Posted on 02/07/2006 2:25:07 PM PST by John Jorsett
There's nothing else like it on the market currently. A local Marine who served in Iraq has designed a new facial armor system that could save lives. The equipment is already being tested in combat.
"There are a lot of facial injuries. I've had friends currently over there who have been injured in the face," said Ben Mahan, Mtek Weapon Systems.
Mahan is a Marine who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. "After I got back from Iraq in 2003 I noticed we were lacking face protection. So I went out and tried to find facial armor or something I could take because I had to return back with my unit. I wasn't able to find anything," he said.
Since Mahan returned home, he's been working to design a facial armor system that would protect servicemen and women in combat. "I want to save lives. That's my goal," he said.
"He went to the manufacturer of the helmet. They wanted an exorbitant amount of money to even make molds and lay it up and stuff like that," said Vanch Mahan, Ben's dad and business manager at Mtek.
Mahan took the idea to Mark Scott at Prototype Development, a company that concentrates on developing ideas, not for the military, but for racecars.
"We get a lot of e-mails, a lot of ideas, and this one really jumped out as being something special," said Mark Scott, Prototype Development.
"Of course our background is in motor sports so we have years of experience crashing cars into the wall at Indianapolis and other places. So we've tried to take our motor sports approach into the body armor field with some very different ideas," said Scott.
The "Predator" is a facial armor system made of Kevlar, the same material used in bulletproof vests. Mahan has spent the better part of two years perfecting it.
"It's not saying that you're totally protected and aren't going to get injured but it's going to keep a lot of shrapnel from tearing off the lower extremities of your face," said Vance Mahan. "We've shot this with a 12-gauge shot gun from point-blank range which is about a meter or three feet. It stopped that. We've shot it with a 44-magnum point-blank range. It stopped that. We shot it with a .357 at point blank range and it stopped all of it."
The mask will attach to any existing government-issued military helmet. Mtek has already sent one over to Iraq. They’ve also designed a bulletproof visor. Now the trick is getting the government to see the same need they do.
I am sure the ABC reporters wish they had had it!
Having not tried one on, it's hard to say for sure, but it looks like peripheral vision is open until it meets the helmet. The nose piece in the middle could be distracting, but the article says he spent a couple years perfecting it, so maybe when you put it on you find it doesn't obstruct vision.
You're a little short for a storm trooper.
Think about it, half that gear is not necessary and only for the bad-ass scary look. You can bet that the urban "tough guys" are going to be putting that stuff on as soon as it's available.
Nothing intimidares the enemy more than to have a gun pointed at him. Kind of spoils his aim.
You are going to need air conditioning suites for the helmets, or else the helmet will be too hot. The helmet is usable in certain situations, such as bomb difusal and tactical situations, as I stated above
Okay, they're robots, but the helmets are still cool.
There have been recent advancements in transparent alumimium (shades of Star Trek). The goal is replacement of glass in vehicle windows. (The problem is cost of production.)
I've seen some sort of plexiglass (? clear anyway) curved face sheild being used in Iraq, that I presumed would stop shrapnel/small arms.
That, preferably with a tougher material (such as the above clear aluminium) would seem to be solve the vision limitations.
Be sure to specify which side of the armor you want to be working on...
Jango, is that you?
I still get mad when I see that picture,but thanks for showing it.
Way back in VN we would wear a flak jacket sometimes with ceramic plates.It was heavy as heck,but it was always possible it could save your butt.
You gotta give it to them,trying to help the odds when the SHTF. I always thought that steel pot offered little protection.
Today of course Kevlar,I`m sure a tremendous improvement over steel.
IIRC, there's already something out there for helicopter crewmen, with integrated communications. Looks like a stormtrooper helmet and isn't nearly as big as this. I've seen pics of Blackwater helos with door gunners wearing the other version.
Shooter or shootee?
"We're from the government and we're here to help."
Nah! THAT one's small potatoes.
I have the same problem. You might want to try a full face shield.
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