3M announced today its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ceradyne, Inc., has been
issued an $80 million delivery order with the United States government
to supply 77,000 Enhanced Combat Helmets and associated spare parts to
the U.S. Marine Corps. This contract is an outcome of the joint
procurement program led by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army to
improve head protection for Marines and Soldiers. The Enhanced Combat
Helmets designed by Ceradyne, Inc. are the only helmets that have been
tested and passed using Director of Operational Test and Evaluation
protocols, and will be manufactured at Ceradyne’s facility in California.
Enhanced Combat Helmet designed by Ceradyne Inc., a 3M company. (Photo: Business Wire)
The newly-designed Enhanced Combat Helmets provide improved ballistic
and fragmentation protection over any fielded helmet in history. That
was proven through extensive testing in coordination with the U.S.
Marine Corps and the Army. While the helmet design is equivalent in
weight to the current fielded helmets, it provides an average 50 percent
improved ballistic protection over helmets currently in use. The helmet
also is compatible with all currently-used components of infantry combat
equipment.
“3M is pleased to win this significant contract,” said Mark
Colin, vice president and general manager, 3M Advanced Ceramics
Platform. “We have the scientific know-how to supply our U.S. forces
with the best helmets on the market to protect the lives of our
warriors.”
According to the Marine
Corps, the requirements for the Enhanced Combat Helmets proved to be
a tall order. Working in collaboration with the United States Army, the
Corps needed to maintain all the characteristics of its lightweight
helmet and add enhanced ballistic protection from selected small-arms
ammunition and fragmentation. In addition, the helmets had to meet the
Army’s need for advanced combat, and be compatible with other components
of infantry combat equipment such as body armor systems, protective
goggles, night vision equipment and a camouflage fabric helmet cover.
Ceradyne, Inc. has begun helmet production for delivery beginning this
fall and will be fielded to deploying Marines in the first quarter of
fiscal 2014. 3M also makes combat hearing and respiratory protection,
body armor and communications systems for the U.S. forces.
About 3M
3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms
them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative
collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies
that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops
inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs 88,000 people worldwide
and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information,
visit www.3M.com
or follow @3MNews
on Twitter.
About Ceradyne, Inc.
Ceradyne develops, manufactures, and
markets advanced technical ceramic products and components for defense,
industrial, energy, automotive/diesel, and commercial applications. In
many high performance applications, products made of advanced technical
ceramics meet specifications that similar products made of metals,
plastics or traditional ceramics cannot achieve. Advanced technical
ceramics can withstand extremely high temperatures, combine hardness
with light weight, are highly resistant to corrosion and wear, and often
have excellent electrical capabilities, special electronic properties
and low friction characteristics. Additional information about the
company can be found at www.ceradyne.com.
3M and Ceradyne are trademarks of 3M Company.
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