Battelle and Plasan Collaborate to Bring Innovative Lightweight Armor Protection to Military Forces

Military vehicles and the personnel they carry face numerous threats every day in conflict areas overseas. Battelle, working with Plasan, a supplier of survivability solutions that have been implemented on key U.S. Department of Defense armored vehicle programs, has created and tested a solution to what may be the most common threat today—injuries caused by Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs). The proliferation of EFPs and the unpredictability of the damage they can cause has vexed those who are trying to build protection against them.

Battelle, the world’s largest private research and development organization, joined forces with Plasan, a global leader in armor and survivability systems, on the design of vehicle armor to defeat EFPs. Two EFP solutions that Battelle co-invented were validated at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The armor will be made available for military program managers to incorporate into their platforms. Much of the EFP (and other armor) testing occurs at Battelle’s High Energy Research Laboratory (HERLA) in West Jefferson, Ohio, while the design, materials development, modeling and integration occurs at additional Battelle sites in Ohio. 

Battelle has a Tier 1 and Tier 2 rating under the EFP Surrogate Warhead Program and has been approved by the Joint IED Defeat Test Board to conduct private testing of armor solutions under certified U.S. Army standards using the Army Research Laboratory surrogate devices. Battelle first became active in the armor business during World War II when the federal government sought its help to create improved armor plating for tanks. Over the years, Battelle has continued its research and development efforts to develop technologies that protect the warfighter. In the last few years, Battelle has invested significantly in the modeling, design, and testing of vehicle armor technologies.

About Battelle

As the world’s largest, independent research and development organization, Battelle provides innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing needs through its four global businesses: Laboratory Management, National Security, Energy Technology, and Health and Life Sciences. It advances scientific discovery and application by conducting $6.2 billion in global R&D annually through contract research, laboratory management and technology commercialization. For more information, contact Katy Delaney at (614) 424-7208 or delaneyk@battelle.org. About Plasan Plasan provides customized survivability solutions for tactical wheeled vehicles, fixed and rotary wing aircraft, naval platforms, personal protection and civilian armor vehicles. A recognized global leader and industry veteran, Plasan’s survivability solutions offer a unique optimization between protection, payload, and cost by combining in-house R&D, design, prototyping, and manufacturing capabilities. For more information, contact David Widerker at +972-73-2618252.