Military Ceramics - Reinforced Advanced-Composite Armour Plates

Since 1999, Military Ceramics has specialized in manufacturing ceramic materials for use in ballistic armour and blast protection systems. We only manufacture advanced ceramic materials such as boron carbide and silicon carbide. We do not design or manufacture armour systems.

Silicon carbide armour plates

We are the primary supplier to the Australian Defence Force and have manufactured 25,000 Silicon carbide plates for use in the Australian Army’s new Modular Combat Body Armour (MCBAS) system. Our ceramic materials are currently used in body armour worn by Australian Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq and save soldiers' lives on a daily basis.

We have also supplied breast plates for:

• British Army – Osprey body armour
• US Army – Interceptor armour
• Indonesian Army
• Royal Thai Army
• Singapore Army and police
• Australian Federal police
• New South Wales police (Australia)
• Queensland police (Australia)
• London Metropolitan police (UK)
• West Yorkshire police (UK)

Reaction-sintered silicon carbide (RSSC) armour plates

Military Ceramics has focused on manufacturing the best ballistic-grade silicon carbide (SiC) in the industry. SiC is the premier material for general use in armour systems. It is about 1/3rd the weight of steel for the same protection level. By comparison, alumina (aluminium oxide) is about half the weight of steel. Boron carbide is lighter than SiC but much more expensive and recent research suggests that it is inferior against AP and high-velocity projectiles.

High-quality armour plates

All armour-grade ceramics are compromise between weight, stopping power and price. Military Ceramics is a premier RSSC manufacturer for three reasons:

• High density - we make the highest density RSSC plates available commercially today – up to 3.12g/cm3. Density is the most important indication of anti-ballistic quality and is necessary to defeat AP and high velocity rounds. We measure the density of every plate we dispatch and supply the customer with that data
• Lowest prices available
• Quality – Military Ceramics is ISO 9001-certified. We pioneered the development of quality systems for the highly complex process of RSSC manufacture. In particular, we were the first RSSC manufacturer to x-ray every dispatched plate. This ensures that hidden flaws such as low density spots or hidden cracks are identified before shipping. It also allows us to trace our plates, even after they are clad.

We can manufacture plates to any design, size or shape whether flat, single-curved or with multiple-curves.

Steel-reinforced silicon-carbide ceramic plates

We have recently patented a new material called AusShield – a steel-reinforced SiC ceramic that combines the weight advantages of ceramics with toughness, multi-hit and load bearing qualities of steel. AusShield is about 10,000 times "tougher" (i.e. able to withstand shock without fracturing) than any other ceramic armor material. It is Silicon Carbide plate reinforced with steel mesh (similar, in concept, to the reinforcement of Rebar or reinforced concrete). The mesh is held under tension and compresses the plate in both the X and Y axes holding the plate in a compressive constraint equivalent to about 6,850lbs of force.

When struck by a projectile, AusShield does not shatter like other ceramic materials. The wire mesh stops cracks from propagating. Apart from in the immediate vicinity of the projectile strike, the plate will remain intact.

In consequence, AusShield has incredible multi-hit characteristics and unlike conventional ceramics, is not pulverized by high explosives and retains its ballistic performance, even after being hit by a shaped charge.