Date: Jan 15, 2008 Source: ARMY SBIR Success Stories (
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The Army's need for rapid deployment capabilities and the increasing loads on the Infantry Soldier have created the demand for lightweight armor systems. The current ballistic protection offered against small arms rounds is based on ceramic with fiber-reinforced composite backing. The Army requires a decrease in the weight of the current armor systems, with an increase in durability, multi-hit performance, and a development of systems for the defeat of more aggressive threats. The goal of the SBIR Phase II was the development of a ceramic composite tile with improved features, including better durability and multi-hit protection, improved ballistic performance, and lower cost.
To meet this requirement, M Cubed developed durable, ceramic composite, low cost, lightweight, high performance, personnel armor ballistic protective inserts for small arms protection. A primary component of the insert is a multi-curved ceramic tile designed to damage the projectile such that the high strength polymer backing catches any debris. Through the use of novel additives and controlled thermal cycles, all unwanted chemical reactions between the different phases are prevented, yielding fully dense, high hardness composite bodies. In addition, durability and multi-hit performance were enhanced due to multi-phase toughening provided by composite microstructures.
Phase III Impacts:
M Cubed Technologies has received an additional funding of roughly $600K in investments from the Army to improve their product. 98,735 tiles were manufactured and delivered in 2007, resulting in sales over $24M. Current sales as of July 2008 reflect 72,949 tiles shipped, resulting in sales of $18M.
A follow-on CPP program was obtained in March 2008 $300K committed, with an additional $300K option available based on performance. The aim of this program is to develop a reaction bonded ceramic composite for the next generation personnel armor specification.
