When making armor, it's important to take into account a number of characteristics, in particular the material of the products. But first it's necessary to understand what raw material is used for manufacturing and what its features are.

We tell you about the three main materials we ourselves can't do without — UHMWPE, aramid and Cordura. 

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fiber — is an extremely strong thermoplastic. To put it more simply — it is one of the strongest threads in the world, which is in very high demand in the defense manufacturing industry. The tensile-strength indicators (the stretching force the material can withstand) of UHMWPE fiber are truly impressive — approximately 4000 MPa. For understanding, steel wire has an indicator of approximately 450 MPa.

But the advantages of UHMWPE don't end with strength:

• UV and chemical resistance

Products made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene do not lose their ballistic properties either under the influence of direct sunlight or under the action of most chemical reagents, in particular alkalis and acids. 

• Wear resistance

The material has a very low coefficient of friction, which makes it excellent for applications where minimizing friction is required. Moreover, thanks to its unique structure, UHMWPE can absorb large impact loads without breaking.

• Light weight

UHMWPE is approximately 8 times lighter than steel! Compared with mild steel, polyethylene fibers are approximately 71 times stronger by weight, and they still have an advantage even over the strongest pearlitic steel wire, having approximately 3.3 times the strength-to-weight ratio.

We use UHMWPE to make various products: both rigid plates and soft ballistic packages, and even armored clothing.

Carbon fiber, or Aramid

Aramid (best known under the trade name Kevlar) is a man-made fiber whose chemical structure makes it resistant to heat and degradation. In other words, it is known for its high strength and heat resistance. Its name comes from the abbreviation of "aromatic polyamide". Aramid fibers have become a universal material with a wide range of applications thanks to their high ballistic, mechanical and thermal characteristics.

• High heat resistance (up to 420 °C)°)

Aramid does not melt and is able to withstand high temperatures without decomposing, and is resistant to ignition. Thanks to this, it is ideal for use in situations where there is a need for fire-resistant protection.  

• Flexibility

The material has excellent stability under bending and withstands large mechanical loads without significant stretching. This is important in particular when creating armor — for example, helmets.

• Light weight

Compared with other materials that have similar strength characteristics, aramid is quite light. At the same time, carbon fiber has great tensile strength, especially relative to its weight. Its relative strength can exceed steel!

Kevlar is used both separately and in combination with other materials to create composites. We use aramid to manufacture ballistic helmets, since its fibers are extremely resistant and absorb energy excellently. 

Ultra-strong Cordura nylon fabric

Cordura is an American trademark of a high-tech material. It is a thick nylon thread with some of the highest tensile-strength indicators. And if UHMWPE and aramid are used directly to create armor, then Cordura is used to make covers for it, as well as tactical clothing, backpacks, camping and sports gear, and so on.

Cordura can have different weave densities:

• Cordura 500D

Light and strong, it is often used to make backpacks and protective clothing. We chose precisely this type of fabric for all additional gear and anti-fragmentation modules. 

• Cordura 1000D

Mostly used for making body armor, bags and other products that require a high level of strength. We use fabric of this density to make the "Plashta" armor blanket, which must be maximally resistant to external influences, considering the variability of its application.

• Cordura Squadron

This is a fabric consisting of two different layers of Cordura (for example, 500D + 1000D). Using such a combination ensures increased fabric strength and its resistance to physical wear and tears. Our "Ruta Liuta" body armor and armor suit are made precisely from such material.

For making gear we use Cordura with NIR treatment (Near InfraRed), thanks to which the products absorb part of the light rather than reflecting it. This significantly reduces the number of light particles that a night-vision device can "detect".

Choosing body armor — which material is better?

One of the main advantages of UHMWPE is its extraordinary wear resistance and its strength-to-weight ratio. This makes it an ideal option for products that must be strong enough to withstand difficult operating conditions and at the same time remain light enough.

Aramid, on the other hand, is distinguished by its exceptional heat resistance and fire resistance. In addition, it is able to effectively absorb and dissipate energy on impact. This characteristic makes aramid fibers especially effective against various ballistic threats. 

We make all soft ballistic protection (and even partly the plates) precisely from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene. We also use UHMWPE for the PASGT "Dzhura" helmet. However, all other helmet models are made of aramid fibers.