Force Protection Technologies, Inc.

Csir

Force Protection Industries, Inc.

Denel (Proprietary) Limited

Vernon P Joynt

John W North

Jonathan W Georgas

James E White

Michael L Williams

Thomas E Borders, Iii

Robert A Cole

Thomas E Borders

Jacobus Theodorus Van Dyk

An armor system for defeating a solid projectile having a first armor plate, an interior armor plate, and an inner armor plate displaced from one another to form a first dispersion space between the first armor plate and the interior armor plate. The first dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of armor passing therethrough. The inner armor plate is disposed approximately parallel to the interior armor plate and displaced therefrom to form a second dispersion space between the interior armor plate and the inner armor plate. The second dispersion space is sufficiently thick to allow significant lateral dispersion of materials passing therethrough.

Apparatus for defeating high energy projectiles

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a blast-resistant armored land vehicle. Wheels or tracks may be attached to the vehicle by an independent suspension. The vehicle may include a body comprised of sheet materials, the body having a longitudinal centerline, an upper portion including opposite side portions, a first bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along a portion of the vehicle, and a second bottom portion defining a V, with the apex of the V substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and extending along another portion of the vehicle. The first bottom portion further includes an energy-absorbing member extending longitudinally within an interior of the first bottom portion. The energy-absorbing member may be on the inside of the apex of the V and be held in position during the blast by its own inertia. The vehicle may also include a spine member having a V shaped cross section and extending along the entire length of the vehicle. All or a portion of the engine, transmission, and drive train assembly may be within the spine member. A vehicle not having a second bottom portion may be retrofitted with the second bottom portion by way of a kit.

Mine resistant armored vehicle

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for protecting a vehicle from a mine. Upon detonation the mine may yield ejecta having an expected trajectory. The system has a first layer of material disposed outside of an underbody of a hull of the vehicle. The first layer includes a base disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the underbody and a protrusion that narrows as it extends away from the base in a direction opposing the expected ejecta trajectory. The system also has a second layer including a material having a shock wave transmission velocity that is higher than a shock wave transmission velocity of the material of the first layer. The system further has an exterior layer substantially covering the first and second layers, and the exterior layer has an exterior surface that faces away from the underbody and toward the expected ejecta trajectory.

System for protecting a vehicle from a mine

An armor system for defeating rocket propelled grenade-type missiles and/or high velocity jets created by shaped charges directed at a vehicle includes a grid layer such as a net and/or an array of slats or bars ('RPG') spaced from an outer surface of the vehicle by support members. The grid layer has a characteristic mesh size or bar/slat spacing to disrupt the missile firing mechanism. The system also has a shaped layer having a plurality of tapered members formed from a fiber-reinforced material, the tapered members positioned between the grid layer and the vehicle outer surface and having respective apex ends proximate the distant the grid layer and base ends, the tapered members defining with adjacent tapered members a plurality of depressions opening in a direction to receive an incoming conical portion of an unexploded RPG-type missile, or a jet emanating from an exploded RPG or other anti-armor device, and a layer of fiber-reinforced material abutting the base ends of the tapered members. The system may further include reactive elements disposed on surfaces of the tapered members defining the depressions to deflect impinging jets. The system may still further include one or more metal armor layers and one or more additional fiber-reinforced material layers disposed between the shaped fiber-reinforced material layer and the vehicle surface.

Multilayer armor system for defending against missile-borne and stationary shaped charges

A armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory and the vehicle having a hull, is disclosed. The armor system has a modular armor subsystem configured to be mounted exterior to the vehicle hull. The modular armor subsystem has a leading layer having metal, leading relative to the expected projectile trajectory, and an intermediate sheet-like layer having low density material, of a density less than metal, abutting a rear surface of the leading layer. The armor system also has an intermediate sheet-like layer having glass fiber material and abutting a rear surface of the intermediate low density material layer, and an intermediate sheet-like layer having metal and abutting a rear surface of the intermediate glass fiber layer.

A body and any occupant of a land vehicle () is protected against effects of a landmine explosion, by conducting shock waves laterally outwardly by means of one or more shock wave guide members () of a material having high acoustic velocity, and located proximate a ground engaging element () of the vehicle. The material may be glass, ceramic or the like having an acoustic velocity of about 6000 m/sec or more, i.e. higher than other materials of other components of the land vehicle. Shock waves encounter less resistance in high-acoustic velocity materials and are thus conducted laterally outwardly, i.e. away from the body. The shock wave guide members may be located immediately above bottom runs of tracks () and annularly within wells of bogey wheels () of track vehicles; and annularly around hubs or within tyres of wheels of wheeled vehicles.

Protection against landmine explosion

An article of protective footwear in the form of a boot () protects a foot () of a user against effects of a landmine explosion. A composite sole volume () between an outer sole () and an inner sole () incorporates shock wave guide elements () of a material having a high acoustic speed, in the form of glass strips which extend spatially from the outer sole () obliquely laterally outwardly to a side of the sole volume. The strips () are surrounded by liquid. Above the strips () and below the inner sole (), there is provided a barrier of material having a low acoustic speed, e.g. vermiculite. Surrounding the foot (), opposed to the sole of the foot, there is provided a fluid having a high acoustic speed, e.g. glycerin to ensure effective transfer of any shock wave component entering the foot, away from the foot.

Protective footwear

A blast-resistant armored land vehicle that may include a monocoque body comprised of sheet material with the bottom portion of the vehicle being substantially V-shaped. The apex of the V is substantially parallel with the centerline of the vehicle with the tip of the V having a radius of approximately 1-4 inches. The angle of the V may be approximately 115&#xb0;-130&#xb0;. The vehicle has a ground clearance of greater than 30 inches. The vehicle further includes an engine detachably affixed within the body, a transmission connected to the engine, a transfer case connected to the transmission having a front output shaft and a rear output shaft. The transfer case may be located at the approximate the fore and aft center of the vehicle and may be enclosed within a blast resistant that includes sheet material above the transfer case. The drive train may be connected to the engine and may be detachably affixed to the body.

An up-armouring kit is suitable for use in protecting a protected zone behind a base 24 against a self forming fragment type landmine. The up-armouring kit comprises an outer wear plate 12, which is advantageously of armour plating of a composition and thickness suitable to prevent penetration by small arm bullets including light machine gun bullets; an inner catch plate 18 of a material having a ductility of at least about 8%; and an intermediate impact absorbing layer 16 of a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic material, a refractory material, a glass based material and glass. The wear plate, the impact absorbing layer and the catch plate are bonded together in that order to form a sandwich construction (22).

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Pretoria, South Africa

Vernon P Joynt