For a true anti ballistic kevlar layup roughly how much thicker is a layup vs traditional mesh layups and is it possible to do a hybrid layup of glass/kevlar? This is for a military application and needs to be able to take at least a .50 hit. Additionally if you were going to add ballistic plating where in the layup would you place it?

Are you going to built little Cougar Cub assault boats?


whats up bro? I'm gonna be in Vegas in March maybe I'll shoot over to Havazoo for a beer or two. Anything going on with you project?

haha, no this is not for the mini's. Vegas huh, whats going on there? Have you ever layed up Kevlar?

whats going on??? . . . its Vegas . . . .Vegas is going on . . . . lol, actually I'm just going out for the heck of it. Haven't been there in a few years and i have some biz to tend to out that way

Yea i use Kevlar occasionally when necessary. The Kevlar used in marine layups is not a ballistic material though. Ballistic Kevlar is an engineered weave that relys on those properties to do what it does (i believe). I'm not sure if its possible to laminate with it and still retain its bulletproof-ness (just made up that word )

Most lay up standards are for NATO rounds, a 50 cal is a problem to slow down using conventional lay ups without ceramic fillers, or frag plates imbedded. Do you have a mil spec ? Do you have a max thickness limitation

Plating is preferred for specific areas ( crew, engine bay and sides ), I am interested in the type of plating used in armoring the hmmv's and how it would fit in to the layup "sandwich".

We use these guys:

http://structuralcomposites.com/

Whenever we propsose to do a build regardless of platform, A laminate schedule is determined, test panels are made replicating the actual build process.

The test panels are sent to Structural Composites to veify/confirm properties.

Then the boat is allowed to be built.

No surprises this way and you can save weight and material by not overbuilding.

Thank You Brad, just what I needed.

50cal. ball or Ap (armor piercing) big difference! And even bigger difference if a Rauffus round is used (armor pirecing, incendary high explosive) Military Use Only!!
I have shot through 2.5" of steel @800yds with My Barrett M82A1.
Dont know how much composite it would take to stop it but I would assume it would be a Hell Of A Lot!!!

you might give this site a look

http://www.fothergill.co.uk/alte.htm

"shoot" them the question see what they say back!