Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a blast-resistant armored land vehicle configured to operate on a surface. The vehicle may include a body comprised of sheet materials, the body having a centerline and a bottom portion. The vehicle may further include a grid portion suspended below the bottom portion, the grid portion including one or more slats on each side of the centerline, wherein the one or more slats are oriented at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the surface. Alternatively, the grid portion may include one or more vanes, each of the one of more vanes defining a V, with the apex of the V being rounded and directed towards the bottom portion.

Abstract: An armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory, is disclosed. The armor system has a material capable of being detonated and configured to substantially retain a shape, wherein the material leads a vehicle exterior surface relative to the expected projectile trajectory. The material has a dimensional thickness that is greater than a minimum detonation thickness of the material.

Abstract: An armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile is disclosed. The armor system includes a telescoping frame having an attaching member attaching the telescoping frame to a hull of the vehicle, a support member, and at least one movable cross member attached between the attaching member and the support member. A distance between the hull and the support member varies based on the position of the at least one cross member. The armor system also includes a projectile-defeating assembly attached to the support member.

Abstract: An armor system for defeating a solid projectile has an outer armor plate, an interior armor plate, and an inner armor plate, the plates positioned approximately parallel to one another and also displaced from one another along the projectile trajectory to form a first dispersion space between the outer armor plate and the interior armor plate, and a second dispersion space between the interior armor plate and the inner armor plate. The first and second dispersion spaces are each sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of any armor fragments passing therethrough.

Abstract: An armor system for defeating a solid projectile having a first armor plate, an interior armor plate, and an inner armor plate displaced from one another to form a first dispersion space between the first armor plate and the interior armor plate. The first dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of armor passing therethrough. The inner armor plate is disposed approximately parallel to the interior armor plate and displaced therefrom to form a second dispersion space between the interior armor plate and the inner armor plate. The second dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of materials passing therethrough.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for protecting a vehicle from a mine. Upon detonation the mine may yield ejecta having an expected trajectory. The system has a first layer of material disposed outside of an underbody of a hull of the vehicle. The first layer includes a base disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the underbody and a protrusion that narrows as it extends away from the base in a direction opposing the expected ejecta trajectory. The system also has a second layer including a material having a shock wave transmission velocity that is higher than a shock wave transmission velocity of the material of the first layer. The system further has an exterior layer substantially covering the first and second layers, and the exterior layer has an exterior surface that faces away from the underbody and toward the expected ejecta trajectory.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a blast-resistant armored land vehicle. Wheels or tracks may be attached to the vehicle by an independent suspension. The vehicle may include a body comprised of sheet materials, the body having a longitudinal centerline, an upper portion including opposite side portions, a first bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along a portion of the vehicle, and a second bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along another portion of the vehicle. The first bottom portion further includes an energy-absorbing member extending longitudinally within an interior of the first bottom portion. The energy-absorbing member may be on the inside of the apex of the V and be held in position during the blast by its own inertia.

Abstract: An armor system for defeating rocket propelled grenade-type missiles and/or high velocity jets created by shaped charges directed at a vehicle includes a grid layer such as a net and/or an array of slats or bars (“RPG”) spaced from an outer surface of the vehicle by support members. The grid layer has a characteristic mesh size or bar/slat spacing to disrupt the missile firing mechanism. The system also has a shaped layer having a plurality of tapered members formed from a fiber-reinforced material, the tapered members positioned between the grid layer and the vehicle outer surface and having respective apex ends proximate the distant the grid layer and base ends, the tapered members defining with adjacent tapered members a plurality of depressions opening in a direction to receive an incoming conical portion of an unexploded RPG-type missile, or a jet emanating from an exploded RPG or other anti-armor device, and a layer of fiber-reinforced material abutting the base ends of the tapered members.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a wheel for a land vehicle. The wheel may include a mounting flange configured to secure the wheel to the land vehicle and a rim. The wheel may further include a hollow tire configured to be mounted about the rim and wherein the hollow tire and the rim define a space. The wheel may still further include one or more high velocity of shock balls disposed within the space. The wheel may include an internal tire support having an inside wall and an outside wall and one or more high velocity of shock elements extending axially across the support. It is contemplated that the high velocity of shock elements and balls may be glass, ceramic, metal, or combination of glass, ceramic, and metal.

Abstract: An armor system for defeating a solid projectile having an exterior rigid armor plate associated with a fiber-reinforced sheet armor affixed to the interior surface of the exterior armor plate, an interior armor plate, and an inner armor plate displaced from one another to form a first dispersion space between the sheet of self-bonded polymer and the interior armor plate. The first dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of armor passing therethrough. The inner armor plate is disposed approximately parallel to the interior armor plate and displaced therefrom to form a second dispersion space between the interior armor plate and the inner armor plate. The second dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of materials passing therethrough.

