Anti-Ballistic Airbag for RPGs
Navy SBIR FY2004.2 - Quick Response Topics


Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2004.2
Topic No.: N04-902
Topic Title: Anti-Ballistic Airbag for RPGs
Proposal No.: N042-902-0732
Firm: Cybernet Systems Corporation
727 Airport Boulevard
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108-1639
Contact: Joseph Tesar
Phone: (734) 668-2567
Web Site: www.cybernet.com
Abstract: This proposal describes a protective system for military vehicles that can prevent (or mitigate) damage caused by incoming Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs). The system is applied to existing vehicles, and can be removed and reattached with a minimum of effort. A key advantage of this protective system, called Anti-Ballistic Airbag (ABA), is that it pushes the explosive energy of the RPG away from the vehicle, preventing the typical loss of life and severe vehicle damage caused by a RPG. Our concept, consisting of a rapidly inflating protective Kevlar-type bag, is the analog of the automotive airbag, which has been extremely successful at protecting vehicle passengers from severe injury in a vehicle crash. In the same way, the ABA makes use of the known timing and physics of an RPG to deploy a protective bag before it strikes the vehicle. The ABA is placed on the outside of the vehicle and can be deployed before the RPG strikes the vehicle and explodes.
Benefits: This system is targeted directly at vehicles in use in Iraq and other areas where US soldiers are encountering RPG fire on standard vehicles.

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