Individual Armour for Soldier
OJSC “Communication assets” (OJSC “Tekhnika Svyazi”) commercialized advanced and reliable protecting helmets “SKAT-S4”.
Analysis of arms market demonstrates a stable demand for means of individual armour protection of the soldier on the battlefield. Moreover, by some products, such as specialised helmets, procurement volumes have increased by several times. Experts associate a surge in sales with the endeavour of the world’s leading armies command to save the most valuable resource – life and health of the soldier who is a combat system himself.
Individual communication means, GPS-navigators, state-of-the-art sights and other high technology devices enable a serviceman not only to engage targets using personal small arms, but to effectively direct aircraft to the enemy’s positions, to adjust artillery fire, to remotely control combat robots. There appeared a significant disadvantage of this high technological system: a vulnerability of the key element i.e. the individual.
Specialists of OJSC “Communication assets” have conducted research and taken a feasibility assessment of production of these goods. As a result of this work, a licence agreement was signed in December 2016 with CJSC
“Armocom”, an associate member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, a leading manufacturing facility of individual armour protection means in Russian Federation.
The product is made of aramid fabric on basis of the “Ruslan” fibre and is intended for usage within an individual combat outfit kit as a servicemen armour protection mean at all types of warfare, including cases of parachute airdrop missions. Discrete-fibre materials are applied in the product, possessing the effect of bullet swing up to 90 degrees, which leads to a significant reduction of penetration ratio. At the same time, the
“SKAT-S4” also ensures an acceptable non-penetration contusion effect. Lightness and convenience of the helmet admit its continuous 24-hours wearing during typical missions in combat situation. One more peculiarity of the product is that the helmet possesses a positive buoyancy and may ensure the support of the weaken or unconscious servicemen in water environment.
Almost all programmes “Future Soldier”, adopted by world’s leading armies, consider the helmet as a platform for installation of night vision, communication, navigation devices, displays for self-monitoring and informational functions. At the same time individual protection means, helmet in particular, are adopted by the programme as an element which except protective functions should be interoperable with other elements of the system.
Deliberately the “SKAT-S4” is fitted with special mounts fixed in the forehead part for installation of night vision device. Additionally, on the left side there is mounted a Picatinny rail which ensures installation of accessories. The kit also includes two dismountable cases made of impact-resistant fabric.
Maximum product weight of the second typical size is 1.3 kg.
The “SKAT-S4” ensures the protection against 9 mm bullets of the Stechkin automatic pistol APS (9×18 mm cartridge with Pst bullet, index
57-N-181S). These characteristics are confirmed by the armoured means trial record issued by the Russian Federation state demonstration test station for small arms and cartridges and technical protection means of the Central Scientific-Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering (JSC “TSNIITOCHMASH”).
The shape of the “SKAT-S4” helmet ensures the capability of prone position sight shooting, capability to use it in combination with the active hearing protection headset of 6M2 type (active hearing protection and communication headset 6M2-1). An undercrown attachment of the product ensures adjustment of head fitting depth and does not allow its movement on the run, walk, turn and head inclination.
Technologies of individual armour protection means manufacture do not stay still, but constantly developing. Manufacturing protective helmets by OJSC “Communication assets” under the licence agreement is able to completely satisfy the requirements of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. OJSC “Communication assets” development strategy comprehends a yearly increase in the local content in protecting helmets manufacturing that definitely will decrease the prime cost of the product, increase its attractiveness both on the internal and foreign markets.
More detailed information you can find in “The VPK. Belarus” magazine No. 1, 2018.
