A new add-on hybrid laminated composite armor system for military land vehicles

Abstract

This invention relates to an add-on armor system, and in particular to a hybrid laminated composite system that can be easily mounted on or removed from military vehicles, has a sandwich layer structure, and shows superior ballistic performance, characterized in that it consists of a boronized steel plate (1), a kevlar plate (2) located at the bottom of the steel plate (1), a ceramic cutting insert layer (3) positioned at the bottom of the kevlar plate (2), another kevlar plate (4) located under the ceramic cutting insert layer (3), another boronized steel plate (5) located at the bottom of the kevlar plate (4), and an epoxy coating layer (6) holding all plates and layers together.

Description

[0001] A NEW ADD-ON HYBRID LAMINATED COMPOSITE ARMOR SYSTEM FOR MILITARY LAND VEHICLES

[0002] Technical Field:

[0003] The present invention relates to an add-on armor system, in particular to a hybrid laminated composite system that can be easily mounted on or removed from military vehicles, has a sandwich layer structure, and shows superior ballistic performance.

[0004] State of the Art:

[0005] Add-on armor systems are modular armor structures that are mounted onto existing armor to provide additional protection. These systems are important defensive components used especially on military vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and battle tanks. Their primary purpose is to make vehicles more flexible and durable against different threats. The durability and functionality of armor can be enhanced with various add-ons depending on user needs.

[0006] Armor types used in ballistic applications are generally divided into two categories: passive and reactive armors. Passive systems aim to prevent damage from attacking ammunition through the physical presence of the armor material, that is, through its mechanical properties. Reactive systems, on the other hand, aim to deflect or neutralize the bullet by applying kinetic energy to it.

[0007] Armor protection for military land vehicles is determined by the mission, type, and protection level required. Vehicles designed for combat are protected against projectiles, shrapnel, explosive ordnance, missiles, and other threats. Retrofitting vehicles that were not originally manufactured with armor can cause compromises in other performance components such as maneuverability, transportability, or load capacity o the vehicle. Rapid military mobilization is the ability to move large quantities of military vehicles, ammunition, and personnel anywhere in the world within a day. This requires land vehicles to be transported by fixed and rotary wing aircraft with a limited payload, and weight is an important consideration in this case. Providing ballistic protection against bullet threats without compromising maneuverability in military land vehicles is of vitalimportance for operational success and personnel safety. Although metal armor was initially used in armor systems, ceramics were used in later periods due to the high density of metals. However, while the low density of ceramics is an advantage, the fragility of this material group has made it necessary to manufacture armor systems in the form of composite material armor. Add-on armor systems, which can be mounted to the vehicle body by gluing or screwing technique in the mission area according to the need, rather than one-piece steel, aluminum-based metallic materials or composite armor, are among the most recently studied topics. Today, the ceramic layers (tiles) used in add-on type vehicle armor applications are generally square and hexagonal in shape and are much larger in size than the projectile diameter. In addition, these ceramic layers are very hard and brittle and easily shatter on impact. As a result, the ballistic protection expected from armor systems in the event of multiple hits at close points disappears.

[0008] One of the biggest disadvantages of add-on armor systems is the reduction in the maneuverability of the vehicle due to the increase in weight. As the weight of the armor increases, parameters such as engine performance, fuel consumption, and maximum speed can be negatively affected. Furthermore, the installation and maintenance of armor modules can be time-consuming and costly. Replacing or repairing parts damaged by enemy attacks may result in the vehicle being temporarily disabled during operation.

[0009] Patent application number TR2022015033 describes an armor system. This invention relates to a fuselage in an aircraft, at least one weight impacting on the fuselage, at least one main armor on the fuselage which provides protection of the area it covers on the fuselage against the effects caused by the impact of the weight, at least one actuator which enables the main armor to move on the fuselage, at least one control unit which controls the movement of the main armor with the command transmitted to the actuator.

