Pentagon agency to test new vehicle armor

HOUSTON, July 21 (UPI) -- A new hybrid armor for vehicles developed by Ryan Solutions Inc. and NanoRidge Materials, Inc will be tested in the fall by the U.S. Defense Department.

Ryan Solutions said the armor to be tested by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is a blend of conventional light-armor materials with advanced application of nanomaterials.

"This blended layering fundamentally improves the armor's resilience to impact, penetration and thus defeats the hostile round as it strikes the new composite material," it said.

"After several years of independent development and research at our own expense, we were honored that DARPA selected RSI for the Armor II Challenge," RSI President John Tidrow said. "RSI has developed a rigorous testing and evaluation program through independent certified test laboratories; we have outstanding scientists, military and law enforcement veterans who are committed to developing the finest solutions for our war fighters and law enforcement officers.

"Becoming a DARPA sponsored armor company will enable RSI to participate in the government's long-term development of new nano-enhanced armor."

DARPA's Armor II Challenge is a project to identify revolutionary and promising new armor concepts both for military personnel and military vehicles. The organization said it is specifically aimed at inventors and small organizations that lack the resources to initiate full-scale armor development programs.