Space Prizes and Contests

In a message dated 8/13/2006 3:50:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dougmay@... writes:

>
> On Aug 12, 2006, at 9:20 PM, Ed Minchau wrote:
>
> > That is, at least until we develop transparent aluminum...
>
> Don't you remember, that was invented back in the 80's! At least
> that's what they said on Star Trek, so it must be true.....

Air Force testing new transparent armor

by Laura Lundin, Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs

10/17/2005 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) --Engineers here
are testing a new kind of transparent armor -- stronger and lighter than
traditional materials -- that could stop armor-piercing weapons from penetrating
vehicle windows.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing directorate
is testing aluminum oxynitride -- ALONtm -- as a replacement for the
traditional multi-layered glass transparencies now used in existing ground and air
armored vehicles. The test is being done in conjunction with the Army Research
Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., and University of Dayton Research
Institute, Ohio.

ALONtm is a ceramic compound with a high compressive strength and durability.
When polished, it is the premier transparent armor for use in armored
vehicles, said. 1st Lt. Joseph La Monica, transparent armor sub-direction lead. "The
substance itself is light years ahead of glass," he said, adding that it
offers "higher performance and lighter weight." Traditional transparent armor is
thick layers of bonded glass. The new armor combines the transparent ALONtm
piece as a strike plate, a middle section of glass and a polymer backing. Each
layer is visibly thinner than the traditional layers. ALONtm is virtually scratch
resistant, offers substantial impact resistance, and provides better
durability and protection against armor piercing threats, at roughly half the weight
and half the thickness of traditional glass transparent armor, said the
lieutenant.

In a June 2004 demonstration, an ALONtm test pieces held up to both a .30
caliber Russian M-44 sniper rifle and a .50 caliber Browning Sniper Rifle with
armor piercing bullets. While the bullets pierced the glass samples, the armor
withstood the impact with no penetration. In extensive testing, ALONtm has
performed well against multiple hits of .30 caliber armor piercing rounds --
typical of anti-aircraft fire, Lieutenant La Monica said. Tests focusing on
multiple hits from .50 caliber rounds and improvised explosive devices are in the
works.

The lieutenant is optimistic about the results because the physical
properties and design of the material are intended to stop higher level threats. "The
higher the threat, the more savings you're going to get," he said. "With
glass, to get the protection against higher threats, you have to keep building
layers upon layers. But with ALONtm, the material only needs to be increased a few
millimeters."

This ability to add the needed protection with only a small amount of
material is very advantageous, said Ron Hoffman, an investigator at University of
Dayton Research Institute. "When looking at higher level threats, you want the
protection, not the weight," Mr. Hoffman said. "Achieving protection at lighter
weights will allow the armor to be more easily integrated into vehicles." Mr.
Hoffman also pointed out the benefit of durability with ALONtm. "Eventually,
with a conventional glass surface, degradation takes place and results in a
loss of transparency," Mr. Hoffman said. "Things such as sand have little or no
impact on ALONtm, and it probably has a life expectancy many times that of
glass." The scratch-resistant quality will greatly increase the transparency of
the armor, giving military members more visual awareness on the battlefield. "It
all comes down to survivability and being able to see what's out there and to
make decisions while having the added protection," Mr. Hoffman said.

The Army is looking to use the new armor as windows in ground vehicles, like
the Humvee, Lieutenant La Monica said. The Air Force is exploring its use for
"in-flight protective transparencies for low, slow-flying aircraft. These
include the C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, A-10 Thunderbolt II and
helicopters.

While some see the possibilities of this material as limitless,
manufacturability, size and cost are issues the lab is dealing with before the armor can
transition to the field, the lieutenant said. "Traditional transparent armor
costs a little over $3 per square inch. The ALONtm Transparent Armor cost is $10
to $15 per square inch," Lieutenant LaMonica said. "The difficulties arise
with heating and polishing processes, which lead to higher costs. But we are
looking at more cost effective alternatives." Lieutenant La Monica said
experimenting with the polishing process has proven beneficial." We found that by
polishing it a certain way, we increased the strength of the material by two-fold,"
he said.

Currently, size is also limited because equipment needed to heat larger
pieces is expensive. To help lower costs, the lieutenant said researchers are
looking at design variations that use smaller pieces of the armor tiled together to
form larger windows. Lowering cost by using a commercial grade material is
also an option, and the results have been promising. "So far, the difference
between the lower-grade material and higher purity in ballistic tests is
minimal," he said.

Lieutenant La Monica said once the material can be manufactured in large
quantities to meet the military's needs, and the cost brought down, the durability
and strength of ALONtm will prove beneficial to the war fighter. "It might
cost more in the beginning, but it is going to cost less in the long run because
you are going to have to replace it less," he said.

(Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service)

John Wayne Smith, CEO 1000 Planets, inc.