Issue link: http://lawandordermag.epubxp.com/i/238697
Soft body armor made with Dyneema is thinner and lighter for the same level of ballistic protection. "During independent testing, the Alpha Elite ballistic package exceeded all performance requirements, including tests for maximum velocity approaching or exceeding 2,000 fps," said Michael Foreman, Vice President of Government and International Sales and head of Product Line Management at Point Blank Enterprises. "Test-lab personnel stated that they had never seen this level of performance in a package of this weight and thinness during any other testing of soft-armor ballistic solutions." Dyneema fbers in Force Multiplier Technology have a multihit performance exceeding the FBI protocol, have a special-threat performance beyond the FBI protocol, and are fully NIJ 0101.06 compliant. Point Blank engineers determined the best ballistic material for the Armed Forces was also the best material for the nation's law enforcement offcers. Point Blank has become the frst trademark licensee in lawenforcement personal protection for this new technology. Since the Dyneema material used in the Alpha Elite Series is made in the U.S., it qualifes under the Berry Amendment. The Alpha Elite Series was born. With this technology, NIJ Level IIIA performance is now available with comfort levels more typical of Level II body armor. Compared to Point Blank's previous lightest Level IIIA vest, the Alpha Elite Series vest is a full 12 percent lighter. This ballistic package is available with all core Point Blank Body Armor and Paraclete® advanced tactical armor solutions. Longevity of Body Armor The Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology material in the Alpha Elite Series armor is so thin and light that it is translucent. DSM has published several studies into the ballistic resistance of artifcially aged Dyneema fber and Dyneema UD grades. These studies found that—extrapolated to real-world conditions—both UHMWPE fber and UHMWPE unidirectional composites from DSM Dyneema will retain their tensile properties and ballistic performance for fve years. This is the typical baseline requirement for ballistic-resistant vests. Even tougher tests have found no signifcant drop in the ballistic performance of the artifcially aged samples. These are impressive results, but they are also theoretical results. A real-world study explored the retention of ballistic performance of used and real-time aged vests, inserts and helmets made from Dyneema UD unidirectional composite. The items, which ranged in age from fve to 12 years old, had either been used by law enforcement offcers or military offcers in theater or stored. The study found that these used and aged articles continued to perform in line with the specifcations that applied when the articles were made and certifed. The results are in line with the predictions of DSM's aging models. "From the results, DSM concludes that no signifcant changes in ballistic performances are observed for the aged articles, despite the fact that some are more than a decade old and show signifcant signs of wear and exposure to moisture." The Effect of Real Aging on Ballistic Articles made of Dyneema® UD is available for download. LaO The Point Blank Alpha Elite Series body armor demo at the SWAT Round-up included 91 different rounds of ammo. Post your comments on this story by visiting www.lawandordermag.com