Ceradyne Inc. to produce helmets and body armor inserts for Army.
Technology continues to alter the battlefield by making more advanced weapons of war. Fortunately, the same can be said for the equipment designed to keep soldiers alive.
The US Army has numerous contracts for that equipment, and one of the latest is an agreement with the 3M subsidiary, Ceradyne Inc. for helmets and body armor inserts.
The new contracts continue the relationship between Ceradyne and the Army, which has included shipment of 120,000 enhanced combat helmets (ECH) and more than two million hard body armor inserts to date.
Although the company issued a recall in 2012 for defective ceramic armor, Ceradyne has stated that the defects did not result in any injuries and were present in less than five percent of plates tested.
The contract for an Integrated Head Protection System (IHPS) is valued at USD $7 million for 5,300 enhanced combat helmets (ECH), while the agreement for the army’s Vital Torso Protection (VTP) is valued at $36 million, extending an existing contract for $34 million. These Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts (ESAPI) are components of the Soldier Protection System (SPS).
These new SPS upgrades will replace the army’s current personal protective equipment (PPE) system, with reduced weight and improved protection for military personnel.
The military does love its abbreviations.
“We are honored to be the awardee of these prestigious contracts,” said Cheryl Ingstad, business manager, Advanced Ceramics Platform – Defense, 3M.
“This contract is a testimony to the quality and superior protection that we can offer to our customer in India too,” said P.T. Mukund, executive director, Industrial Business Group, 3M India Limited.
For more information on how the military is improving its technology, check out some of the latest defense contracts or visit 3M’s Defense portal.
