Abstract: A combat helmet may be constructed of a composite material with embedded metal plates Inner and outer shells of woven fibers bound with a thermoset or thermoplastic composite may sandwich titanium or other metal plates to form the helmet. The fibers may include aramid and other fibers that may be laid up in multiple layers. The helmet may be composed of multiple flat faces, and the metal plates may be sheet metal components.

Abstract: A multi-layer material that provides blast and projectile impact protection is provided. The multi-layer material may include a hard metal layer, a composite layer, an air gap layer, and an innermost layer. An armor layer may also be provided that includes a polymeric honeycomb layer and a ceramic layer. In other aspects of the invention, a vehicle made from the multi-layer material is provided, and methods for making the multi-layer material are provided.

Abstract: A ballistic strike plate assembly comprises a first plate formed from aluminum alloy and having a first surface and a second surface. A titanium plate is has a first surface and a second surface. A sheet of ballistic gap foam is adhered to the first surface of the first plate and the first surface of the titanium plate. A multilayer ballistic fabric plate is adhered to the second surface of the titanium plate. A first sheet of ballistic wrap is disposed over the multilayer ballistic fabric plate, and has edges extending beyond edges of the multilayer ballistic fabric plate that are folded over the edges of the multilayer ballistic fabric plate. A second smaller sheet of ballistic wrap is adhered to the portion of the second surface of the first plate not covered by the folded over edges of the first sheet of ballistic wrap.

Abstract: In one embodiment, hybrid body armor includes a ballistic fabric and a plurality of small ballistic plates arranged in a tightly packed array over the ballistic fabric.

Abstract: Protective armor panels comprising a grid formed of a plurality of strips of material having a front edge, a back edge, and side surfaces and a sheet of material secured to the front surface of the grid are disclosed. The strips of material can be contoured to form an armor panel having virtually any arbitrary shape.

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: A hard armor composite includes a rigid facing and a ballistic fabric backing. The fabric backing is carried by the facing, and includes an array of bundled high-performance fibers. The fibers have a tensile strength greater than 7 grams per denier and a denier per filament ratio of less than 5.4.