WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Ceradyne, a subsidiary of industrial conglomerate 3M, has been awarded contracts of unspecified value for next-generation helmet systems and body-armor inserts as part of the US Army’s Soldier Protection System, the company said in a press release Tuesday.
"The Army designed the IHPS [Integrated Head Protection System] to give soldiers a lighter-weight ballistic helmet system that also provides passive hearing protection and increased blunt-impact performance and includes numerous accessories, including a mandible, visor, night vision goggle attachment device, rails and modular ballistic applique," the release stated. "The VTP [Vital Torso Protection components] will equip soldiers with lighter-weight body armor inserts.
Minnesota-based 3M has deep expertise in developing and manufacturing advanced lightweight materials, the release added.
Ceradyne has produced 120,000 helmets for the Army and Marine Corps and has delivered more than 2 million hard-body-armor inserts to the US military to date.
