At this year’s Eurosatory, the International Land, Airland, Homeland Defence Exhibition in Paris, 16 - 20 June 2008, DSM Dyneema announced its new technology platform that will extend the material choice for vehicle protection of the future. This follows DSM’s recent announcement of a 450 million USD investment in its Dyneema® business. This new technology platform is currently under evaluation for key vehicle protection programs before becoming commercially available. Products derived from it will allow armor designers and decision makers to balance the requirements for better performing vehicles, increased payloads, and room for future weight growth. In addition, they will address the need for better protection against the most dangerous and emerging threats today.

DSM Dyneema, the global market leader of UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthylene ) fiber and UniDirectional (UD) textile roll-goods, has added a novel ballistic UHMWPE tape system that provides the ideal platform for lightweight yet highly effective vehicle armor solutions. This is the first time DSM Dyneema offers this new and additional versatile platform, which will meet a wide range of vehicle protection needs. It is anticipated to become the material of choice for future light to medium weight tactical and utility vehicles that have a highly challenging balance to make between mobility and protection.

Ivo Oerlemans, marketing manager Vehicle Protection for DSM Dyneema says, “We are very excited about the possibilities of this new tape technology.This will broaden the range of choice we offer the market in vehicle protection significantly. Prototype “X32” is currently being evaluated by a targeted group of key partners who have an urgent need to provide capable vehicle protection for the most difficult emerging threats, without crippling vehicles with weight. First sales in these programs are expected in the second part of this year”.