Helmets – Adept https://www.ade.pt Specialized in Ballistic Helmets, Ceramic Armor Plates, and Level 3 & 4 Body Armors. Mon, 27 Apr 2026 22:35:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.ade.pt/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon_adept-32x32.png Helmets – Adept https://www.ade.pt 32 32 NovaSteel™ Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2. https://www.ade.pt/product/ballistic-face-shield/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:33:19 +0000 https://www.ade.pt/?post_type=product&p=3014247 face protection module

• Now flips up via a durable sealed mechanism for silent, one‑handed, free‑stop positioning at any angle.
• Provides additional ballistic and blunt impact protection.
• Ultra‑low BFD upon impact allows for a low profile and a close fit; cheek-weld possible.
• Design offers a wide field of vision without compromising protective coverage.
• Attaches securely to an integrated mounting point on the Combat Circlet Gen 2, without taking up rail space.

This Flip Mandible is sold only with its own dedicated welded Combat Circlet and will not fit any other circlet.

• Compatible with the ACH model.
• Compatible with all NovaSteel helmets (2024 and newer).
• Performance: 124 grain 9mm FMJ, 1400 fps V0

• Just 0.79 pounds

Price includes: NovaSteel Flip Ballistic Mandible Gen 2, plus a dedicated Combat Circlet with welded flip-rotator assembly. No other circlet is compatible with this mandible.

NovaSteel Helmets and accessories are typically in stock and ready to ship within 0–2 weeks.

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]]> face protection module

BALLISTIC FACE SHIELD

NOVASTEEL

Face Protection Module

The NovaSteel Flip Mandible offers affordable and effective face protection from ballistic threats. Now with a durable sealed hinge that flips up quietly and holds position without latches or detents. You get ballistic face coverage with fast, one‑handed operation and no optical distortion.

novasteel_face_protection
face-shield_gen2
face_protection

The Vulnerability of the Face

Face/Neck injuries
Higher Impact Frequency

The advent of truly effective body armor has resulted in new patterns of wounding. Torso injuries are down 13% since Vietnam. Face and neck injuries are up 30%.

If you are wearing the modern panoply of armor plates and helmet, your face has become the most vulnerable area of your body. By some accounts, it is hit 730% more frequently than its surface area would indicate.

Injury simulations clearly illustrate the vulnerability of the face to ballistic impact, even at low velocities.

ballistic_face_shield-1
ballistic_face_shield_1

Personal Vulnerability Simulation being used to compare the predicted damage of structures in the thorax. Using an 8 mm sphere at 400 m/s (left) and a 12 mm sphere at 800 m/s (right). Severity increases from 1 (minor) to 6 (maximal).

[From Breeze, John & Lewis, Eluned & Fryer, Robert. (2016). Optimising the Anatomical Coverage Provided by Military Body Armour Systems. 10.1007/978-3-319-21867-0_28.]

The NovaSteel™ Ballistic Mandible was created with this problem in mind.

• Compatible with the high cut and ACH Novasteel model.
• Performance: 124 grain 9mm FMJ, 1400 fps V0.
• Just 0.79 pounds.

Performance Overview

Ballistic protection:

High-performance ballistic protection for the face and jaw.

Multi-threat shielding:

Shields against pistol‑caliber threats as specified above, high‑velocity fragments, blunt impact, and debris.

One-hand hinge:

Sealed hinge raises or lowers with one hand and holds at any intermediate angle for ventilation, comms, or cheek‑weld clearance; motion is quiet and controlled.

Circlet-ready mounting:

Mounts to the integrated bosses on the Combat Circlet Gen 2, leaving rail space free; compatible with the ACH model; installation is fast and requires no drilling when used with the Circlet.

Low-profile visibility:

Fits close to the face while preserving a wide field of view and easy use of iron sights and common optics.

Eyewear compatible:

Fully compatible with most ballistic glasses and goggles.

Durable fog-free clarity:

Lighter and more durable than transparent ballistic visors, with no fogging and no optical distortion.

Ultralight:

Extremely lightweight, at well under one pound.

circlet_smoke
mandible5_novasteel
mandible4_novasteel

Simply put, the NovaSteel™ Flip Mandible module offers practical, no‑nonsense ballistic face protection with quiet, controlled, one-handed operation.

Engineered for Strength and Precision

Patented aluminum mechanism, lightweight yet durable, fully compatible with ACH helmets.