Abstract: An armor system for defeating a solid projectile having a first armor plate, an interior armor plate, and an inner armor plate displaced from one another to form a first dispersion space between the first armor plate and the interior armor plate. The first dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of armor passing therethrough. The inner armor plate is disposed approximately parallel to the interior armor plate and displaced therefrom to form a second dispersion space between the interior armor plate and the inner armor plate. The second dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of materials passing therethrough.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for protecting a vehicle from a mine. Upon detonation the mine may yield ejecta having an expected trajectory. The system has a first layer of material disposed outside of an underbody of a hull of the vehicle. The first layer includes a base disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the underbody and a protrusion that narrows as it extends away from the base in a direction opposing the expected ejecta trajectory. The system also has a second layer including a material having a shock wave transmission velocity that is higher than a shock wave transmission velocity of the material of the first layer. The system further has an exterior layer substantially covering the first and second layers, and the exterior layer has an exterior surface that faces away from the underbody and toward the expected ejecta trajectory.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a blast-resistant armored land vehicle. Wheels or tracks may be attached to the vehicle by an independent suspension. The vehicle may include a body comprised of sheet materials, the body having a longitudinal centerline, an upper portion including opposite side portions, a first bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along a portion of the vehicle, and a second bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along another portion of the vehicle. The first bottom portion further includes an energy-absorbing member extending longitudinally within an interior of the first bottom portion. The energy-absorbing member may be on the inside of the apex of the V and be held in position during the blast by its own inertia.

Abstract: A armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory and the vehicle having a hull, is disclosed. The armor system has a modular armor subsystem configured to be mounted exterior to the vehicle hull. The modular armor subsystem has a leading layer having metal, leading relative to the expected projectile trajectory, and an intermediate sheet-like layer having low density material, of a density less than metal, abutting a rear surface of the leading layer. The armor system also has an intermediate sheet-like layer having glass fiber material and abutting a rear surface of the intermediate low density material layer, and an intermediate sheet-like layer having metal and abutting a rear surface of the intermediate glass fiber layer.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a blast-resistant armored land vehicle. Wheels or tracks may be attached to the vehicle by an independent suspension. The vehicle may include a body comprised of sheet materials, the body having a longitudinal centerline, an upper portion including opposite side portions, a first bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along a portion of the vehicle, and a second bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along another portion of the vehicle. The first bottom portion further includes an energy-absorbing member extending longitudinally within an interior of the first bottom portion. The energy-absorbing member may be on the inside of the apex of the V and be held in position during the blast by its own inertia.

Abstract: An armor system for defeating rocket propelled grenade-type missiles and/or high velocity jets created by shaped charges directed at a vehicle includes a grid layer such as a net and/or an array of slats or bars (“RPG”) spaced from an outer surface of the vehicle by support members. The grid layer has a characteristic mesh size or bar/slat spacing to disrupt the missile firing mechanism. The system also has a shaped layer having a plurality of tapered members formed from a fiber-reinforced material, the tapered members positioned between the grid layer and the vehicle outer surface and having respective apex ends proximate the distant the grid layer and base ends, the tapered members defining with adjacent tapered members a plurality of depressions opening in a direction to receive an incoming conical portion of an unexploded RPG-type missile, or a jet emanating from an exploded RPG or other anti-armor device, and a layer of fiber-reinforced material abutting the base ends of the tapered members.

Abstract: A armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory and the vehicle having a hull, is disclosed. The armor system has a modular armor subsystem configured to be mounted exterior to the vehicle hull. The modular armor subsystem has a leading layer having metal, leading relative to the expected projectile trajectory, and an intermediate sheet-like layer having low density material, of a density less than metal, abutting a rear surface of the leading layer. The armor system also has an intermediate sheet-like layer having glass fiber material and abutting a rear surface of the intermediate low density material layer, and an intermediate sheet-like layer having metal and abutting a rear surface of the intermediate glass fiber layer.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a blast-resistant armored land vehicle. Wheels or tracks may be attached to the vehicle by an independent suspension. The vehicle may include a body comprised of sheet materials, the body having a longitudinal centerline, an upper portion including opposite side portions, a first bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along a portion of the vehicle, and a second bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along another portion of the vehicle. The first bottom portion further includes an energy-absorbing member extending longitudinally within an interior of the first bottom portion. The energy-absorbing member may be on the inside of the apex of the V and be held in position during the blast by its own inertia.

Abstract: A body and any occupant of a land vehicle (10) is protected against effects of a landmine explosion, by conducting shock waves laterally outwardly by means of one or more shock wave guide members (16, 18) of a material having high acoustic velocity, and located proximate a ground engaging element (12) of the vehicle. The material may be glass, ceramic or the like having an acoustic velocity of about 6000 m/sec or more, i.e. higher than other materials of other components of the land vehicle. Shock waves encounter less resistance in high-acoustic velocity materials and are thus conducted laterally outwardly, i.e. away from the body. The shock wave guide members may be located immediately above bottom runs of tracks (12) and annularly within wells of bogey wheels (14) of track vehicles; and annularly around hubs or within tyres of wheels of wheeled vehicles.

Abstract: The disclosed armor system for protecting a vehicle from high energy projectiles includes a leading layer, relative to the projectile trajectory, positioned exterior to the hull; a first plurality of sheet-like layers of a low density material positioned between the leading layer and the hull; and a second plurality of sheet-like high strength metal layers positioned between the leading layer and the hull. The individual ones of the first plurality of high strength metal layers are positioned alternating with, and to the rear of, individual ones of the second plurality of low density material layers. The leading layer can be one of a sheet-like metal layer, a metalicized grid layer, and the outer-most layer of the first plurality of low density materials layers. The materials of the high strength metal layers may be selected from high strength steel and high strength aluminum, and the materials of the low density material may be selected from low density polypropylene composites and R-Glass composites.