“We take our role as a defense provider very seriously and as a result have identified two critical survivability challenges, invested in the development of effective countermeasures and are delivering them to the customer,” said Richard Haddad, Polaris Defense General Manager. “We can meet the military’s need for cost-effective, robust solutions by providing lightweight, advanced armor technology and non-pneumatic tires that will help increase the survivability and prolong the life of the U.S. Military’s expansive tactical wheeled vehicle fleet.”

Perfecting the Iron Triangle: Advanced Armor

Polaris Defense, partnered with M9 Defense, has developed a unique lightweight armor technology for the U.S. military. This is showcased as a concept demonstrator HMMWV at AUSA. While displayed on a light tactical vehicle, the armor is applicable to any tactical wheeled vehicle or combat vehicle platform. This new armor is produced with certified military materials using a proprietary ballistic resistant formulation and manufacturing process and it has the lowest pounds per square foot of any armor available in today’s market. The steel-hybrid composite armor, in conjunction with a high-speed production process, allows the Polaris/M9 team to form this cutting-edge armor into capsules and other ballistic vehicle components at speeds comparable to that of sheet metal processing, greatly reducing the overall cost.

“This armor redefines the iron triangle by restoring vehicle payloads, improving ballistic protection and upgrading vehicle performance and mobility,” said Haddad.

Reinventing the Wheel: Non-Pneumatic Tires

The acquisition of Resilient Technologies™ enables Polaris Defense to harness its non-pneumatic, never-flat tire technology towards increasing the survivability and handling of both currently fielded and future vehicles, either as a block upgrade or an integrated component. The NPT is composed of a central polymeric web surrounded by a rubber tread band which allows continuous operation, even if up to 30 percent of the web is damaged.

“We have tested our NPTs over 5,000 miles with a .50 caliber bullet hole and the performance exceeded expectations,” said Haddad. “This capability gives our troops an edge when operating in rugged terrain that destroys tires by eliminating the mission impact associated with flats.”

“Advanced armor and NPT technologies significantly broaden the capability of Polaris Defense platforms and leverage the company’s strength in product innovation and vehicle development,” said Haddad, “ensuring that Polaris Defense remains the leader in the ultra-light military vehicle market.”