An armor system for protecting vehicles and other equipment against projectiles and similar threats. A track is mounted on the equipment, and an upper sled and lower sled are moveably attached to the track. An armor panel is pivotally attached to one sled and is pivotally attached with arms to the other sled. The two sleds are independently actuated along the track, such that their relative positions determine both the translational and rotational position of the armor panel. The armor panel can be quickly rotated from an undeployed position against the vehicle through a desired arc outward from the vehicle, which increases the edge-on or nearly edge-on presentation of the armor panel to the projectile.

The presently disclosed subject matter concerns an impact detection system for detecting an event of impact of a threat on a target and determining at least one characteristic of the event. The system comprises a sensing array of sensing elements mountable to the target. Each sensing element being configured to change its state from an intact state to a damaged state upon impact of the threat. The system further comprises a measuring system operatively coupled to the sensing elements, and a processing system operatively coupled to the measuring system. The processing system being configured to identify changes in the state of the sensing elements, and upon identifying the changes of the states of at least two sensing elements during the event of impact, generate a data signal including a time-sequence of the corresponding changes, and to determine said at least one characteristic of the event of the impact accordingly.

A composite structure, such as a laminated composite panel, for example, comprises one or more layers or plies embedded in a matrix material or otherwise fixed together in an arrangement, commonly referred to as a stack up. Each material in the structure has a corresponding material failure model (MFM) defining the physical characteristics of that material. A ballistic threshold velocity computing device obtains the MFMs for each material in the composite structure, generates a predicted ballistic velocity threshold velocity for each MFM, and then generates a parametric model to compute a composite ballistic velocity threshold velocity for the composite structure.

In one embodiment, a flashing system is provided for fortifying seams between a first blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module and a second blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module. The system includes a first side flashing assembly for fortifying a first side seam between the first blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module and the second blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module, a top flashing assembly for fortifying a top seam between the first blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module and the second blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module, and a second side flashing assembly for fortifying a second side seam between the first blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module and the second blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter module. The system can also include fastening assemblies for coupling the flashing assemblies with the blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant shelter modules.

A composite ballistics protective textile structure comprises at least a textile element and one or more textile or thermoplastic matrix elements. The first textile element comprises unidirectional yarn fibers or flat strips. The second textile element comprises flat strip elements consisting of unidirectional yarns or thermoplastic films. Additional elements comprise thermoplastic matrix arrangements, based on rubber, elastomeric polymers or being laminated with thermoplastic films, for stabilizing the structure and reducing bullet trauma impacts.

A composite ballistics protective textile structure comprises at least a textile element and one or more textile or thermoplastic matrix elements. The first textile element comprises unidirectional yarn fibers or flat strips. The second textile element comprises flat strip elements consisting of unidirectional yarns or thermoplastic films. Additional elements comprise thermoplastic matrix arrangements, based on rubber, elastomeric polymers or being laminated with thermoplastic films, for stabilizing the structure and reducing bullet trauma impacts.

A supercapacitor-like device is described that uses a porous, conductive foam as the electrodes. After the device is charged, an explosive wave front can be used to remove electrolyte from the metal foam. This creates a large net charge on each electrode, which will readily flow through a load placed across the electrodes. The removal of charge can potentially occur on a time scale of microseconds, allowing a supercapacitor to be used in pulsed power applications. The creation of this net charge requires significant energy, meaning this concept may also be suitable for removing kinetic energy from objects.

A porous metamaterial is disclosed, comprising a matrix (101) having a plurality of voids (103) therein, wherein a content of interest (104) is trapped within each of at least part of the voids (103), detached from the matrix (101), thereby providing a respective unit-cell (100) of the metamaterial, with an intended predetermined property associated with the presence of the content of interest (104) within the at least one void (103). A variety of applications of the disclosed metamaterials are presented, including armors having either non-Newtonian fluids or magnetic particles confined within the voids as a content of interest. Upon subjecting the magnetic particles to a rotating magnetic field, the magnetic particles spin within the voids and gain angular momentum, thereby improving the resistance of the armor against penetration. Systems and methods for manufacturing porous metamaterial units having contents of interest confined within voids therein, are also disclosed.

An armor plate damage detection and testing system is disclosed that uses an initial electrical signal to generate mechanical energy waves that travel across the armor plate and reflect off the plate surfaces, wherein the reflections of those waves are recorded and analyzed with reference to a previously stored wave reflection signature to determine if damage has occurred to the armor plate. The analyzed results are communicated to the user in real time using a display unit and can further be communicated to a remote entity through an incorporated wireless transmitter.

An armor plate damage detection and testing system is disclosed that uses an initial electrical signal to generate mechanical energy waves that travel across the armor plate and reflect off the plate surfaces, wherein the reflections of those waves are recorded and analyzed with reference to a previously stored wave reflection signature to determine if damage has occurred to the armor plate. The analyzed results are communicated to the user in real time using a display unit and can further be communicated to a remote entity through an incorporated wireless transmitter.