Most helmets seem to follow this basic form:


How come we don't see headgear that looks more like motorcycle helmets, protecting the lower face?


I understand concerns about sensory issues like muffling sound or limiting field of vision, but is there something else that is slowing development or incorporation of ballistic facial protection?

Helmets have to allow for the use of gasmasks. Plus having your face covered while hauling a combat load is impractical. It makes breathing difficult and decreases the efficiency of the person wearing it.

Doh... Gas masks... Makes sense now. Thanks.

I would like to see this helmet.

The only way to have a helmet like that effectively is if the Soldier is in a full body suit which would accomodate an "environmental control" apparatus to take the place of the Pro-Mask

Same reason why plate carriers are better than IOTVs. With IOTVs you get more protection, but you sacrifice it for less mobility/ease of movement.

With the helmet you want above, you'd have to add a commo system, cooling system, and field of view, in order to get that "extra" protection.

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With the helmet you want above, you'd have to add a commo system, cooling system, and field of view, in order to get that "extra" protection.

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So lets add it and overpressure the cooling/breathing system to eliminate that God awful gas mask.

The communication system wouldn't be that hard to add, right?

As far as gas masks go, don't most of them rely on the screw-in filter? Why not just incorporate the fitting into the front of the helmet?
End up looking a little bit like Dark Helmet from "Spaceballs"

Because Joe is smarter than the Army and the Army knows this. It's hard enough to get Joe to keep his brain bucket on. If it was heavier and hotter Joe would revolt and never put it on to begin with.

Oh, and they are rated to stop glancing 9mm rounds. They really only exist to give Joe and warm and fuzzy about his chances in a fight. Adding more material won't improve his chances any.

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Adding more material won't improve his chances any.

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What I had in mind was more like a version of a CVC helmet, with articulating ear protection, a wrap around chin guard, a polarized visor and air blowing in from a small rebreather pack that would retain the ballistic protection characteristics of the current K-pot.

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Oh, and they are rated to stop glancing 9mm rounds

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Several accounts of the ACH stopping AK fire would seem to contradict this statement. I have always heard this but then see the news where joe soldier is standing there with his ACH that just stopped, in one case, three AK rounds at relatively close range.

Ask F-35 pilots about them...



[This message has been edited by mts6175 (edited 7/25/2010 11:44p).]

As an light infantry NCO, I can say that the motorcycle-style helmet would be universally despised. Too heavy. Too hot. Cuts down on field of vision.

In all honesty, if we are dismounted, there is no need to wear the ACH. Let us wear PCs, and in the case of night ops, we always have the God-awful skull crusher. The ACH isn't going to do **** for you if you step on an IED. They are great while mounted up to help guard against TBI, but dismounted they just create discomfort.

Good analysis GigEm01, my counter is to wear a boonie in place of the PC. Other than that, HOOAH!!!

Every time I see a picture of a proposed F-35 helmet I can't help but imagine how bad it would be on your neck while pulling any g's.

My first thought was how in the world would you get a hand mic to your mouth in that thing.

something like a motorcycle helmet would fog up as well. I thing a simple pro-tec helmet like the skateboard helmet would be ideal

No one has mentioned that it would be nearly impossible to properly shoulder a weapon with a motorcycle-style helmet. Properly aiming down the sights requires lowering the cheek to the gun stock. Though I imagine this could be mitigated through the use of red dot sights that work from any angle.

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Oh, and they are rated to stop glancing 9mm rounds. They really only exist to give Joe and warm and fuzzy about his chances in a fight. Adding more material won't improve his chances any.

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This is simply not true.

Last year in Afghanistan I had six Soldiers survive direct hits with 7.62x39 or 7.62x54 to their ACH with nothing more severe than a concussion.

Helmets stop bullets. Maybe not a 7.62x54 at a 90 degree angle from 50m away, but that is not the usual scenario.

Trinity Ag...Helmets do not stop ALL bullets. Or in my personal experience not even close. My company lost 4 in Iraq and 5 in Afghan from 762x39 helmet hits. I understand that alot depends on angle and distance of bullet travel. But in my personal experience the only ones who survived were the ones who take glancing hits at oblique angles. Everything else led to a KIA. Point is the helmets are not designed to take that sort of hit and frankly won't unless the wearer is extremely lucky, in which case congrats. If not then condolences to their family.

helmets stop bullets AND a lot of frag as well. Had a Soldier with a piece of frag from an IED embedded (eliminating the "glancing blow" theory)in his old style Kevlar helmet. Seen pics of rifle round embedded in helmets.

Helmets may not stop ALL bullets at all angles from all ranges, but they DO stop bullets.