Lift Mechanism

mandible_mechanism

Patented design

Secure design: strong, stable, and stays exactly where you set it.

Compatibility

high_ach

ACH and High Cut

Compatible with our NovaSteel helmet models, ACH and High Cut profiles.

Lightweight Material

NovaSteel™ Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2.

All-Aluminum Construction

Constructed entirely from high-grade aluminum.

  • TYPE

    Ballistic Mandible – Combat Helmet Accessory

    Add‑on armor designed to upgrade the area of coverage of the NovaSteel ballistic helmet so that it can offer facial protection from high‑velocity fragment, blunt impact, and pistol‑caliber threats. The updated model includes a durable sealed hinge that allows silent, tool‑free positioning from down to fully up.

    Compatibility notice:
    The Flip Mandible mounts only to its dedicated Combat Circlet that is supplied in the set. The rotator mechanism is permanently welded to this circlet. It will not mount to the Combat Circlet Mark II, standard Circlet variants, or any other helmet or face-shield mounting hardware.

  • RATING:

    ACH & ACH‑Gen II Helmet Specification

    The ballistic protection that the NovaSteel Ballistic Mandible offers exceeds the criteria set out in the ACH and ACH Gen II helmet specifications, though the specifications do not include any provision for ballistic mandibles. Blunt impact and backface deformation limits are also well within spec. The Mandible will stop 9mm FMJ at 1400 fps as well as similar or lesser threats and certain special handgun threats. No ballistic mandible in its weight class offers a higher ballistic protective rating; most are rated to 9mm FMJ at a reduced velocity.

  • RATING:

    VPAM‑3 Helmet Specification

    Though VPAM has no test protocol for ballistic mandibles, the NovaSteel Ballistic Mandible is in broad compliance with the stringent VPAM helmet test protocol. BFD is always within spec, and in many cases there is none at all due to the large standoff between the mandible and the wearer’s face. It is capable of stopping edge shots, even to within 0.78 in of the rim. It is also capable of withstanding high temperature conditioning to 168°F and beyond.  

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]]> The Combat Circlet Mark II https://www.ade.pt/product/circlet/ Thu, 07 Aug 2025 21:57:11 +0000 https://www.ade.pt/?post_type=product&p=3014207 Circlet Mark 1

• All-metal construction
• Ultra-light (130 g / 4.6 oz)
• Made from armor-grade Al-5083
• Mandible-ready
• Compatible with all NovaSteel helmets (2024 and newer)
• Combines the advantages of traditional ballistic helmet rails and shrouds without any additional holes drilled through the helmet
• In stock and ready to ship.

NovaSteel Helmets and accessories are typically in stock and ready to ship within 0–2 weeks.

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]]> Circlet Mark 1

NIGHT VISION HELMET MOUNT

The Combat Circlet Mark II

• All‑metal construction  • Ultra-light  • Integrated platform   • Mandible‑ready   • Full Metal Helmet 

tan_circlet
helmet_circlet
circlet_green

Why Traditional NVG Shrouds Fail

Shots entered through the front of the helmet

Conventional three-hole NVG shrouds compromise helmet integrity by drilling directly into the shell, exactly where ballistic impacts are most likely. Analyses of combat casualties show that the front of the helmet takes the majority of incoming fire, with up to 72% of shots entering through the frontal arc. Single-hole shrouds, though better from a shell-structural perspective, suffer from poor lateral stability and can wobble under heavy night-vision loads. Adhesive-bonded shrouds, used on boltless helmets, risk peeling or loosening in extreme temperatures and over time.

The Circlet Advantage

The Combat Circlet Mark II eliminates these weaknesses. No drilling. No adhesives. No compromise to ballistic rating. Instead, a rugged frame wholly constructed from armor-grade aluminum alloy 5068, and a solid rear tie-down bar, provide rigid lock-out against uplift and rotation during fast-rope, airborne, or high-mobility operations.

Strength:

Stainless hardware resists saltwater corrosion and tropical humidity.

Stability:

Zero-wobble integration with industry-standard NVG mounts.

Modularity:

Full rail coverage for lights, comms, counterweights, strobes, and accessories.

Built for Modern Ops

All-metal frame.

Precision-cut from armor-grade Al-5083, Type III hard-anodized for maximum durability. No polymer to crack, warp, or embrittle in UV or cold weather.

Ultra-lightweight.

