Manufacture of Military

Helmet
Military Helmet according to MIL-
STD662E
Contents

 Preamble to MIL-STD-662E/F
 Reverse engineering of a LEVEL-II Protection
shell
 Specifications of a LEVEL-III Protection helmet
 Current and proposed manufacturing techniques
 Resistance Testing
MIL-STD 662E Level-III / A

 Purpose

 The purpose of this standard is to provide general guidelines for procedures, equipment, physical conditions, and
terminology for determining the ballistic resistance of metallic, nonmetallic and composite armor against small arms
Projectiles. The ballistic test procedure described in this standard determines the V50 ballistic limit of armor.

 Level IIIA is the fourth level of protection

 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 398 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1305 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
 10.2 g (158 gr) .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 436 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).
 8 g (124 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets at a velocity of 373 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1225 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
 11.7 g (180 gr) .40 S&W Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 352 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1155 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
 14.9 g (230 gr) .45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 275 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (900 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).
 2.6 g (40 gr) .22 Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets at a velocity of 329 m/s (1080 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
 6.2 g (95 gr) .380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets at a velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).
MIL-STD 662E Level II Protection Shell

MIL-H-44117A
Cloth Ballistic Aramid
 Mil-spec (type II, class I of MIL-
C-44050)
 Type II - 14.0 oz/sq. yd.
320gm/sqm Class 1 - Untreated
– (scoured)
Laminating Resin
 50% Phenol formaldehyde and
50% PVB
Total Shell Thickness
 3mm for 10 plies
Coating
 MIL-C-46168 Color Olive, with
Silica sand or Walnut Flour
MIL-STD 662E Level-III / A

 Ballistic PASGT Helmet | Military Level IIIA Helmet

 NIJ 0101.06 – Level IIIA Tested to meet or exceed
V50 Ballistic Test for Armor, DOD MIL-STD 662E
 Tested for Penetration and back face deformation
 Standard PASGT design (MIL-H-44099A)
 Tested to defeat: .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .9mm,
.357mm, .40 S&W FMJ rounds
 Dimensions: Shell Thickness 7.3 +/- 0.8.
 Weight 2.9lbs
Manufacturing

 Closed Mold Pressure Molding

 Curing cycle of Phenolic resin is 180°C for
one hour and 140°C for 4 hours
 Granular Bakelite® may be used to flow at
90°C and cure at 140-180°C for an hour
 Biaxial Type II Kevlar 29 / Aramid mat 0.27-
0.30mm thickness
 Phenolic Resin as per original design may be
converted to epoxy for ease of manufacture
 Moulds may be mass produced by stamping
Mild Steel / Aluminum shells from a master
die.
 Vacuum formed / Injection Moulded
polycarbonate shell may also be lined with
kevlar pheolic/epoxy for ease of
manufacture.
Manufacturing

 Phenolic Formaldehyde / Bakelite®

 Kevlar 29 mats to be pre-impregnated with PF and PVB resin
mix, PU may also be used.
 Kevlar sheets are cut in pinwheel patter as per MIL-H-
44099A
 A 10 Ton force may be sufficient to produce a pressure in
the closed mold of around 10 bar per helmet
 Multiple molds per die e.g. 4 Helmets per die will ramp up
the pressure requirement to 40 ton
Testing

 Projectile resitance
 The helmets are to be tested according to the already quoted MIL-STD-662
 A whitness plate to be placed inside the Helmet of 2024-T3/T4 Alminum alloy of 0.51mm thickness
 Penetration at V50 is recorded when the witness plate is completely punched through.