The Ukraine-based TEMP-3000 scientific-production enterprise successfully tested its new flame-resistant clothing for the crews of Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

The TEMP-3000 has successfully tested its new flame-resistant clothing in under Protect Life From Fire (PLIFF) program conducted in Osaka, Japan. The tests included a life-size mannequin system equipped with 60 heat sensors dressed in flame-resistant clothing by TEMP-3000 and exposed to flash fire from 20 gas-fired burners placed around the ground.

The tests showed the degree of burn involving damage to the epidermis not exceeding 4.2%, far below the level required by the international standard ISO 13506,  according to a company executive spokesman. During the test, T-shirt made of cotton, which serves as a witness when exposed to fire on overall remained without damage.

The specialized garment for the crews of the armoured personnel carriers, armoured vehicles, tanks, self-propelled artillery systems and other combat vehicles must meet an extraordinary variety of demands, including durability, flexibility and the ability to function in heat and cold, wet and dry environments.

In response to the deadly IED problem and the blast/heat effects of the numerous attacks including ones involving rocket-propelled grenade launchers, the TEMP-3000 has developed an improved variant of flame-resistant clothing for vehicle crewmen. The crew suits consists of a jacket and trousers designed as a whole. The top coverall includes sewed-in sleeves, a collar and a central zip fastener. The coverall is manufactured of incombustible meta-aramid Teijinconex fabric (temperature of inflammation is 610 °С).

The special properties of the meta-aramid fabric, both heat- and fire-resistance, are provided on the molecular level, this is why these properties remain the same during the whole period of use. The meta-aramid fabric has a unique feature of self-extinguishability, which ensures the protection from the second and third degree burns. The meta-aramid fabric does not melt and produces no drips, has a low conductivity and stable antistatic properties. The structure of cloth ensures high breaking loads and increased wear resistance.

The flame-resistant clothing by TEMP-3000 can protect soldiers from high temperatures and flame, and provides the protection against shell and armour fragments, as well as against 9 mm pistol bullets.

Military clothing solutions containing meta-aramid fabric can thus deliver the ideal performance for several threats, either in confined spaces in mounted operations or in dismounted operations, when threats come from fuel fires, improvised explosive devices or rocket-propelled grenades.