XTEK armour technology to be evaluated by US

XTEK’s XTclaveTM Armour Technology has been selected by US Department of Defense for testing and evaluation in 2013.

The testing and evaluation process will be sponsored by the US Army and conducted as part of the US Department of Defense Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program.

XTEK's participation in the FCT Program will focus on the evaluation of Small Arms Protective Inserts (SAPI) body armour plates that are fabricated using an isostatic high-pressure processing technique that is unique to XTEK's novel XTclave(tm) armour technology process.

This process has produced personal body armour products that have demonstrated promising ballistic performance results with weight reduction and at lower production costs.

Funding of $1.2m has been approved by the US Department of Defense for testing and evaluation of the XTclaveTM project over the next two years.

A XTEK spokesperson said that subject to passing the US FCT program testing there is a possibility for this technology to become the preferred choice for future US military body armour acquisition requirements.

The spokesperson also said that after passing the US testing and evaluation process, the technology could see interest from the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Through recent successful ballistic testing XTEK is on path to satisfy the requirements of the ADF Land 123 Phase 3B Protection Elements Project, a project designed to provide upgraded body armour to the ADF by 2014.

XTEK has extended its capacity to produce commercial volumes of body armour with a joint venture with Australian armour manufacturing company Armor Australia.