At just 130 g (4.6 oz), the Circlet is over 25% lighter than conventional rail-and-shroud assemblies — a real difference over long missions.

Mandible integration.

Compatible with NovaSteel accessories such as the mandible and Helmet Tail.  Also accepts the forthcoming Mark II ballistic mandible via precision locating posts.

Full-metal helmet.

Matches the NovaSteel bolt pattern, retrofits to any NovaSteel shell since 2024, and forms the base for a fully modular night-fighting platform.

circlet-II-smoke
circlet-locker
circlet_desert
  • RATING:

    Universal NVG mount:

    MIL-STD-1913 & Wilcox-pattern. Accepts PVS-14/J-Arm, G24, PVS-31, and other standard dovetail or bridge mounts. Tested to withstand 150 ft-lb impacts without permanent deformation.

  • RATING:

    Accessory capacity:

    M-Lok rails suitable for dynamic loads. Rear tie-down bar withstands 200lb pull force for cable routing, chem-lights, and secure stowage.

The Combat Circlet Mark II turns the NovaSteel into the lightest, strongest, most modular NVG and accessory platform available, without compromising ballistic integrity. If anything, the armor-grade aluminum alloy it’s constructed from improves stiffness and performance further.

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]]> Helmet tail https://www.ade.pt/product/helmet-tail/ Thu, 08 May 2025 15:10:20 +0000 https://www.ade.pt/product/novasteel-ballistic-mandible-copy/ helmet tail5

• Modular Design: Three interlocking segments allow users to customize length and coverage, easily selecting one, two, or all three panels according to mission requirements.
• Articulating Structure: Segments smoothly articulate, maintaining optimal coverage while preserving full head mobility and comfort in various combat postures.
• Robust Ballistic Protection: Rated for protection against 124-grain 9mm FMJ projectiles at velocities exceeding 1400 fps (V0).
• Rapid Attachment: Quickly and securely mounts to existing helmet retention points -- no additional hardware or helmet modifications required.
• Compatibility: Fully integrates with both ACH-style and high-cut NovaSteel helmets.

NovaSteel Helmets and accessories are typically in stock and ready to ship within 0–2 weeks.

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HELMET TAIL

Novasteel Lobster-Tail

Ballistic Helmet Nape Protection

helmet_tail4
helmet_tail5

Though modern combat helmets provide significant head protection, multiple studies have shown the rear head and neck remain disproportionately vulnerable, especially in contemporary conflicts where fragmentation from explosives is the dominant cause of battlefield injuries. Data from recent military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan indicate that head and neck injuries now account for up to 39% of all combat-related trauma. Critically, wounds to the back of the head and neck have significantly increased, primarily due to explosive fragmentation bypassing existing armor, which emphasizes a clear need for enhanced coverage in these areas.

The NovaSteel Ballistic Helmet Tail addresses this vulnerability directly — with an innovative, modular, and articulating design. Comprising three durable and interlocking segments, the Helmet Tail allows soldiers and tactical operators to precisely customize their protective coverage according to specific operational conditions, terrain, and anticipated threats.

In riot control scenarios, the NovaSteel Lobster-Tail offers specialized advantages drawn from historical precedent. Soldiers historically wore helmets with segmented “lobster-tail” nape armor to protect themselves from melee strikes and projectiles commonly encountered in close-quarter, chaotic combat situations. Similarly, riot control officers face projectiles, thrown objects, and blunt-force impacts, often from above or behind, in densely crowded, dynamic environments. The articulated segments of the NovaSteel Lobster-Tail effectively absorb and deflect impacts from thrown objects, batons, bricks, bottles, or improvised weapons aimed at vulnerable neck and cervical regions. This specialized design ensures officers remain protected during crowd engagements, significantly enhancing safety and operational confidence without restricting mobility or visibility.

DSC_0560
DSC_0561

Functional Overview

Key Advantages:

Customizable Protection:

Users can easily configure the NovaSteel Lobster-Tail by employing one, two, or all three armor segments—providing scalable ballistic coverage exactly as required by mission profile and threat environment.

Articulated Flexibility:

Each segment moves independently, ensuring continuous coverage without impeding essential head movements or comfort. Operators can freely maneuver, assume prone positions, or quickly engage targets without interference.

Rapid Deployment:

Secure attachment via standard retention points ensures stable mounting, even under dynamic or high-stress conditions, without additional components or complicated installation procedures.

