comfort and integration of attachments, which stress the soldiers neck less than the previous solutions and enhances the durability of the soldier.” As you can see, not only did the Norwegian Army find the FAST helmet’s modularity made possible by the Visual Augmentation System (VAS) shroud and Accessory Rail Connector (ARC) rails particularly desirable, but also its lightweight protection as well.

The FAST helmet boasts a ballistic shell developed during a multi-year collaboration effort between Ops-Core, Ceradyne and DSM Dyneema. Ceradyne, the sub-contractor who molds the shell, has a special seamless processing technique using Dyneema’s ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material that yields outstanding ballistic protection at lower weights. Much of the systems technology used in this helmet has also been in the works over the last ten years with significant inputs from the US Army’s PEO Soldier, the Army Research Lab, and Natick Soldier Systems Center. The FAST helmet actually has more in common with the new Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) for the US Army and Marine Corps than the baseline MICH.

Deliveries of the FAST helmet to Norway are scheduled to commence in 4th Quarter of 2011 and continue through 3rd Quarter of 2012. In what is most likely a Norwegian version of an IDIQ contract, it is valid for 10 years and is good for future Norwegian procurement and purchasing activities. On a final note, Ops-Core is well represented throughout Europe by Norwegian company NFM but the helmets will reportedly be manufactured in the US.

For more information, please visit the Ops-Core website at www.ops-core.com.

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Posted in Armor, Contracts, Foreign | 3 Comments »