Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP)
AGY'S S-2 Glass® Fibers Help Provide Maximum Structural and Ballistic Protection in Revolutionary New Military Vehicle
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AIKEN, SC, USA - AGY's S-2 Glass® fibers have been chosen as a key base material for providing both structural and ballistic protection in the new Ocelot Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) developed by Force Protection Europe Ltd. (FPE). Designed to meet the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) LPPV program requirements, the Ocelot provides unprecedented levels of blast protection for a vehicle its size. Developer FPE has been contracted by the UK MoD for the production of the Ocelot and has received an initial order for 200 vehicles to begin delivery in 2011 for deployment in the most hostile of operational environments.
According to Drew Walker, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at AGY, "The MoD's LPPV vehicle program requires a significant level of armoring to protect against ballistic, mine and roadside bomb threats and this is achieved in part through the use of our S-2 Glass reinforcing fibers. S-2 Glass fibers are a high performance fiber glass offering significant improvements in performance over traditional E-Glass fibers. The composite can be built to provide structure and has the ability to handle the mechanical aspects of an advanced vehicle design. In this particular case, it also offers significant protection for both blast and ballistic testing at weights much lower than traditional metallic materials."
"The whole crew compartment is manufactured of the S-2 Glass composite," said Walker. "This composite protection pod dampens and absorbs incoming blast waves much better than metallic crew compartments."
In traditional light armored vehicles, a metallic skin is backed by a composite spall liner to mitigate the behind-armor effects in an over-match situation. "In the Ocelot, because the hull is composite," explained Walker, "There is a greatly reduced spall liner requirement, further reducing weight. The choice of materials in the composite shell also affords a high level of protection against fire, smoke and toxicity that is not inherent in many of the more expensive high performance fibers."
"Ocelot is a step change in protected mobility for this weight and class of vehicle and I am confident that it will be used to great effect in Afghanistan and any future operations," said David Hind, Managing Director, Force Protection Europe. "By working with companies like AGY, it enables us to offer innovative and superior survivability technologies to our customers."
AGY's S-2 Glass fibers have found increasing application in composite armor systems in recent years in the drive to make armored vehicles light while meeting the demand for protection from new and evolving threats.
For more information, please call 888-434-0945, or visit AGY's website at www.agy.com.
About Force Protection Europe Ltd
Force Protection Europe is a wholly owned subsidiary of Force Protection Industries, Inc., a leading provider of survivability solutions. Force Protection's MPRAP vehicles are acknowledged globally as providing the highest levels of blast protection.
Contact: Kris Jommersbach
Gemini Communications
PH: + (1) 610-935-1633
krisj@geminiinc.com
