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, 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. 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 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.

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, soon followed by the adoption of similar steel helmets, such as the Stahlhelm by the other warring nations. In the 20th century, such helmets offered protection for the head from shrapnel and fragments.

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.

Many of today’s combat helmets have been adapted for modern warfare requirements and upgraded with 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 for much 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
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.
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
Mk. 6 Helmet	United Kingdom	Used by British Armed Forces. being replaced by the Mk. 7 Helmet
Mk. 7 Helmet	United Kingdom	Used by British Armed forces
BK-6 Helmet	Croatia	Used by the Croatian Army, Czech Army, Bulgarian Army, United Arab Emirates Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Mexican Army, Spanish Army, Turkish 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, UK, Spain, Republic of Macedonia, Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Italy, Ukraine and by Argentina and by the UN demining committee. Sri Lanka
CCB (Combat Ballistic Helmet)	Brazil	Used by the Brazilian Armed Forces in two versions: Polymer and Kevlar.
Enhanced Combat Helmet	Australia	introduced into Australian service in 2004, replacing the PASGT.
CG634	Canada	Used by the Canadian Forces since 1998.
PASGT	United States	Used by the USAF, but is being phased out by the ACH US Air Force.
GOLFO	Chile	Military of Chile, Similar to the PASGT.
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, 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), Irish Defence Force, South African Defence Force, Sri Lanka (Army and Police), 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
Sistema Compositi SUPERUBOTT	Italy	Used by Special Units (particularly GIS) of the Italian Law Enforcement community
Tecnoplast TD-71	Italy	Used by the Italian Law Enforcement community for riot control
Type 88 Helmet	Japan	Used by the JSDF - PASGT type helmet
Type 66 Helmet	Japan	Variant of M1 Helmet used by some elements of the JSDF Ground Forces
M80 Helmet	Iraq	Plastic and cloth helmet, limited use
M87	South Africa	Kevlar helmet South African Army
Hjälm 90	Sweden	used by the Swedish Armed Forces
Helm wz. 93	Poland	Kevlar helmet Used by the Polish Armed Forces More similar to the modern Bundeswehr helmet. -
M/02 Composite Helmet	Finland	Used by the Finnish Defence Forces
RBH303IE	Ireland	Used by the Irish Defence Force
Mile Dragić M-97	Serbia	Used by the Serbian Army - PASGT type helmet
Mile Dragić M-05	Serbia	Used by Serbian Special Forces—MICH type helmet

World War I–Vietnam

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

US Marine Corps M1917 Brodie helmet.

Swiss Model 1918 helmet

A side view of a Mid-century M1 helmet

Model	Origins	Users
Adrian helmet	France	used in France, Belgium, Japan, Kingdom of Serbia, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, United States, Soviet Union, Irish Free State, Italy, Taiwan, Manchukuo, Peru, Romania, Mexico, Greece, Uruguay
Brodie helmet	United Kingdom	used in United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Australia, Taiwan, Estonia, Belgium, New Zealand, South Africa, India, the Netherlands, Portugal
Mk III Turtle helmet	Canada, United Kingdom
M33 helmet	Italy	Italy, Finland
Bulgarian M36 Helmet	Bulgaria	Bulgaria
M1 Helmet	United States	U.S.Army, U.S.Marine Corps; Canada, Taiwan, Korea, Guatemalan, Philippines, Belgium, the Netherlands, Thailand
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	German Empire	Chile, Taiwan, Irish Free State, Nazi Germany, Poland, Weimar Republic, Estonia, Finland, Afghanistan
Hełm wz. 31	Poland	Poland
Helm radziecki wz. 40	Poland	Poland
Helm wz. 50	Poland	Poland
Helm wz. 67	Poland	Poland
Swiss M1918/40	Switzerland	Switzerland, Argentina
Hungarian M1935/38	Hungary	Hungary, Finland
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	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	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	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	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	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)

Model	Origin	Users
Attic helmet		ancient Greeks
Boar's tusk helmet	17th century BCE	Mycenaean Greeks until 10th century BCE
Boeotian helmet		ancient Greek cavalry
Chalcidian helmet		ancient Greeks
Corinthian helmet		ancient Greeks
Disc and stud helmet	circa 400 BCE	ancient Illyrians & Adriatic Veneti until 167 BCE
Galea (helmet)		ancient Romans
Horned helmet	circa 1000 BCE	Celtic Europeans until 700 CE
Illyrian type helmet		ancient Greeks
Kegelhelm		ancient Greeks
Negau helmet		ancient Etruscans in Negau, Slovenia
Montefortino helmet		ancient Romans
Pilos		ancient Greeks
Pot helmet		ancient Illyrians
Phrygian/Thracian helmet	400s BCE	ancient Greeks in Thrace, Dacia, Italia & Hellenistic Europe until circa 200 CE

Design

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%.

External links

• Modern military helmets