This is an old article, but one worth reviewing again. The reason why I say that, is because a lot of old armored vehicles, that PMC’s are using, do not have these kinds of seats. There are so many forces at play, when a blast goes off under these vehicles, and sometimes there is too much emphasis placed on just the armor. You also need seats, that can absorb the shock wave from those blasts, that reverberate through the vehicle. The kinds of vehicles, that should get upgrades, are the South African made vehicles that are currently in use. Those would include the Mamba, the Casspir, and the Puma vehicles. -Head Jundi
Operational vehicles to be protected by ShockRide blast protection seats
ArmorWorks (published 10/09/2007)
Mine resistant vehicles from BAE to be equipped with blast attenuating seats from ArmorWorks
ArmorWorks has received an initial $5 million order from BAE Systems for blast attenuating seats to be installed in BAE’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The seats incorporate ArmorWorks’ ShockRide energy attenuating seating system which the company introduced to the defense community in February 2007. This order provides for ArmorWorks’ lifesaving seating system to be installed in more than 400 MRAP vehicles to be used by the US Army and US Marines Corps.
As an industry leader in developing energy-absorbing armor, ArmorWorks leveraged its know-how to develop energy-absorbing seats to protect soldiers from the destructive shock of a blast beneath a vehicle. The company’s ShockRide energy absorbing seating system is US Government tested and approved for protecting against spinal injuries to troops exposed to mine blasts.
“The explosion of a mine or IED beneath a vehicle can create shock waves that are more destructive than the impact of the vehicle dropping 100 feet,” explained Bill Perciballi, president and founder of ArmorWorks. “We saw a critical need to develop a product that could save our soldiers, not only from ballistic fragments, but also from the extreme shock from a mine blast. Energy attenuating seats are a natural and needed addition to our line-up of life protecting products.”
ArmorWorks is also in the final design stages of developing a ShockRide bench seat to be installed in BAE’s Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which is utilized by the US Army.