In contrast to police forces, soldiers have to wear their helmets for much longer stretches at a time. As a result, weight has been the main criterion up to now when selecting combat helmets made mostly out of aramid. Although these are very light and offer good protection against fragments, they display fatal weaknesses in the case of projectiles. Even if the projectile is stopped by the helmet shell, typical NIJ 3a aramid helmets have extremely high back face deformation and potentially deadly residual energy values – and therefore trauma values. When a helmet stops a projectile, the deforming helmet strikes the wearer’s head and transfers high residual energy. This will cause potentially fatal head injuries.
Protection up, weight down: true protection starting at 1.25 kilograms
After years of research, ULBRICHTS Protection has upgraded its titanium concept, which has been tried and tested for more than 20 years, to bring it into the weight class of combat-ready lightweight helmets. The latest version of the HIGH CUT / JUMP ballistic helmet only weighs around 1.25 kilograms. But despite its low weight, the helmet provides effective protection against handgun fire according to the Golden Standard VPAM 3 HVN 2009. This means that the helmet not only stops the bullet but also that the helmet has a very low back face deformation when being hit. This keeps the strike on the head low and the transferred energy below the threshold value below survivable 25 Joule. Thanks to its combination of titanium and polyethylene, the HIGH CUT / JUMP also offers excellent protection against fragments. This high-tech product not only gives soldiers effective ballistic head protection in highly dynamic situations but also enables them to wear it for long periods – and thus offers them the same level of protection that is already standard in many European police units today.
In addition to the particularly light HIGH CUT / JUMP, the entire VPAM-3 helmet range from ULBRICHTS Protection has also undergone an update. By further developing and improving the materials used, ULBRICHTS has achieved significant weight reductions in its VPAM-3 helmets without compromising their protective effectiveness.
In addition, ULBRICHTS offers the option of achieving true protection against rifles with an additional forehead shield. The FORTIS module can be attached to the front helmet shell in just a few simple steps using the Velcro surface. As a result, this ultra-light helmet variant is also able to stop shots from a Kalashnikov assault rifle using 7.62 x 39 steel-core ammunition (MSC) while at the same time achieving trauma values below 25 joules (test level VPAM 6 and trauma values analog to the European guideline VPAM HVN 2009 below 25 joules). This means that the ballistic protection of the combat helmet and vest can be adjusted. The Head and body are protected in the best possible way against various operational threats.
New ZENTURIO for special units: True protection against rifles without additional modules
The solution for special forces / special operations in need of increased ballistic protection requirements is now also available to military special units as a high-protection direct-action helmet from high to low cut. The ZENTURIO, the flagship of the ULBRICHTS helmet family, has reached a new level of protection in its latest version: VPAM 6. While the previous ZENTURIO was designed as a standard operational helmet to protect European special forces against handguns (test level VPAM 3), the new helmet can stop gunfire from a Kalashnikov assault rifle using 7.62 x 39 steel-core ammunition (MSC) while at the same time achieving trauma values below 25 joules (test level VPAM 6 and trauma values analog to the European guideline VPAM HVN 2009 below 25 joules). This effectively prevents a potentially life-threatening craniocerebral trauma even in the case of the acute military threat that a Kalashnikov assault rifle represents. In addition, the new ZENTURIO offers stopping power against the NATO 7.62 x 51 caliber (.308 / M80 / NIJ III). This makes it the only helmet in its weight class on the market that offers its wearer all-around effective and standalone protection against rifles without additional shields – a real threat to which procurers around the world are responding by adapting protective equipment.
More than just looks: ULBRICHTS helmets in a new design
The latest helmet generation from ULBRICHTS Protection not only provides particularly good protection results. The exterior has also been significantly improved. Protection, design, and comfort were consistently conceived holistically. In the future, ULBRICHTS helmets will no longer need screws on the helmet shell, on the one hand saving weight, on the other increasing the helmet’s effective protective surface by 20 to 30 percent – screws and the necessary holes are a well-known weak point of the helmet shell. In addition, they can in turn become a dangerous secondary projectile when fired on.
All ULBRICHTS helmets can be continuously adjusted in a matter of seconds and can therefore be worn unisize for all head sizes ranging from 48 to 62 centimeters. A sophisticated inner helmet system ensures an optimally centered fit. Other properties, such as improved modularity and practical features, characterize the new generation. Both the visors from our own production and other accessories can be easily and flexibly mounted. The latest helmet generation shows at a glance why it was developed: true protection, dynamics, and functionality.
About ULBRICHTS Protection
ULBRICHTS Protection in Schwanenstadt (Upper Austria) is a division of ULBRICHTS GmbH. It develops and manufactures ballistic helmets made of titanium and titanium hybrid. The company’s international clientele includes patrol officers, special police forces and other police units, and the military. The company is one of the pioneers in the field of ballistic head protection and regularly sets new technical standards in terms of true protection, comfort, and design.
Further Information: http://www.ulbrichts.com/protection/medienbereich
Contact Thomas Poandl
Regional Sales Manager Protection / Marketing & PR
Tel.: +43 664 88103498
[email protected]
Ulbrichts GmbH
A-4690 Schwanenstadt, Kaufing 34
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SOURCE ULBRICHTS Protection