Blunt impacts:

Unlike traditional fabric neck protectors, the rigid NovaSteel segments provide consistently reliable ballistic protection without shifting, folding, absorbing sweat, or slipping during rigorous use.

Operational Compatibility:

Seamlessly integrates with standard communication headsets, eyewear, and other helmet-mounted accessories without reducing usability or performance. Indeed, it works well as a counterweight.

helmet_tail6

The NovaSteel Lobster-Tail reliably surpasses ballistic performance criteria established by ACH and VPAM-3 standards, consistently demonstrating minimal backface deformation (BFD), exceptional edge-impact resilience, and reliable performance in high-temperature conditions exceeding 168°F.

Simply put, the NovaSteel Ballistic Lobster-Tail offers adaptable, evidence-based protection precisely where it matters most — ensuring uncompromised effectiveness in diverse tactical situations.

  • TYPE

    Ballistic Helmet Tail – Modular Helmet Accessory

    An articulating, multi-segmented armor module specifically engineered to enhance ballistic protection of the rear head and neck region on the NovaSteel ballistic helmet. Provides critical protection from fragmentation, handgun projectiles, and blunt-force trauma.

  • RATING:

    ACH & ACH-Gen II Helmet Specification

    The NovaSteel Lobster-Tail comfortably exceeds ACH and ACH Gen II performance standards, reliably stopping threats including 9mm FMJ projectiles at velocities over 1400 fps. Blunt impact resistance and backface deformation results consistently outperform military specifications.

  • RATING:

    VPAM-3 Helmet Specification

    Although no VPAM-specific protocol exists for rear-mounted helmet attachments, the NovaSteel Lobster-Tail closely aligns with VPAM-3 requirements. It demonstrates robust ballistic protection, minimal BFD, superior edge-impact performance, and exceptional durability even at elevated temperatures (168°F and beyond).

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]]> Adept Patch/Sticker + Bag https://www.ade.pt/product/patch-bag/ Thu, 24 Jun 2021 18:50:37 +0000 https://ade.pt/?post_type=product&p=7339 adept patch bag

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]]> adept patch bag

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]]> NovaSteel™ Helmet – ACH https://www.ade.pt/product/novasteel-helmet-ach/ Thu, 10 Jun 2021 23:56:04 +0000 https://ade.pt/?post_type=product&p=7184 ACH helmet

• The Steel Helmet - Evolved
• Ballistic performance:  VPAM-3 + special threats
• Minimal BFD and trauma - best-in-class performance
• Extreme environmental stability - best-in-class shelf-life
• Ultra durable - capable of sustaining tremendous damage before form or function are compromised
• Protection from rim to rim
• Developed with comfort and balance in mind
• Modular design
• The world’s toughest ballistic helmet

The NovaSteel™ helmet is the original steel helmet, and Adept is the original producer of these helmets.  Now, offered in two sizes and with numerous accessories forthcoming.

NovaSteel Helmets and accessories are generally in stock and ship within 0-2 weeks. 

The ACH-style helmet is compatible with the new Flip-Up Mandible, but is incompatible with the Gen 1 Mandible.

The post NovaSteel™ Helmet – ACH appeared first on Adept.

]]> ACH helmet

ACH HELMET – NOVASTEEL™
The world’s toughest ballistic helmet

novasteel_icon_helmet
ACH helmet

The Steel Helmet – Evolved

The steel pot.  Immediately recognizable.  A visual representation of the American fighting man, as seen on marketing and recruiting materials the world over.  Millions of M1 helmets were produced, and they were the standard-issue helmet for US military forces from the World War Era until 1983.  The M1 has been described as the most successful helmet of all time, given its service history spanning decades.  

In light of this, it may be surprising to note that the metallurgy behind the M1 helmet dates back over one hundred years, and was never improved.  The M1 is made from Hadfield Steel — an inferior armor alloy that first saw use in the early days of World War One.  As far back as 1917, United States manufacturers had attempted to produce helmets from high-hardness chrome-nickel-vanadium steel.  Unfortunately, these methods met with failure; the steel was too difficult to form with the means available at the time, and inevitably cracked during the stamping operation.  The US had to resort to helmets of Hadfield’s high-manganese steel simply on account of the fact that it could be made cheaply and rapidly with that era’s methods of production. 

