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'Stunglasses' that can resist a shotgun blast from 16ft to be issued to 92,000 UK troops
By Christopher Leake
Last updated at 11:28 AM on 11th April 2011
Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1375266/Stunglasses-resist-shotgun-blast-16ft-issued-92-000-UK-troops.html#ixzz1JJ2xdCxF
British frontline troops in Afghanistan are to be issued with new protective sunglasses and goggles that can withstand a shotgun blast at almost point-blank range.
The Sawfly glasses and Bullet Ant goggles are fitted with special lenses made from a secret compound.
They will also protect troops from dirt and debris thrown up by roadside bombs, known as improvised explosive devices
The Ministry of Defence has ordered an initial 92,000 pairs costing £3.4 million.
The eyewear is made by Canadian military equipment firm Revision and will be issued to all UK troops deployed to Afghanistan from September.
Soldiers are banned from wearing fashionable makes such as Ray-Ban because they do not provide enough protection, and the military models are also cheaper because of the high volumes ordered.
Each pair costs just under £40 – up to a third of the cost of designer ‘shades’. Safety tests have revealed that the polycarbonate lenses in the new sunglasses and goggles can resist the blast from a 12-gauge shotgun fired from just 16ft away. In one experiment by the manufacturers, a shotgun was fired at the glasses 37 times without the lenses being penetrated once.
The glasses, which are already issued to US troops, come with three interchangeable lenses – plain, light-enhancing and sun-resistant. They are also anti-fog, scratch-resistant and provide unprecedented visual clarity.
Army spokesman Colonel Peter Rafferty said: ‘All troops in Afghanistan are issued with protective eyewear as standard, and these are an enhancement.
‘In addition to the ballistic protection these items offer, IEDs are a significant threat to our troops in theatre.
‘The debris and dirt thrown up from a blast can be just as harmful to troops as the initial blast. This eyewear is the best chance they have of minimising injuries to the eyes while still maintaining situational awareness and thus the ability to do their jobs.’
The new glasses are the latest in a series of improvements that have been made to troops’ personal kit. Upgraded kneepads were issued recently alongside protective combat gloves with knuckle protection.
'Stunglasses' that can resist a shotgun blast from 16ft to be issued to 92,000 UK troops
By Christopher Leake
Last updated at 11:28 AM on 11th April 2011
Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1375266/Stunglasses-resist-shotgun-blast-16ft-issued-92-000-UK-troops.html#ixzz1JJ2xdCxF
British frontline troops in Afghanistan are to be issued with new protective sunglasses and goggles that can withstand a shotgun blast at almost point-blank range.
The Sawfly glasses and Bullet Ant goggles are fitted with special lenses made from a secret compound.
They will also protect troops from dirt and debris thrown up by roadside bombs, known as improvised explosive devices
The Ministry of Defence has ordered an initial 92,000 pairs costing £3.4 million.
The eyewear is made by Canadian military equipment firm Revision and will be issued to all UK troops deployed to Afghanistan from September.
Soldiers are banned from wearing fashionable makes such as Ray-Ban because they do not provide enough protection, and the military models are also cheaper because of the high volumes ordered.
Each pair costs just under £40 – up to a third of the cost of designer ‘shades’. Safety tests have revealed that the polycarbonate lenses in the new sunglasses and goggles can resist the blast from a 12-gauge shotgun fired from just 16ft away. In one experiment by the manufacturers, a shotgun was fired at the glasses 37 times without the lenses being penetrated once.
The glasses, which are already issued to US troops, come with three interchangeable lenses – plain, light-enhancing and sun-resistant. They are also anti-fog, scratch-resistant and provide unprecedented visual clarity.
Army spokesman Colonel Peter Rafferty said: ‘All troops in Afghanistan are issued with protective eyewear as standard, and these are an enhancement.
‘In addition to the ballistic protection these items offer, IEDs are a significant threat to our troops in theatre.
‘The debris and dirt thrown up from a blast can be just as harmful to troops as the initial blast. This eyewear is the best chance they have of minimising injuries to the eyes while still maintaining situational awareness and thus the ability to do their jobs.’
The new glasses are the latest in a series of improvements that have been made to troops’ personal kit. Upgraded kneepads were issued recently alongside protective combat gloves with knuckle protection.
