Spectra Technologies: Armoring the World's Warriors.Apart from joint-training exercises and shared-procurement programs, it would seem unusual for military commands as widely diversified as the U.S. Marine Corps, the Spanish Military Police, the Taiwan Military and the Indian Army This article is about the post-independence Indian Army. For the Indian Army under British rule, see British Indian Army. The Indian Army is one of the armed forces of India and has responsibility for land-based military operations. to share technical resources for armor products specified to meet needs unique to these countries. Yet, ranging from ultra-light helmets that provide ballistic and fragmentation protection to state-of-the-art hard armor composites for breast plates and combat vehicles, the common materials resource for meeting such needs has increasingly become Spectra Technologies. This global business unit of Honeywell International, based in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. near Richmond, Virginia Richmond IPA: [ɹɯʒmɐnɖ] is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. , has quietly become a preferred resource for contractors and military commands that are searching for precise material solutions in performance and armor protection. "We are committed to innovation," says Greg Herceg, Managing Director of Spectra Technologies. "For many years now we have been providing the lightest-weight and highest-performing material for body armor Noun 1. body armor - armor that protects the wearer's whole body body armour, cataphract, coat of mail, suit of armor, suit of armour armet - a medieval helmet with a visor and a neck guard , through our Shield Technology family of armor composites." "Just recently, in response to a need from an Asian military command, we also developed a value-priced system--a combination of our high-performance Spectra[R] ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE UHMWPE Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene ) fiber and one of our nylon 6 yarns that meets their specialized performance requirements." Spectra Technologies is part of Honeywell Performance Fibers, a global supplier of polyester, nylon and UHMWPE fibers and fiber products. Multiple Materials Provider It is clear that improved technology, advanced weapon systems and changing political values have combined to raise the bar on armor design in a number of military commands throughout the world. These forces have generated mission-critical requirements for: lighter weights; greater endurance in environmental extremes; and adaptability to electronics warfare-from stealth systems to communications technology Noun 1. communications technology - the activity of designing and constructing and maintaining communication systems engineering, technology - the practical application of science to commerce or industry in helmets. In three words, Herceg describes his group as a "multiple materials resource." The company provides customers with leading-edge materials that enable customers to develop new armor systems. Spectra Technologies offers the largest variety of armor materials of any of the world's suppliers of high-strength fibers, and probably supports more applications than any other organization. "When the customer comes to us, they are introduced to a range of Spectra[R] polyethylene fibers and high-performance fabric constructions; Spectra Shield Spectra Shield® is a composite material (specifically, an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber) used in bulletproof vests and vehicle armour. It is manufactured by Honeywell. [R] and GoldFlex[R] technologies that employ polyethylene and aramid fibers ar·a·mid fiber n. A strong, heat-resistant fiber formed of polymers with repeating aromatic groups branching from a carbon backbone, used in materials for bulletproof vests and radial tires. Also called polyaramid. , respectively; as well as composite systems that employ a range of materials, resins and processing systems for making helmets, breast plates, tactical shields, vehicle and aircraft armor, and the like," says Herceg. Innovation Through Collaboration The company's commitment to the armor business is demonstrated by the number of fibers and materials in its product lineup. Technicians from Spectra Technologies are frequently deployed to any continent to demonstrate materials to customers. Indeed, it is common to see representatives of a European manufacturer, officers from the U.S. military and delegations from Asia visiting Spectra Technologies' ballistics ballistics (bəlĭs`tĭks), science of projectiles. Interior ballistics deals with the propulsion and the motion of a projectile within a gun or firing device. lab and its materials laboratories in Virginia. Here, the ballistics-testing group works alongside clients to test Spectra Technologies-based materials being evaluated for new armor systems. "Our commitment goes beyond just meeting the standard and delivering the high-quality products with which we are entrusted to make," says Herceg. Together with customers we are changing the game-surpassing traditional specifications to provide additional performance and benefits." Worldwide Customers Spectra Technologies supplies material to virtually all the major armor manufacturers and many military commands and law-enforcement agencies worldwide. The result is an impressive roster of customers and accomplishments. The company's advanced materials Advanced Materials is a leading peer-reviewed materials science journal published every two weeks. Advanced Materials includes Communications, Reviews, and Feature Articles from the cutting edge of materials science, including topics in chemistry, physics, for helmet technologies are being used in the U. S. Marine Corps. lightweight helmet 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". program, as well as in head protection for the new French Army contract. Composite helmets made with Spectra[R] fiber-based fabric are being used by the Taiwan Army, which is also combining Spectra Shield[R] material and GoldFlex[R] aramid Aramid fibers are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. They are used in aerospace and military applications, for ballistic rated body armor fabric, and as an asbestos substitute. The name is a shortened form of "aromatic polyamide". for use in their ballistic vests  This article or section may deal primarily with the U.S. and may not present a worldwide view. .
