The Mark 7 helmet is a former general issue

combat helmet A combat helmet, also called a ballistic helmet, battle helmet, or helmet system (for some Modular design, modular accessory-centric designs) is a type of helmet designed to serve as a piece of body armor intended to protect the wearer's head du ...

of the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...

, which was replaced by the Revision Batlskin Cobra Plus as part of the Virtus programme. Officially known as the ''GS (General Service) Mark 7 combat helmet'', it replaced the previous Mk 6 and Mark 6A helmets. The helmet is manufactured by NP Aerospace.

History

The Mk 7 helmet was introduced in June 2009 as an

Urgent Operational Requirement An Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) is a system used by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) to obtain urgent equipment for operations. UORs supplement the MOD's long-term planned procurement programme, and are funded by extra Treasury money ...

. It was first shown through the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) event in Millbrook alongside the

Osprey body armour Osprey body armour is a system of body armour used by the British Armed Forces. The system is in its fourth iteration following extensive development and engagement with front line users. History British forces first began using body armour ...

. The British Ministry of Defense announced a purchase of 10,000 sets under initial contracts worth £16 million. In November 2010, three soldiers from the Royal Irish Regiment credited the helmet for saving their lives when they engaged in a gunfight with Taliban forces. In July 2011, a soldier from the Brigade Reconnaissance Force also credited the helmet with nearly being killed during a gunfight in Helmand province. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, based in Afghanistan, was asked to assess the damage done to his helmet. Several Mk 7 helmets were donated to the Ukrainian military in 2014. The Mk 7 helmet was replaced by the Revision Military Batlskin Cobra Plus helmet as part of the Virtus programme.

Design

The Mk 7 offers superior ballistic protection compared to the Mk 6 and Mk 6A, and its newer shape allows the soldier to accurately fire their rifle without hindrance. The previous Mk 6 and Mk 6A combined with the Osprey Body Armour system in use at the time made it difficult for soldiers to maintain this firing position, as the helmet rim would tip over the user's eyes. The helmet weighs , significantly less than its predecessor. It also has better chin strapping for stability and is produced in a new colour - tan, unlike the Mk 6A in

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

and Mk 6 in

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...

. The Mk 7 is constructed out of

Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s as ...

, rather than the Mk 6, which was produced using

ballistic nylon Ballistics may refer to: Science * Ballistics, the science that deals with the motion, behavior, and effects of projectiles ** Forensic ballistics, the science of analyzing firearm usage in crimes ** Internal ballistics, the study of the pro ...

, and the Mk 6A, which used a combination of ballistic nylon and additional layers of Aramid fibres over the top. The ''mean penetration velocity'' (V₅₀) for the Mk 7 is about . This is the velocity at which half (50%) of projectiles are expected to penetrate and is a measure of the helmet's ballistic protection.

Users

* : In 2014, around 84,000 Mk 7 helmets donated for Ukrainian troops. * : Issued the Mk 7 together with the Osprey body armor in June 2009.

References

{{helmets Combat helmets of the United Kingdom Post–Cold War military equipment of the United Kingdom British Army equipment Military equipment introduced in the 2000s