[0010] Patent application number TR202003526 describes an add-on armor system for armored vehicles. The invention relates to a multi-plate armor system used as additional armor on armored vehicles, particularly military vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an add-on armor system with at least two plates positioned on the body of an armored vehicle with a certain distance between them, which has a structure that is not affected by impacts and at the same time shows acceptable weight values in industry standards per unit surface area, which deflects the direction of ballistic threatssuch as projectiles and shrapnel and ensures that the resulting destructive effect is felt with minimum damage over a large surface area.

[0011] The armor systems described in the above documents have limited capabilities in terms of modular design, and their transportability and maneuverability are restricted under challenging conditions. Furthermore, since the relevant documents do not utilize waste cutting inserts as a ceramic layer of an armor system, as introduced in the present patent application, they are not sustainable in terms of environmental pollution. It will also have disadvantages in terms of maintenance and repair.

[0012] As a result, there is a need for a new technology which can overcome the disadvantages mentioned above.

[0013] Definition of the Invention:

[0014] This invention offers an armor system that is easy to manufacture and capable of being quickly adapted to industry. Armor production, which is complex and time-consuming in existing techniques, is made more practical and faster with this innovative system. This saves time and resources for the defense industry.

[0015] The developed hybrid laminated composite armor system does not compromise ballistic protection in multiple hit situations. While traditional ceramic armor breaks after a single hit and loses its protection capacity, this invention maintains its durability against multiple hits with its structure that gradually absorbs the shock of the projectile impact.

[0016] This inventive armor system offers a solution that is up to 30% lighter and up to 40% more economical than its commercial counterparts. Its light weight property increases the maneuverability of military vehicles while at the same time reducing fuel consumption. This provides a major advantage in terms of operational efficiency and cost savings.

[0017] Industrial waste cutting inserts have been used in the armor layers. There is no previous example in the literature of such wastes being utilized for this purpose. In this way, waste materials were transformed into a useful product, contributing to environmental sustainability and reducing costs.The add-on armor system can be quickly mounted on the vehicle body by screwing or gluing. In case of damage, the armor system can be easily replaced, minimizing maintenance times and operational disruptions. In addition, since this invention is an add-on armor system, it can be easily adapted to different threat levels and vehicle types thanks to the modular structure it provides. Armor panels can be easily removed or added to any required locations on the vehicle.

[0018] This armor system significantly improves the ballistic performance thanks to the boronized steel plate used as the front impact surface . The boronizing process applied to the surface of the steel increases the hardness of the steel by 6-7 times and absorbs the projectile impact more effectively. In addition, this design gradually dampens the kinetic energy of the projectile, preventing post-impact dispersion and thus maximizing ballistic protection performance.

[0019] This system resembles a sandwich structure, and the kinetic energy of the projectile is gradually dampened thanks to the hard waste inserts placed between the kevlar plates in the design of the armor system. This structure completely absorbs the post-impact energy by distributing it between the layers and significantly reduces the penetration capability of the projectile. This both deforms the projectile and minimizes the damage to the inner layers.

[0020] The light weight of the inventive armor system not only increases the mobility of military vehicles, but also contributes to strategic mobility. This advantage provides a major strategic advantage, especially in modern military operations that require rapid deployment and relocation to multiple locations.

[0021] Description of the Drawings:

[0022] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures, so that the features of the invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated, however it is not intended to limit the invention to these particular embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended all alternatives, modifications, and equivalences that may be included in the field of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims are within the scope. It should be understood that the details shown are for the sole purpose of illustratingpreferred embodiments of the present invention and are intended to provide the most useful and easily understandable description of both the embodiment of the methods and the rules and conceptual features of the invention. In the drawings:

[0023] Fig. 1 is a view of the armor system of the invention showing exploded assembly and full assembly.

[0024] The figures which will help understand this invention are numbered as indicated in the accompanying drawing and are given below with their names.