So Hadfield Steel wasn’t even the best ballistic steel of 1917, to say nothing of today.  For reasons that doubtless have much to do with institutional inertia, and which have nothing to do with steel’s merits as an armor material, the M1 was made of Hadfield Steel until the day it was discarded in favor of Kevlar.

Advances in steel processing technologies may have just turned the tables.  The NovaSteel™ helmet is made of a vastly stronger alloy.  It was built to withstand all of today’s threats.  It is more comfortable, more modular, and more adaptable.  It is a thoroughly modern ACH ballistic helmet, with the pedigree of steel, and performance that is in many respects the best available anywhere.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is the M1, evolved. 

It is time for steel to retake its position as the helmet material of choice.

The Combat Circlet

Encircling the helmet, the Combat Circlet is an ideal mounting platform for NVGs and other headborne accessories. Mounted securely to the four retention-system holes on the helmet, it provides:

• An NVG bracket which requires no holes drilled into the front of the helmet, and bungee cord ports for stabilization and NVG retention.
• M-Lok side rails that accept accessories directly, and can also be used as a platform for Picatinny adapters.
• A vertical crest for more stability, and more accessory-mounting real estate. There are numerous modules in development for the crest, including applique blast protection, and an applique ghille module.
• A rear tie-down bar for enhanced stability, with or without a counterweight.
• Clean routing points for external wires and cables.
• Direct integration with the Face Protector.

The Combat Circlet is manufactured out of tough glass-filled polymer via advanced additive manufacturing techniques. It weighs just two ounces, but is impressively strong and resilient. Like the NeoSteel helmet, it’ll serve you well for years to come.

the_neosteel_helmet_logo-3

Ballistic Performance

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is fully VPAM 3 compliant, and is capable of stopping a wide variety of potent special threats, including:

• 7.62x25mm Tokarev at 1650 feet per second.

• 5.7x28mm ball rounds at over 2000 feet per second.

• 9x19mm 80gr. solid copper spun (SCS) rounds at carbine velocities.

And more.  In every case, backface deformation is minimal.

The NovaSteel™ ACH Helmet also boasts good performance against fragmentation threats, with performance comparable to aramid helmets such as the PASGT. The M1 had a V50 well under 1000 feet per second, and modern European metal helmets have a V50 against the same threat of just 986 feet per second.

Behind armor blunt trauma and head/neck acceleration

Ballistic helmet

The NovaSteel™ is the best ACH helmet to use if you’re concerned about behind armor trauma.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is not capable of significant backface deformation, and its stiff shell spreads the kinetic energy load of a projectile impact across the entire padding system.

In contrast, with a lightweight composite helmet, backface deformation is a real concern, and is associated with injuries up to and including skull fracture.

In any case, with either helmet, neck injuries resulting from head acceleration are very unlikely. A report by the Committee on Testing of Body Armor Materials for Use by the U.S. Army has examined the transfer of momentum in ballistic head impacts, and estimates that there’s a less than 0.1% chance of neck injury following small arms helmet impacts, up to and including 7.62x51mm rifle round impacts. This has been corroborated in tests performed by other labs.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet doesn’t only exhibit good ballistic performance – it does so in a way that poses effectively no risk of blunt impact injury to the helmet wearer. It won’t just keep you alive; it’ll enable you to return fire. No other helmet can say the same.

Further, TBI has been called “the signature injury of modern warfare,” and its emergence over the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has revealed that there are injuries that current helmets have not been designed to protect against. Helmets must continue to evolve to address today’s threats. The NovaSteel™ Helmet’s ultra-rigid shell and industry-leading padding system ensure extremely good blunt impact and blast protection. The NovaSteel™ Helmet may be a key component in the ongoing fight against blast-induced TBI.

Blunt Impact Performance

The NovaSteel™ helmet exceeds ACH blunt impact performance standards by nearly 50%.

The NovaSteel™ was tested at NTS-Chesapeake in accordance with the blunt impact testing procedure of AR/PD 10-02 Rev A Change 7 (the latest ACH and ACH Gen-2 blunt impact performance specification).  It was shown to provide excellent impact protection, achieving an average headform acceleration of 78.5 G, vs. maximum acceleration of 150 G, as shown in the test report.

