A military helmet is an element of gear for any serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, designed to protect the head in battle. In addition, helmets are used not only by soldiers of combat units but also by law-enforcement and emergency-service workers, journalists, medics and volunteers. However, the requirements for this gear will differ depending on the user's tasks. 

Functional features of military helmets

By design features, three main types of helmets are distinguished — one-piece, or PASGT; with a high cut, of the FAST type; with a low or medium cut, such as MICH. Let's look at each of them in more detail, taking into account the features of the helmets of our manufacture:

• • PASGT is a helmet that today is mostly used not by servicemen but by volunteers, journalists, representatives of humanitarian missions, and so on. This is due to the fact that, despite its large protected area (the shell fully covers the back of the head and the ears), the helmet has no mounts for additional gear. We make the "Dzhura" PASGT helmet from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) — an extremely strong material that has an ideal balance between ballistic properties and weight. The helmet has a 4-point suspension system and pads for fitting.
  • MICH is a modern helmet model that has a low or medium cut, that is, it fully or half covers the ears. Thanks to this, the helmet has a fairly large protected area, but it limits the options for using some tactical accessories. In particular, because of the helmet's shape, active headphones can only be worn underneath. At the same time, it has a shroud for an NVD, side rails and a Velcro system over the entire surface of the shell. The "Buitur" MICH model is made of aramid (Kevlar®) and, depending on the generation, has a "dial" suspension system of the BOA / Team Wendy type or the Ops-Core type. 
  • FAST is a Kevlar helmet with high side cuts, which lets the user attach active headphones on the outside. Like MICH-type helmets, the "Ustrash" has side rails and a front mount that allow the use of various communication devices, as well as a Velcro system for ID patches. Depending on the generation, it has a "dial" system of the BOA / Team Wendy type or the Ops-Core type. 

Military testing of tactical helmets

To determine ballistic properties and the protection class, a helmet, like any other element of armor, is necessarily tested in a certified laboratory in accordance with a quality standard — DSTU (in Ukraine) or NIJ (in NATO countries). 

Two helmets are used for the test firing, each of which laboratory specialists shoot with 5 rounds of two types. The shots are made at different areas of the helmet (front-back, left-right and the crown), after which the gear is checked for penetration. 

Mostly military helmets have Level 1 under the State Standard of Ukraine. They are able to protect against 9×18 mm PM/APS 57-N-181S and 9×19 mm FMJ RN SC Luger/Parabellum pistol bullets and withstand fragment hits. Modern military helmets usually weigh about 1.5 kg. 

DSTU Level 2 ballistic helmets also exist, but in real combat conditions they are rarely used. First, such gear will have significantly greater weight compared to Level 1, which in front-line working conditions will negatively affect the soldier's endurance, and in the long term — the health of the cervical vertebrae. Second, the main task of ballistic helmets is anti-fragmentation protection, since most injuries in war are precisely fragmentation ones. So Level 1 helmets mostly correspond to the level of threats in wartime conditions. 

During ballistic testing of the products in the laboratory, we also measure the backface deformation indicator. For this, the helmet is fixed on a special holder so that the ballistic clay presses against the helmet's pads inside. After the product is shot, the clay is removed and the depression at the point of the bullet's impact is measured. Thanks to this test, we confidently assert that our aramid helmets have minimal backface deformation — from 1 to 10 mm. 

Modern helmet manufacturing 

We make several variants of helmets so you can choose the optimal one for yourself. They differ in material, type, suspension system and comfort layer.

When choosing gear, rely on your individual tasks. For example, if you have no need to use functional applications, the "Dzhura" PASGT helmet will fully satisfy your request. But if during your service you use a night-vision device, headphones, a flashlight, etc., then you should choose between the more modern options — the "Ustrash" FAST or "Buitur" MICH, which have mounts for additional gear and communication devices. 

All our helmets have ballistic testing certificates from the laboratory at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine according to DSTU and STANAG (anti-fragmentation resistance) standards, so you can be confident in the quality of the gear. On each helmet you'll find a QR code with a link to the protocol. You can buy a military helmet both online and in our network of offline stores in Kyiv, Dnipro, Bila Tserkva, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv. Our specialists are always ready to advise on any questions and help you choose gear for your request.