Honeywell announced that its Spectra Shield® II ballistic materials will be used in combat helmets to protect soldiers in Asia.
Dae-Sung Tech Co., Ltd., a Korean body armor manufacturer, will use Spectra Shield II materials in helmets designed to protect soldiers against a variety of threats, including fragments from improvised explosive devices and small-caliber rounds. The material’s lightweight strength enables the helmets to provide critical head protection at a lower weight, which helps soldiers move more easily and comfortably.
Spectra Shield II materials help the helmet achieve a 20 percent weight reduction when compared with Dae-Sung’s previous helmets. The company will produce the helmets with the material under a three-year contract with Honeywell.
Spectra Shield II is a high-strength, lightweight composite material made with Spectra® fiber. Spectra fiber is ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene made using a patented gel-spinning process. Pound-for-pound, Spectra is 15 times stronger than steel, yet light enough to float. The fiber features a high resistance to chemicals, water and ultraviolet light, and exhibits excellent vibration damping, flex fatigue and internal fiber-friction characteristics. It also has up to 60 percent greater specific strength than aramid fiber.
For more information, read the press release or visit the Spectra website.
