Combat helmet

A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat.

Helmets are among the oldest forms of personal protective equipment and are known to have been worn by the Akkadians/Sumerians in the 23rd century BCE, Mycenaean Greeks since the 17th century BCE,^[1][2] the Assyrians around 900 BCE, ancient Greeks and Romans, throughout the Middle Ages, and up to the end of the 17th century by many combatants.^[3] Their materials and construction became more advanced as weapons became more and more powerful. Initially constructed from leather and brass, and then bronze and iron during the Bronze and Iron Ages, they soon came to be made entirely from forged steel in many societies after about 950 CE. At that time, they were purely military equipment, protecting the head from cutting blows with swords, flying arrows, and low-velocity musketry.

Military use of helmets declined after 1670, and rifled firearms ended their use by foot soldiers after 1700^[3] but the Napoleonic era saw ornate cavalry helmets reintroduced for cuirassiers and dragoons in some armies which continued to be used by French forces during World War I as late as 1915.^[4]

World War I and its increased use of artillery had renewed the need for steel helmets, with the French Adrian helmet and the British Brodie helmet being the first modern steel helmets used on the battlefield,^[5][6] soon followed by the adoption of similar steel helmets, such as the Stahlhelm^[7][8][9] by the other warring nations. In the 20th century, such helmets offered protection for the head from shrapnel and fragments as well as for specialist roles such as Paratrooper helmets.^[10]

Today's militaries often use high quality helmets made of ballistic materials such as Kevlar and Aramid, which offer improved protection. Some helmets also have good non-ballistic protective qualities, against threats such as concussive shock waves from explosions.^[11][12]

Many of today’s combat helmets have been adapted for modern warfare requirements and upgraded with STANAG rails to act as a platform for mounting cameras, video cameras and VAS Shrouds for the mounting of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and monocular Night Vision Devices (NVD).

Beginning in the early 20th century, combat helmets have often been equipped with helmet covers to offer greater camouflage. There have been two main types of covers, mesh nets were earlier widely used, but most modern combat helmets use camouflage cloth covers instead of the earlier net covers.

History

Current

• 

  A Mk. 6 Helmet, issued to British military personnel during the very later part of the 20th Century.

• 

  A modern German Army Gefechtshelm

• 

  United States soldier wearing the standard issue Advanced Combat Helmet.

• 

  A US special operations Marine Ops-Core helmet, showing modern battlefield accessories such as NVG mounts, communications gear and a helmet camera.

