The Ops-Core Future Assault Shell Technology (FAST) Helmet, also known as the FAST helmet, is an American combat helmet used by special operations forces and law enforcement organizations in various countries, as well as the current standard protective headgear of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
U.S. Army Research Laboratory in collaboration with the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier
667–1592 g (1.47–3.51 lbs), depending on size and model
The FAST helmet series features a distinctive shell shape, with ear cut geometry which extends coverage over the rear occipital bone without load carrier interference, and optimizes weight distribution for increased stability, integration, balance, and comfort. The helmet features various suspension and retention systems, and ARC rails which, similar to picatinny rails, enable users to mount items like helmet lights and cameras.
Due to its popularity within special forces communities, copies of the helmet have been produced by Russian and Chinese companies for adoption by the two countries' special forces, along with export markets. Such copies can be bought by civilians for relatively cheap on websites like AliExpress and are popular within the airsoft, paintball and re-enactment community as well as army equipment fans.
The name FAST helmet was coined by a manufacturing company called Ops-Core in 2005.[4] In 2008, Ops-Core showed off their prototype helmet with their Head-Loc™ Helmet Retention System (a.k.a. Head-Loc Retention System) at the 2008 SHOT SHOW convention. The helmet was publicly revealed in 2009 at the annual SHOT Show.[5] It was issued to U.S. special forces operators deployed in Afghanistan.[6]
In 2019, U.S. Special Operations Command awarded Gentex a contract worth $95 million to supply Ops-Core FAST SF Super High Cut Helmets that were released in 2018.[1]
Developmentedit
Compared to standard combat helmets, the FAST helmet offers up to 25% weight reduction and is notable for its early use of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers (UHMWPE) in its design.[2][3] It was also designed to allow outside features such as wearing communications headsets which can be attached with rail adapters.[7]
Designedit
The FAST helmet ranges in weight from about 667–1592 g (1.47–3.51 lbs). The type of UHMWPE material for the ballistic FAST models provides increased protection against NIJLevel IIIAhandgun rounds. It can be fitted with a mounting bracket, patented first in 2014,[8] for accessories like night vision goggles and communications headsets,[9] similar to PASGT and MICH.[10] The Velcro featured on to the helmet also allows for the wearer to attach national flag or the emblem of unit which they belong to, in addition to other IFF (Identification friend or foe) patches such as call sign and blood type .
Users can wear it with different communications headsets with ease and comfort. It has different color options, such as foliage green, black, olive green, ranger green, tan 499, urban grey, MultiCam and desert MARPAT.[11] As well as having mesh and cloth helmet covers in varying camouflage patterns.
The FAST RF1 High Cut Helmet System released in 2021 is a rifle rated ballistic helmet at an average of 3.5 lbs (1592 grams) able to protect against rifle rounds like the 7.62×39mm and 7.62x51mm due to the 0.400" (10.16mm) shell thickness. The different color options are Tan 499, Ranger Green, MultiCam, Black, and Urban Gray.[12]
The FAST XR Helmet System released in 2022 represents an intermediate in protection between the SF line of helmets and the RF1 Helmet System, protecting against 7.62x39mm rifle rounds at a distance of 10 feet, but not against larger rounds such as 7.62x51mm. This is due to having a shell thickness of 0.280" (7.112mm). It is far lighter than the RF1, averaging at only about half a pound heavier than the SF helmet, depending on the type of chinstrap. It is available in Tan 499, Ranger Green, MultiCam, Black, and Urban Gray.[13]
In addition to military and law enforcements, the non-ballistic version of the helmet also has gained considerable popularity among civilian occupations, such as outdoor sportsmen, journalists, disaster relief personnel and other field workers due to its modular design.
Foreign Copiesedit
Due to the helmet's widespread adoption, many countries (mainly China and Russia) have successfully copied and manufactured their own versions of FAST helmets or other similar High-Cut helmets for use by their special forces and police tactical units, and export to friendly countries. While other companies have produced and released cheap imitations for survival games. However, most of these foreign copies were not made under license by the Ops-Core company, and the bulletproof performance is generally inferior to the real helmets.
One of the notable example of these foreign copies is LShZ 1+ light combat helmet made by Russian company Armocom, which first appeared publicly in 2012. At first glance, the helmet looks superficially similar to the original FAST, but compared to the helmets made by Ops-Core, it has flatter shell and was designed to mount domestically designed Russian night vision and communication devices instead of American-made ones. LShZ 1+ and other Russian copies of FAST helmet are known to be used by various Russian Spetsnaz units and special operations forces of other post-Soviet states.
Usersedit
Currentedit
Afghanistan: The Islamic Emirate Army make use of stocks left over or acquired from Afghan National Army soldiers and commandos. In use with the Badri 313 Battalion.
Albania: Used by the Special Operations Battalion.
France: Used by the Special Operations Command's units and specialized conventional units such as the Commando Parachute Group and Mountain Commando Group.
Georgia: Bullet-resistant analogue DH MK-III made by STC Delta as standard issue helmet for Georgian special operations and reconnaissance forces. Used also by police and state security special units.[19]
Malaysia: In 2016, a contract was signed with Usahawan PSE Sdn Bhd to supply FAST helmets to the Malaysian military under RM45.9 million.[20] The first Malaysian unit issued with the helmet is the 7th Royal Ranger Regiment.[21]
Norway: In 2011, the Norwegian Defense Logistic Organization (NDLO) selected the FAST helmet as the new standard issue protective headgear for the Norwegian Army and National Guard. The decision was made after positive results from rounds of ballistic and safety testing and has been previously fielded by the Norwegian Special Forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq.[22] This replaces the PASGT made by Cato Ringstad.[23]
Turkey: Used by special forces units of Turkish Armed Forces, with a reported incident where a Turkish soldier's life was saved when his Ops-Core Sentry-type helmet was shot at in 2015.[28]
Ukraine: Used by Special Operations Forces.[29] Also sees a rapid use with the National Guard of Ukraine upon Russian buildup on border in 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis.
