Morgan Advanced Materials to supply body armour to UK MoD

A £4.49 million defence contract has been agreed between Morgan Advanced Materials and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The contract will see the Composites and Defence business of Morgan deliver hard body armour that has been designed and manufactured to bespoke requirements. The armour, which will be designed and manufactured at Morgan’s UK factory in Coventry, draws on the company’s composite armour technology capability. The agreement comes a year after Morgan won a £1.1 million contract with the MoD to supply ballistic shields and supporting services.

“We are honoured to extend our relationship delivering bespoke protective body armour to the UK MoD,” Simon Pickin, President of Morgan’s Composites and Defence business, commented. “Through a combination of extensive composite and ceramic materials knowledge, rigorous testing, and careful application, we are able to deliver ultra-lightweight body armour offering class leading levels of protection. From ballistic helmets, to rifle protected shields and personal armour plates, we are experiencing high demand for our range of ultralight personal armour from our global customer base. We continue to work with major defence and law enforcement organisations and are thrilled to further our products with the UK MoD.”

The Composite and Defence business of Morgan Advanced Materials won the tender for the Canadian Military Helmet programme with its ultra lightweight LASA AC914 helmet incorporating DYNEEMA Force Multiplier Technology. DSM Dyneema, the manufacturer of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre, branded as DYNEEMA, is a world leader in life protection materials and high-performance fibres.

The LASA helmets won the competition by delivering ballistic performance without compromising other key performance criteria such as flame retardancy, dynamic deflection and structural requirements at the lightest possible weight, according to the company. The LASA helmet series is comprised of two styles: the full-cut LASA AC914 helmet for combat operations and the high-cut LASA AC915 assault helmet for special operations, which allows greater situational awareness. Both helmets are compatible with a range of suspension systems for optimum comfort. Furthermore lightweight rails and a night vision goggle (NVG) shroud allow integration with in-service capability. DSM Dyneema’s lightweight DYNEEMA Force Multiplier Technology, which provides ballistic protection, is one component of the ultra-lightweight hybrid composite that allowed Morgan’s developers to reduce areal density of the helmet shell by 30 percent. As a result, the full-cut design weighs only 1.2kg, while the high-cut model weighs just over one kilogrammes. Because weight reduction is critical in view of the growing array of technologies that soldiers must carry, a lighter helmet offsets the burden of attachments such as NVGs, full face visors, mandible guards, communication systems and cameras. It also increases comfort and freedom of movement.