Breast plates made with 100 percent Spectra Shield[R] material are lighter in weight in comparison to other combinations of materials currently used. The Indian Army uses Spectra Shield[R] material-based ballistic plates in their body armor specified to defeat Dragunov rifle rounds. Breast plates made with Spectra Shield[R] material are also being used by the Turkish Military and the French Army to stop rifle rounds. In Spain, the Army is using composite breast plates made with Spectra Shield[R] material and vests made with GoldFlex[R] material. A Legacy of Superior Materials It is no exaggeration to say that Spectra Technologies has brought about a revolution in soft and hard armor worldwide. New ballistic fabrics employing ultra-fine denier de·ni·er 1 n. One that denies: a denier of harsh realities. denier Noun Spectra[R] fiber have added a new dimension of softness, comfort and flexibility to ballistic vests used by the military and police. Spectra[R] fiber is one of the world's strongest and lightest synthetic fibers Noun 1. synthetic fiber - fiber created from natural materials or by chemical processes man-made fiber fiber, fibre - a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn acrylic, acrylic fiber - polymerized from acrylonitrile . The fiber, introduced in 1985, is kilogram- for- kilogram kilogram, abbr. kg, fundamental unit of mass in the metric system, defined as the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder kept at Sèvres, France, near Paris. 10 times stronger than steel, 40 percent tougher than aramid fiber. No other man-made fiber n. 1. A fiber created from natural materials or by chemical processes. Noun 1. man-made fiber - fiber created from natural materials or by chemical processes synthetic fiber offers comparable resistance to impact, abrasion abrasion /abra·sion/ (ah-bra´zhun) 1. a rubbing or scraping off through unusual or abnormal action; see also planing. 2. a rubbed or scraped area on skin or mucous membrane. , chemicals and ultraviolet light Ultraviolet light A portion of the light spectrum not visible to the eye. Two bands of the UV spectrum, UVA and UVB, are used to treat psoriasis and other skin diseases. . Shield Technology, which was introduced in 1989, quickly became the premier ballistic material in advanced armor systems around the world. Shield Technology is a patented, non-woven composite for both soft armor and hard composite ballistic applications. In general, Shield Technology provides exceptional stopping power-especially against high-velocity, multi-hit impacts from both handgun and rifle rounds. The combination of Spectrar fiber and Shield Technology has led to a wide range of innovations in armor: * SpectraFlex[R] material for soft body armor uses Shield Technology to offer flexibility, comfort, lightweight, excellent trauma protection metrics, and Shield-tough performance. * Spectra Shield[R] Plus material for soft body armor provides all the benefits of the original Spectra Shield[R] composite, but is thinner, lighter, more flexible and has better ballistic performance. * GoldFlex[R] ballistic composites bring the ballistic advantages of aramid fibers into the domain of Shield Technology. * Spectra[R] fiber-based ballistic fabrics provide an added dimension of softness, comfort and flexibility to ballistic vests used by the military and police. * Advanced materials for helmets have been developed, using proprietary resin systems as well as a number of innovative fabric and Shield constructions for ballistic and fragmentation protection. * Composites made from Spectra[R] fiber-based fabric, Spectra Shield[R] material, and Spectra Shield[R] Plus material can be used in a wide range of lightweight vehicle, watercraft and aircraft armor, as well as aircraft radomes. * High-performance breast plates are being introduced using Spectra[R] fiber-based fabric and Spectra Shield[R] composites made with new processing technologies. * Hand-held ballistic riot shields riot shield Noun a large shield used by police controlling crowds made with Spectra Shield[R] material provide high performance and lightweight protection against bullets and fragments. * Spectra Technologies also provides blast containment capabilities, which are being evaluated for applications. Future Innovations In the future, new material solutions are expected as the needs of manufacturers, military commands and law-enforcement agencies continue to change. Among others, the group is working on a new Shield Technology material for ballistic vests, and a global broadmarket introduction of a new resin system for ballistic helmets. "We can provide our customers with material to meet new standards and produce products that can exceed current specifications. We will be adding new manufacturing capacity and exploring additional materials for the future," Herceg says. "Innovation is our legacy and our commitment to the future." |
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