DuPont(tm) Kevlarr was selected as the ballistic spall liner material for the latest M-ATV award, DuPont Protection Technologies said.
In addition, the company said it was awarded a contract totaling $1.4 million over three years to increase supplies of DuPont(tm) Nomexr brand fibers for military applications.
Both fibers have been used for decades to help protect U.S. soldiers from ballistic and flame threats, and the company has continually improved upon their properties to meet the ever-changing needs of the U.S. military.
Under a $1.3 billion contract awarded by the Army to Oshkosh Corp. [OSK], DuPont will supply Kevlarr for use in the Army’s new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), the latest armored vehicle innovation that combines the mobility of a humvee with the protection of MRAP vehicles.
Kevlarr fiber was selected based on its unique combination of properties that make it the most relevant for this application, and the proven, consistent performance of Kevlarr in the military.
Under the contract, DuPont will supply Kevlarr to Israel’s Plasan, a provider of ballistic protection and crew survival solutions and a subcontractor to Oshkosh Defense. This agreement will allow for the delivery of 5,219 armor kits for M-ATVs. The award also includes aftermarket parts and packages.
Kevlarr fiber helps the M-ATV deliver MRAP-level protection in a smaller, more agile vehicle that is better able to navigate the rough terrain of Afghanistan.
“Kevlarr has been part of vehicle armoring systems protecting U.S. soldiers for more than 20 years,” William Weber, vice president DuPont Protection Technologies, North America, said in a Nov. 10 statement. “We are proud that we are able to provide products and technologies that help keep our soldiers safe from life-threatening dangers.”
Kevlarr fiber, which is used in ballistic vests, anti-mine boots and helmets worn by soldiers, is also a flame-resistant material that provides thermal protection from blasts and fire.
“Vehicles armored with Kevlarr benefit the soldier in two ways,” Patrick Owens, global marketing manager DuPont Protection Technologies, said. “It not only helps in shielding soldiers from bullets and fragmentation, but it also offers thermal protection from blasts and fire.”
Additionally, the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, the troop support center of the Defense Logistics Agency, awarded DuPont a contract to build and maintain a strategic buffer stock of Nomexr fiber used in the manufacture of flame-resistant uniforms. This buffer stock will help meet Surge & Sustainment requirements by reducing the production lead times for end use items containing the fiber.
“This contract will allow the Defense Logistics Agency to ensure the timely availability of Nomexr fiber to members of the value chain that form the contractual industrial base,” Weber said. “We are committed to responding to the military’s need for critical flame-resistant clothing during times of mobilization, war, contingency and military operations.”
Nomexr fiber is an integral part of military flight suits, vehicle crewman coveralls, balaclavas, jackets and gloves. It is inherently flame resistant and will not continue to burn after a flame source is removed. It also creates an insulating barrier that slows the transfer of heat from a fire and gives the wearer time to escape.