Date: Jan 01, 2012 Source: ARMY SBIR Success Story (
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Deployed U.S. forces have an urgent and immediate requirement for lightweight transparent armor with improved ballistic protection capabilities against emerging threats. Polycarbonate (PC) materials have been the standard for Soldier face and eye protection for decades; however, polycarbonate does not provide sufficient protection to counter the current threat.
Frontier Performance Polymers (FPP) developed an innovative lightweight, high performance, transparent armor by upgrading ballistic performance, while also retaining excellent optical properties and reducing weight. The advanced transparent armor material was developed based on unidirectional oriented polypropylene (UOPP) film lamination technology.
This super high strength UOPP laminate exhibits as much as 100 percent greater ballistic impact resistance over conventional transparent armor materials, such as polycarbonate (PC) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Moreover, the density of UOPP is 25 percent lower than PCor PMMA. The technical success of this project has led to an advanced transparent armor technology that delivers lighter weight, better optical properties, higher ballistic resistance and lower cost products.
FPP expects to enter into agreements with manufacturers with established transparent armor product lines to commercialize their transparent armor technology. Initial technology transition is targeting ½" Cupola Protective Ensemble (CPE) (VBS450) face shield as well as ¼" and 3/8" curved, non-ballistic face shields, such as those used in countermine and riot control.
More importantly, UOPP technology can be transitioned to any current high threat protective face shield system, such as Advanced Bomb Suit (ABS) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Personal Protective Equipment (EOD PPE). FPP was recently awarded another SBIR Phase II at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center directly related to this current effort to assist with the development of the thicker ballistic face shield for the Advanced Bomb Suit.
Technology Transition:
To date, this project has received $1.7M in resources from the Commercialization Pilot Program, Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Program Manager Soldier Protective Equipment (PM SPE), and the helmet Reset Program to further develop the technology.
