Advanced Combat Helmet
Encyclopedia
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's current combat helmet
Combat helmet
A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat. Helmets are among the oldest forms of personal protective equipment and are known to have been worn by the Akkadians/Sumerians in the 23rd century BC, Mycenaean Greeks since 17th...
. It was developed by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center to be the next generation of protective combat helmets for use by the U.S. Army. The ACH is derived from the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet.
History
The Advanced Combat Helmet was fielded in 2003 by PEO SoldierPEO Soldier
Program Executive Office Soldier is a government organization responsible for rapid prototyping, procurement, and fielding of equipment for U.S...
to replace the PASGT helmet.
In 2007 the Army introduced a ballistic "nape pad" that attaches to the ACH's rear suspension system. 430,000 were to be issued in the Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI).
Beginning in 2008, the Army's Program Executive Office Soldier outfitted soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
and 4th Infantry Division bound for Iraq with helmet-mounted sensors designed to gather data on head injuries caused during Improvised Explosive Device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
(IED) detonations. The data collected will help with the design of improvements to the MICH's suspension and chin strap systems.
In 2006, 102,000 helmets were ordered from ArmorSource
ArmorSource
ArmorSource LLC. is a manufacturer of military, police and special forces ballistic helmets and head protection systems and their accessories for personal use...
. 99,000 of these helmets were delivered when the U.S. Army terminated the contract due to chipped paint. In May 2009, 55,000 of these were in storage and 44,000 were in use U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel. The 44,000 helmets in use by service members were recalled by the U.S. Army in May 2010 due to potentially defective materials being used.
34,218 ACHs made by Gentex
Gentex
Gentex Corporation manufactures automatic-dimming rear-view mirrors and camera-based driver assistance systems to the global automotive industry. The company also provides commercial smoke alarms and signaling devices to the North American fire protection market, as well as dimmable aircraft...
were recalled in May 2009. Certain screws attaching the chinstrap and other parts to the helmet did not conform to specifications in the contract. The screws failed ballistics tests at extreme temperatures. Gentex alleges its subcontractor had fabricated compliance certificates for the screws.
A MultiCam
MultiCam
MultiCam is a single camouflage pattern designed to help the wearer hide in varied environments, seasons, elevations, and light conditions. It is a 7-color, multi-environment camouflage pattern developed by Crye Associates in conjunction with U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center...
cover for the Advanced Combat Helmet began fielding in late 2009 for soldiers deployed in Afghanistan.
The ACH and Lightweight Helmet
Lightweight Helmet
The Lightweight Helmet is the U.S. Marine Corps replacement for the PASGT combat helmet. As it is nearly identical to untrained eyes in shape to the PASGT, it is still called the Fritz helmet or K-pot...
s may be replaced with the Enhanced Combat Helmet
Enhanced Combat Helmet (United States)
The Enhanced Combat Helmet is a United States Marine Corps program to replace the combat helmets of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marines using thermoplastics instead of the ballistic fibers used on the current generation combat helmets.- Design :...
currently under development.
Design
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
and Twaron
Twaron
Twaron is the brandname of Teijin Aramid for a para-aramid. It is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibre developed in the early 1970s by the Dutch company AKZO, division Enka, later Akzo Industrial Fibers. The research name of the para-aramid fibre was originally Fiber X, but it was soon...
.
In 2007 the Army developed and introduced a ballistic "nape pad" that attaches to the ACH's rear suspension system and coincided with the introduction of the Improved Outer Tactical Vest
Improved Outer Tactical Vest
The Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or IOTV, is an enhanced version of, and a replacement for, the older Outer Tactical Vest variant of the Interceptor body armor, as fielded by the United States Army...
(IOTV). The pad reduces soldier deaths from shrapnel wounds to the neck and lower head.
Beginning in 2008, the Army's Program Executive Office Soldier outfitted soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
and 4th Infantry Division bound for Iraq with helmet-mounted sensors designed to gather data on head injuries caused during improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
(IED) detonations. The data collected will help with the design of improvements to the ACH's suspension and chin strap systems.
See also
- Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops Helmet
- Army Combat UniformArmy Combat UniformThe Army Combat Uniform is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army. It is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform worn during the 1980s and 1990s. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its...
- SPECTRA helmetSPECTRA helmetThe SPECTRA helmet or CGF Gallet Combat Helmet is the ballistic helmet currently in use in the French military, as well as in the armies of several other countries. Built by CGF Gallet , it weighs , is available in two sizes, and is made from Spectra fibers, produced under license from Honeywell...
- Interceptor body armorInterceptor body armorInterceptor Body Armor is the United States Army's primary bulletproof vest. The Interceptor design replaced the older fragmentation protective Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops body armor system, introduced in the early 1980s...
- Lightweight HelmetLightweight HelmetThe Lightweight Helmet is the U.S. Marine Corps replacement for the PASGT combat helmet. As it is nearly identical to untrained eyes in shape to the PASGT, it is still called the Fritz helmet or K-pot...
- KevlarKevlarKevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
- Mk. 6 HelmetMk. 6 HelmetThe Mk. 6 helmet is the standard combat helmet of the British Armed Forces. The Mk6 replaced the Mk. 5 Helmet in service from 1986 and is designed to accept modern ear protection, personal radios, and respirators...
—current helmet used by the British Armed forces - MICH 2001
External links
- Combat helmet continues to evolve, step by step
- Advanced Combat Helmet—GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
- Advanced helmets—BodyArmorNews.com
- MICH and ACH—Olivedrab.com
- US Military Taking Delivery of Advanced Combat Helmets—Defense Industry Daily