Model	Origins	Users
SPECTRA helmet	France	Used by the French Army, Danish Army, United Nations peacekeeping forces[13]
Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH)	United States	Developed from the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet, the ACH is now the standard issue helmet of the US Army.[14][15][16]
Modular Integrated Communications Helmet	United States	Developed for special operations use by the United States Army, it became the basis for the Advanced Combat Helmet
Lightweight Helmet	United States	Used by United States Marine Corps[17]
Mk. 6 Helmet	United Kingdom	Used by British Armed Forces.[18] being replaced by the Mk. 7 Helmet
Mk. 7 Helmet	United Kingdom	Used by British Armed forces
M76 paratrooper helmet	United Kingdom	Used by British Armed forces Paratroopers and Airborne forces
BK-6 Helmet	Croatia	Used by the Croatian Army, Turkish Army, Czech Army, Bulgarian Army, United Arab Emirates Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Mexican Army, Spanish Army, Pakistan Army, Malaysian Army, Saudi Arabian Army, Finnish Army, National Army of Colombia, Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Indonesian Army, Italian Army, Military of Hungary, Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and by the police forces of the following countries: Croatia, Turkey, UK, Spain, Republic of Macedonia, Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Italy, Ukraine and by Argentina and by the UN demining committee.[19] Sri Lanka
CCB	Brazil	Used by the Brazilian Armed Forces in two versions: Polymer and Kevlar.[20]
Enhanced Combat Helmet	Australia	Introduced into Australian Defence Force in 2004, replacing the PASGT.
CG634	Canada	Used by the Canadian Forces since 1998.[21][22]
CABAL II	Argentina	Ballistic Helmet M-6 for Argentine Infantry Approved by CITEFA NIJ Level II according to the standards currently in stage R3B certified to MIL-Std 662 E[23]
PASGT	United States	Used by the USAF, but is being phased out by the ACH[24] US Air Force.[25]
GOLFO	Chile	Military of Chile, Similar to the PASGT.
GK80	People's Republic of China	People's Liberation Army
QGF03	People's Republic of China	People's Liberation Army
QGF02	People's Republic of China	People's Liberation Army
SSh-68	Soviet Union	Steel helmet Russian Army Russia
STSh-81	Soviet Union	Titanium helmet Russian Special Forces Russia
6B7	Russia	Kevlar helmet Russian army
6B7-1L	Russia	Kevlar helmet Russian army and Naval Infantry Russia
Kolpak 2	Russia	Kevlar helmet Russian army
6B27	Russia	Kevlar helmet Russian army
6B28	Russia	Kevlar helmet Russian army
6B26	Russia	Kevlar helmet Russian army
OR-201	Israel	Kevlar helmet used by the Israel Defense Forces, Some units of Special forces of Indian Army, Irish Defence Force, Lebanon (Lebanese Forces, South Lebanon Army, Hezbollah, Lebanese Army), Honduran Army, Guatemalan Army, Peruvian Army, Romanian Army, Nicaragua (National Guard and Police), Portugal (Portuguese Marine Corps), South African Defence Force, Chilean Army (1st Parachutists Battalion "Pelantaru" (1º Batallón de Paracaidistas "Pelantaru")), Sri Lanka, and other countries.
KASDA	Israel	Kevlar helmet Israel Defense Forces, Guatemalan Army
Gefechtshelm Schuberth B826	Germany	Used by the Bundeswehr, Swiss Army, Dutch Army, Estonian Defence Forces, Czech Army and other countries - PASGT type helmet
Helm wz. 2005	Poland	Newer kevlar helmet used by the Polish Armed Forces. Supplementing the older Helm wz. 93 currently in use. Similar to the American Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH).
MARTE	Spain	Protec type helmet replacing PASGT type helmets
Sistema Compositi SEPT-2 PLUS	Italy	Used by the Italian Armed Forces[26]
Sistema Compositi SUPERUBOTT	Italy	Used by Special Units (particularly GIS) of the Italian Law Enforcement community[27]
Tecnoplast TD-71	Italy	Used by the Italian Law Enforcement community for riot control[28]
Type 88 Helmet	Japan	Used by the JSDF - PASGT type helmet
M80 Helmet	Iraq	Plastic and cloth helmet, limited use
M83	South Africa	Variant of the OR-201 helmet used by Paratroopers of the South African Army
M87	South Africa	Kevlar helmet of the South African Army
Hjälm 90	Sweden	used by the Swedish Armed Forces
Helm wz. 2005	Poland	Helmet Used by the Polish Armed Forces. -[29]
M/02 Composite Helmet	Finland	Used by the Finnish Defence Forces
RBH303IE	Ireland	Variant of the Enhanced Combat Helmet (Australia) helmet used by the Irish Defence Force
MPC-1	Slovenia	Variant of OR-201 helmet
Mile Dragić M-97	Serbia	Used by the Serbian Army - PASGT type helmet[30]
Mile Dragić M-05	Serbia	Used by Serbian Special Forces—MICH type helmet[31]

World War I – Vietnam War

• 

  The French infantry M15 Adrian helmet was the first modern steel helmet.

• 

  German M16 Stahlhelm.

• 

  US Marine Corps M1917 (after the Brodie helmet).

