Can bulletproof helmets stop bullets?

Bulletproof helmet is not a stranger for most military enthusiasts. Like bulletproof armor, it is also essential protective equipment in military activities. Can bulletproof helmets stop bullets? How does it work? Here are the answers.
Firstly, many people have some misconceptions about bulletproof helmets. Military helmet is mainly used in the battlefield to protect the soldier's head from splashing debris, stray bullets, as well as broken stones. Military helmet is usually called bullet-proof helmet, so many people think that bulletproof helmet cannot completely prevent bullets, but other people think that bullet-proof helmet is strong enough to stop bullets. In fact, the helmet's protective capability is measured by V50 (Shooting a helmet with oblique cylindrical projectiles with a mass of 1.1 grams at different speeds within a specified distance. When breakdown probability reaches 50%, the average velocity of the projectile is named V50 value of helmets.) bulletproof helmets with accreditation 

of testing institutions in various countries can be considered as capable of stopping bullets to some extent. But no bullet proof equipment is 100% bulletproof, and the bulletproof capability of the helmet is not as strong as imagined.

The earliest helmets originated in the first World War, and was made of simple metal. This kind of helmet can only provide protection for the wearer by virtue of the hardness and strength of the metal itself, but due to the limitations of the material performance, this kind of helmet can only withstand the attack of some debris, without resistance to bullets.

Subsequently, the appearance and application of bulletproof steel further improved the bulletproof performance of helmets greatly. Bullet-proof steel is great to be used for making helmets with high strength and high hardness, but it can't be made too thick because of the weight, so its resistance to bullets and high-speed fragments is limited.

With the development of science and technology, high performance fiber materials such as aramid and PE were developed. The performance of helmets made of these two materials has been greatly improved, while the weight has been greatly reduced. In addition, unlike the traditional structure, helmets have been designed with suspension system. In a crash, the impact of bullets or fragments against the fiber layer will develop into tensile force and shear force, during which the impact force produced by bullets or fragments can be dissipated to the periphery of the impact point. At the same time, because of the suspension system which keeps the head of the soldier from touching the helmet directly, the shock generated by bullets or fragments will not be transmitted directly to the head, thus reducing the damage of head. But such helmets can only prevent stray bullets, fragments, or small caliber pistols, with limited protection capability of medium power rifle. Therefore, the so-called bullet-proof helmet actually has limited bullet-proof function, but its fragments-proof and bullet-proof function cannot be ignored.

Above is all the introduction of bulletproof helmets.

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