The US Army is to launch a 24-month study to determine whether "transparent armour" developed for armoured vehicle windows can be used as windscreens on US military rotorcraft.
The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate is to award one or more contracts for the research to assess the feasibility of using the armour, and demonstrate the material's capabilities. Technical data will be shared with US Army helicopter programme managers.
The Army wants to assess cost and weight issues related to transparent armour and its application to combat aircraft. It says: "Advances in transparent armour technology have shown the possibility of increasing ballistic protection while reducing weight." The windscreens would have to withstand ballistic threats from 7.62mm- to 23mm-calibre rounds.
Source: Flight International