• 

  Swiss Model 1918 helmet

• 

  A side view of a Mid-century M1 helmet

Model	Origins	Users
Adrian helmet	France	[4] used in  France,  Belgium, Japan,  Serbia,  Yugoslavia,  United States,  Soviet Union, Irish Free State,  Italy,  Republic of China,  Manchukuo,  Peru,  Romania,  Mexico,  Greece,  Uruguay,  Thailand
Brodie helmet	United Kingdom	used in  United Kingdom,  Canada,  United States,  Australia,[10]  Republic of China,  Estonia,  Belgium,  New Zealand,  South Africa,  India,  the Netherlands,  Portugal
Modèle 1951	France	France
Mk III Turtle helmet	Canada,  United Kingdom
Helmet Steel Airborne Troop	UK	used in  CAN,  BEL,  Rhodesia,  UK
Mº 44 E.T.A. de Paracaidista	Argentina	used by Argentine Paratroopers
M33 helmet	Italy	Italy,  Finland
Bulgarian M36 Helmet	Bulgaria	Bulgaria[32]
M42 Duperite helmet	AUS	Paratrooper helmet
M63 Staaldak	South Africa	Rhodesia,  South Africa
M1 helmet	United States	U.S.Army, U.S.Marine Corps;  Canada,[33]  Turkey, Republic of China,  South Korea, Guatemalan, Philippines,  Belgium, the Netherlands,  Thailand
Type 66 Helmet	Japan	Variant of M1 Helmet used by some elements of the JSDF Ground Forces
RAC helmet	United Kingdom	United Kingdom,  Belgium
Dutch M-28 helmet	Netherlands	Netherlands,  Romania
m 1923 Danish helmet	Denmark	Denmark
Czechoslovakian Model 1932 Steel Helmet	Czechoslovakia	Czechoslovakia
Pickelhaube	German Empire	German Empire
Soviet helmets during World War II	Soviet Union	Soviet Union,  People's Republic of China,  North Korea,  North Vietnam,  Finland, Warsaw Pact
Stahlhelm[7][8][9]	German Empire	Weimar Republic,  Nazi Germany,  Turkey, Chile,  Republic of China,  Irish Free State,  Poland,  Estonia,  Finland,  Afghanistan
Hełm wz. 31	Poland	Poland
Hełm radziecki wz. 40	Poland	Poland
Hełm wz. 50	Poland	Poland
Hełm wz. 67	Poland	Poland
Swiss M1918/40	Switzerland	Switzerland,  Argentina
1935/38 M. rohamsisak	Hungary	Hungary/Kingdom of Hungary (Royal Hungarian Army),  Finland
1950 M rohamsisak	Hungary	Hungary/People's Republic of Hungary (Hungarian People's Army)
1970 M rohamsisak	Hungary	Hungary/People's Republic of Hungary (Hungarian People's Army)
Type 90	Japan	Japan,  Thailand,  China
Irish M1928	Ireland	Ireland
Norwegian M31	Norway	Norway
Swedish M1926	Sweden	Sweden
Greek M1934/39 (helmet)	Italy,  Greece	Greece,  Italy
Belgian M26/32	Belgium	Belgium,  Luxembourg
Portuguese M1940, M1940-63	Portugal	Portugal
Spanish M1926, M1942 Modelo Z	Spain	Spain

Medieval and early Modern

• 

  6th century Spangenhelm

"Indian Helmet, Shield and Swords," a print by Day and Sons, London, c.1858

Model	Origin	Users
Bascinet	circa 1300	Europeans during the Hundred Years' War(1337 to 1453) amid the kingdoms of France,  Aquitaine, Burgundy and  England
Burgonet[34]	circa 1600	Europeans, especially by militias of  Poland &   Switzerland
Capeline	late 16th century	Europeans during the 17th century, including the English Civil War in  England & Thirty Years' War across the  Holy Roman Empire
Cervelliere	late 13th century	Christian Europeans in Crusades during the 14th century
Great helm[35]	1189	Christian Europeans in Third Crusade; other Europeans until 1540
Kabuto	circa 1600	Samurai especially during the 17th century of the Edo Period Tokugawa shogunate in Medieval  Japan.
Morion	16th and early 17th centuries	Europeans (esp. associated with Spanish Conquistadores)
Pickelhaube[7][8][9]	1842	especially by  Prussia &  German Empire and other Europeans until 1918; revived for 2006 FIFA World Cup in  Germany
Raupenhelm	circa 1800-1870	High crested leather helmet used primarily by  Kingdom of Bavaria and  Württemberg
Sallet	circa 1450	used in Northern Europe &  Hungary until the mid-16th century
Spangenhelm[36]	5th century	Central Asia, Near East & Europe; espec. by Scythians, Sarmatians, Persians, & Germans until 1000
Tarleton	circa 1770-1800	Crested, peaked leather helmet used by cavalry and light infantry by  Great Britain,  France and  USA in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Qing parade helmet	after 1655 till 1911	China

See also headgear listing within Components of medieval armour.

Ancient militaries

• 

  Mycenaean Greek boar tusk helmet, Mycenae, 14th century BCE

• 

  Ancient Greek bronze Corinthian helmet, c. 500 BCE, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Inv. 4330)

• 

  Persian helmet (Sassanid army)

• 

  17th century Safavid helmet (Safavid army)

Padding

Cushioning is used to negate concussive injuries. Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory published a study in 2011 that concluded that the addition of an eighth of an inch of cushion decreased the impact force to the skull by 24%.^[38]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military helmets.

• Modern military helmets