United Arab Emirates: The UAE Presidential Guard is equipped with the FAST Ballistic High Cut helmet, announced in 2013.[30]
United States: Used by special operations forces. Delta Force has used the FAST XP helmet (MultiCam shell) since around 2015, though SF (also in MultiCam) is in use as well. Some DEVGRU operators had used the FAST XP (with AOR1 paintjob) until the FAST Maritime (AOR1 shell) started being officially issued in 2011. Navy SEALs use the LBH (same cut as an XP, but with a different velcro shape pattern and the shell material is the same as that of the Maritime) with AOR1 shell and SWCC with AOR2 shell. AFSOC, Special Forces (Green Berets), 75th Ranger Regiment and Marine Raider Regiment use the FAST Maritime[2][31] as well as the FAST SF.[1]
In use with the LAPDSWAT, where a SWAT officer credited the helmet for saving his life from being shot in the head in 2017.[32] Also used by the NYPD ESU.
^ abc"US Special Operations Command reveals new helmet for operators | SOFREP".
^ abc"ARL-led program enables new manufacturing processes for ballistic protection". EurekaAlert!. May 16, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
^ abNational Research Council (2014). "Evolution of Combat Helmets based". Review of Department of Defense Test Protocols for Combat Helmets. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.
^"THE FAST HELMET | FUTURE ASSAULT SHELL TECHNOLOGY EXPLAINED". Hard Head Veterans. June 1, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
^"Ops-Core Releases New Products - Soldier Systems Daily". 4 March 2009.
^Crane+, David. "Ops-Core FAST Ballistic Helmet (Crye MultiCam Camo Pattern?) Military Combat Helmet with FAST-ARC Accessory Rail Connectors and Head-Loc Chinstrap Retention System Going Operational in Afghanistan with U.S. Army Special Forces: FAST Helmet Demo Video, and Contour HD Tactical Helmet Cam (Camera) Photos!". DefenseReview.com (DR): An online tactical technology and military defense technology magazine with particular focus on the latest and greatest tactical firearms news (tactical gun news), tactical gear news and tactical shooting news.
^Scharine, Angelique; Weatherless, Rachel (September 2013). "Evaluation of Variants of 3M Peltor ComTAC Tactical Communication and Protection System (TCAPS) Headsets: Measures of Hearing Protection and Auditory Performance". U.S. Army Research Laboratory – via ResearchGate.
^"Canipe Correspondence - Helmets: State of the Art Then and Now - Soldier Systems Daily". soldiersystems.net. 18 August 2012. Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2017-10-10.
^"Ops-Core FAST RF1 High Cut Helmet System". Gentex Corporation. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
^"Ops-Core FAST XR High Cut Helmet System". Gentex Corporation. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
^Akramov (2020-10-29). "Algérie: Gladius 2.0 comme système de soldat des forces spéciales". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2022-06-19.
^"New weapons and personal gear for Austrian soldiers - sipol.at". Archived from the original on 2019-08-17. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
^"Ejército gradúa a integrantes del curso de Fuerzas Especiales 2020". 29 July 2020.
^"Night Hawk afsluttet". Forsvaret. 7 October 2021.
^Oinas-Panuma, Olga (4 June 2022). "Erään yksikön asuvalinta lippujuhlan päivän paraatissa kiinnitti katsojien huomion – "Tämä oli ensimmäinen kerta"". Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
^"Tactical Ballistic Helmet DH MK-III". www.delta.gov.ge. 17 November 2023.
^"Contracts Worth US$ 745 Million Announced At DSA 2016". www.defenseworld.net.
^"New Ballistic Helmets for the Army - Malaysian Defence". 17 February 2017.
^"Ops-Core Helmets for the whole Norwegian Army". Military Times. September 7, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
^"Ops-Core Wins Norwegian Helmet Contract - Soldier Systems Daily". 8 September 2011.
^"An Overview of Philippine Elite & Special Forces". Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute. 2019-09-13. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
^ ab"Shot Show 2013 | Special-Ops.pl - Portal Ludzi Akcji". www.special-ops.pl. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
^Army continues Special Missions Force training today.
^"Ops-Core Helmet Saves Turkish Soldier's Life - Soldier Systems Daily". 10 December 2015.
^"Ukrainian Spetnaz's Weapons and Gear May Show an American Touch". 8 June 2017.
^"Ops-Core Awarded Contract to Supply UAE with the Ops-Core FAST Ballistic High Cut (XP) Helmet". Gentex. 12 November 2013.
^"Combat Helmets Have Moved Beyond Just Protection". Task & Purpose. 12 June 2015.
^"Ops-Core Helmet Saves LAPD SWAT Officer's Life - Soldier Systems Daily". 26 June 2017.
^"DJF192200PR0001495 - DJF192200PR0001495 - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities". www.fbo.gov. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
^"Đặc nhiệm Việt Nam bắt kịp xu thế mũ chống đạn hàng đầu thế giới". 10 December 2020.
^"Graphic Video Reportedly Shows Taliban Executing Afghan SF Prisoners". 10 July 2021.
External linksedit
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