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 Vehicle armoring has been a major concern for many armies, which
participate in the war on terror and specifically the conflicts in
Afghanistan and Iraq. These armies are utilizing various means of
protection, including conventional armor plating for heavy vehicles
(such as trucks and engineering vehicles). Lightweight vehicles
require more advanced, lightweight armor to protect against small arms
fire, improvised explosive devices (IED),
mines and RPGs. Effective
countermeasures against the later requires heavier or reactive armor,
or special active protection systems which are currently under
development.
Protection of static positions such as checkpoints, observation posts,
and inspection sites presents a major challenge. In these
applications, specially designed pre-fabricated structures can be
used, where advanced materials are employed to minimize the risk of
attack without degrading the effectiveness and performance of the
facility. Such structures can be constructed from a combination of
reinforced concrete, steel, composite materials, and blast mitigation
structures. Examples of such structures are BAM-1A wall panels, which
can be used for add-on protection for existing buildings. The material
offers various levels of anti-ballistic protection, blast and forced
entry protection. BAM is manufactured by ASAP Inc. Protected positions
can also be constructed from Rapid Armored Shelter System (RASS), or
Personel Balistic Shield produced by Plasan Sasa, which can be used as
a personal shield by an individual soldier, or, when combined together
– as a protection of a forward medical point, machine gun firing post,
or even makeshift protection for an unarmored vehicle.
A different method of rapid deployment force protection is utilized by
the German Army – which will soon field container sized protected
structures produced by EADS, which are designed to support German Army
out-of-area deployments on peacekeeping missions. IBD from Germany is
developing a mobile version of a protected container, which uses the
company's advanced AMAP composite armor, formed into a cylindrical,
sealed and highly protected compartment in which troops, medical teams
or sensitive supplies such as explosives or ammunition can be
transported through hot zones, in relative safety.
Prefabricated armored structures offer augmented protection for fixed
and vulnerable facilities, such as checkpoints, observation posts and
guards positions etc. Such structures use blast mitigation structures,
as well as steel meshes, to activate RPGs and AT missiles before they
strike the surface. When weight is a consideration, composite armor
can also be used. When the threat of anti-tank missiles is high, IR
countermeasures can be applied selectively - including laser dazzlers,
infrared countermeasures etc.
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