[0025] Description of the References:

[0026] 1. Boronized steel plate

[0027] 2. Kevlar plate

[0028] 3. Ceramic cutting insert layer

[0029] 4. Kevlar plate

[0030] 5. Boronized steel plate

[0031] 6. Epoxy coating layer

[0032] Detailed Description of the Invention:

[0033] The terminology used herein is only intended to describe specific applications and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the items listed as related. Furthermore, the singular terms "one," "one piece" and "specified" as used herein are intended to include the singular as well as the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" as used in this specification indicate the presence of the specified features, steps, processes, elements and / or components, however do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, processes, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0034] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention relates. It will also be understood that terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with thecontext of the relevant field and this disclosure, and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless otherwise explicitly defined herein.

[0035] In the description of the invention, it will be understood that a series of techniques and steps are described. Each of these is individually beneficial and can also be used in combination with one or more, or in some cases all of the other techniques described. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, unnecessary repetition of all possible combinations of each step in the description of the invention will be avoided. However, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

[0036] A new hybrid laminated composite armor system is discussed here. In the following description, many specific details are provided in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without these details.

[0037] The inventive armor system consists of boronized steel plate (1 , 5), kevlar plate (2, 4), ceramic cutting insert layer (3), and epoxy coating layer (6).

[0038] Fig. 1 shows the exploded assembled state of the elements constituting the armor system. The outermost and innermost surfaces are formed by steel plates (1). Kevlar plates (2, 4) are located above or below the steel plate (1 , 5). In the middle of the sandwich structure a ceramic cutting insert layer (3) is provided. All these plates and layers are coated with a layer of epoxy resin (6). Alternatively, mechanical connections such as bolts, pins, studs, etc. can be used instead of epoxy resin. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would not be limited to the appearance of the rectangular prism shown in Fig. 1 , and that it would be obvious that the armor body could belong to any of the regular geometric shapes in polygonal format such as triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, etc., or to any of the non-regular geometric shapes.

[0039] In the boronizing process of the steel plates (1 , 5), the steel plate samples were subjected to thermal reactive diffusion in a boron-donor powder medium using the boronizing technique, within a temperature range of 700-1100 °C for up to 12 hours. As a result of the boronizing process, it was observed that a hard boride layer was formed on all surfaces of the steel plate (1 , 5) with thicknesses in the range of 10-50 microns. Thehardness of the boride layer was measured in the range of 27-30 GPa, thus increasing the hardness of the steel plate by 6-7 times. Due to the boronized upper surface, the projectile deformation increases during the initial impact of the projectile and the projectile kinetic energy can be significantly reduced due to the ductile structure in the inner region of the steel plate (1, 5). Thus, no fragmentation due to projectile impact occurs in the ceramics used as projectile impact surfaces in commercial armor, and therefore the ballistic performance of the armor system is maintained in the event of multiple hits. It is also designed so that if the projectile penetrates the boronized steel layer, the other layers will gradually lose their effect. Thus, after the projectile passes through the steel front impact plate, it is received by the Kevlar plates (2, 4) coated with a resin that has shock-damping capability and a high-friction surface, and by the waste ceramic cutting insert layer (3), which is arranged between said plates and has sufficient hardness to significantly deform the projectile. In this way, the projectile loses most of its remaining kinetic energy. Finally, thanks to the steel back-support layer, the projectile can be stopped before achieving full penetration.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . An add-on hybrid laminated composite armor system formed in a monolithic structure providing ballistic protection against long barrel rifle bullets, characterized in that it consists of:- a boronized steel plate (1), a kevlar plate (2) located at the bottom of the steel plate (1), a ceramic cutting insert layer (3) positioned at the bottom of the kevlar plate (2), another kevlar plate (4) located under the ceramic cutting insert layer (3), another boronized steel plate (5) located at the bottom of the kevlar plate (4), and an epoxy coating layer (6) holding all plates and layers together.

2. The novel add-on hybrid laminated composite armor system for military land vehicles according to claim 1 , characterized in that it has a screwing system that can be used instead of the epoxy layer (6).

3. The novel add-on hybrid laminated composite armor system for military land vehicles according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises any one of a regular geometric shape in the form of a polygon such as a triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, or any one of a non-regular geometric shape.

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