Helmets, protective vest inserts and shields incorporating Dyneema high strength fibre marked the debut of DSM Dyneema at HOSDB, the Home Office Scientific Development Branch exhibition, taking place in Farnborough, UK this week.

Dyneema ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre is an established brand in the protective clothing and headgear market and is already incorporated into various pieces of hard and soft ballistic armour developed by official suppliers to the UK law enforcement market and certified to strict UK requirements. At the exhibition, DSM Dyneema is featuring examples from industry leading manufacturers, together with new innovations and concepts for personal protection that it says will demonstrate the fibre’s unique high strength at low weight.

On display are inserts and complete vests currently used by UK police, custom, and military officers to provide high protection against combined threats such as bullets and knives. Dyneema unidirectional hard ballistic grade HB50 is for example used in inserts that meet the HSODB’s RF1 and RF2 protection level. Another grade, HB80, is said to provide the lightest possible head protection for helmets.

“Laboratory-certified to HOSDB 2007 RF1 and RF2 standard, inserts based on Dyneema HB grades are able to maintain the highest levels of protection at a significant weight reduction versus current conventional market solutions. Dyneema HB solutions are widely used in UK MoD vehicles for protection against the most severe threats, following extensive testing. Combat proven inserts based on Dyneema, as used in the Osprey body armour by the UK MoD, provide vital protection to British forces in Afghanistan on a daily basis, a spokesperson for the Netherlands based company said.

Several DSM Dyneema customers are said to be attending the event with protective vests based on Dyneema SB grades says Dirk Louwers, Marketing Manager Life Protection, DSM Dyneema. “These vests meet the stringent requirements of different HOSDB levels, such as HG1A, HG1, and HG2,” he notes.

DSM Dyneema is providing the first details of a new Dyneema SB (Soft Ballistic) unidirectional material specifically designed to meet international law enforcement specifications, such as the U.S. NIJ (National Institute of Justice) Standard 0101.06. This material will be introduced to the European market later in 2011.

“We believe that Dyneema has significant potential for further growth in helmets, vests and inserts in UK law enforcement applications,” says Louwers. “Also ballistic shields, at the lowest weight, are being certified with Dyneema. We are coming to HOSDB to demonstrate that belief.”

Body armour products made with Dyneema have been developed to deliver excellent stopping power against specific threats and to provide the highest level of protection at the lowest possible weight. Two systems are currently provided: Dyneema Soft Ballistic (SB) systems, which have been developed for use in vests and provide protection against handgun ammunition, fragments and knives, and Dyneema Hard Ballistic (HB) systems, which have been specifically developed for use in anti-ballistic inserts, shields and helmets to provide protection against more severe threats.