Ballistic helmets and aspects of their design

THE HEAD REPRESENTS approximately 9% of the body area exposed in combat yet receives approximately 20% of all "hits." The desirability of protecting t his vital structure would appear self-evident. Helmet design is a complex i ssue. Factors that designers of United States Army helmets thoughtfully con sider include weight, ballistic qualities of the construction material, bal ance, helmet-to-person interface (comfort), maintenance of vision and heari ng, equipment and weapon compatibility, ease of modification, available mat erials and manufacturing techniques, durability, ease of decontamination, d isposability, and cost. The envisioned future role of the infantryman will make the interplay among these factors even more daunting.