US Army Troops Receive New Bulletproof Helmet

Known as the “Integrated Head Protection System” (IHPS), the helmet protects the wearer’s soldier’s entire head from injury.

World War I saw the first use of helmets by US Army troops. However, they were made of simple pressed steel and were impractical. They were heavy, became hot in sunshine, and offered very little in the way of real protection against bullets other than ones that grazed the soldier’s head.

Newer synthetic materials such as Kevlar now allow for helmets that are lightweight and tough, and give the protection against pistol-fired bullets for the first time. Kevlar helmets were first used by the US Army in the 1980s. Unfortunately, these helmets still left the soldier’s face exposed and therefore unprotected. This left the wearer susceptible to head trauma, especially from IEDs (Improvised Explosion Devices) that exploded directly under the soldier’s vehicle.

The IHPS helmet is scheduled for official utilization by troops in 2018.

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