TEST REPORT
environmental_neosteel

Environmental stability 

The functional lifespans of composite helmets are unknown, and for this reason they are typically sold with short warranty periods.  The NovaSteel™ Helmet, in contrast, has an indefinite service lifespan.  If its handled and stored with reasonable care, it’ll maintain its full protective ability for many decades.  It is nearly or completely impervious to cold, chemical exposure, solvent exposure, UV radiation exposure, and structural loading.  Its heat resistance is substantially superior to polyethylene-based helmets; it has been tested to against steel-jacketed 9mm rounds, at over 1400 feet per second, immediately following 12 hours of conditioning at 100°C.  Even under such conditions, it did not allow penetration and did not exhibit excess backface deformation.

damage_tolerance_neosteel

Damage tolerance

Composite helmets must be immediately replaced after a single impact, for they will have delaminated and will not continue to exhibit good overall performance; they may even be impossible to wear comfortably, on account of permanent shell deformation.  The NovaSteel™ Helmet, like the steel helmets of old, can remain in emergency battlefield service after sustaining impacts.  For permanent damage to the shell is sure be slight, and should not meaningfully compromise future performance.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet can sustain tremendous damage before its form or function are compromised, and this battlefield durability makes it extremely well-suited for use by regular and light infantry forces.

With The NovaSteel™ Helmet, you can forget about
replacing your helmet every five years.

Edge-to-edge Protection

Composite helmets offer little protection around their rims; hits near the helmet edge can cause the ballistic material to roll, resulting in penetrations or excessive trauma.  For this reason, the ACH spec has always included this terminology on fair hits:  “An impact resulting in a complete penetration shall be considered unfair if it is within 1.5-inches of another impact, within 1.5-inches of the closest edge of any hole, within 1.0-inch of the edge of the helmet.“  

On the streets and in the field, not all shots are fair.  But the NovaSteel™ Helmet has you covered: It offers full edge-to-edge protection – which vastly increases its area of protective coverage.  A leading competitor’s helmet offers 136 square inches of coverage in a size L – but the stated protective area of that helmet is under 90 square inches.  The steel helmet offers well over 110 square inches of real protection.

comfort_and_balance_neosteel

Comfort and balance

As the steel helmet is not capable of significant deformation upon impact, thick pads are not required, and the standoff distance between the helmet and the head is reduced.  Additionally, the shell is up to six times thinner than standard aramid or UHMWPE helmets.  Ultimately, this makes for a more streamlined helmet, a better-balanced helmet, and a lower-profile target.  Furthermore, the retention system developed by Adept offers real adjustability and stability, without ratchets or other mechanical parts that may break if handled roughly.

modularity_neosteel

Modularity

A broad array of accessories are available or in development:

• NVG shroud
• M-Lok side rails
• Ballistic mandible
• Ballistic visor
• Blast liner set
• Rifle-rated ballistic applique

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is a platform, designed to be extremely customizable.

The World’s Toughest Ballistic Helmet

 

The NovaSteel™ Helmet steel helmet boasts traits that cannot be matched by any other combat helmet.  Incomparable toughness.  Near-zero shell deformation upon impact.  Excellent performance against high-velocity special threats.  A top-tier padding system.  A pedigree that hearkens back to previous generations of the American fighting man.  A price affordable for large-scale military procurement.

Several patents pending.  The NovaSteel ACH helmet is the first and the definitive modern steel ballistic combat helmet.

ballistic helmet

Ballistic performance:

VPAM-3 + special threats

Minimal BFD and trauma

Best-in-class performance

Extreme environmental stability

Best-in-class shelf-life

Modular

Modular design

Ultra durable

Capable of sustaining tremendous damage before form or function are compromised

Protection

 From rim to rim

Developed

With comfort and balance in mind

The world’s toughest

combat helmet

“Please contact us for international order inquiries.”

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ACH HELMET – NOVASTEEL™
The world’s toughest ballistic helmet

novasteel_icon_helmet
ACH helmet

The Steel Helmet – Evolved

The steel pot.  Immediately recognizable.  A visual representation of the American fighting man, as seen on marketing and recruiting materials the world over.  Millions of M1 helmets were produced, and they were the standard-issue helmet for US military forces from the World War Era until 1983.  The M1 has been described as the most successful helmet of all time, given its service history spanning decades.  

In light of this, it may be surprising to note that the metallurgy behind the M1 helmet dates back over one hundred years, and was never improved.  The M1 is made from Hadfield Steel — an inferior armor alloy that first saw use in the early days of World War One.  As far back as 1917, United States manufacturers had attempted to produce helmets from high-hardness chrome-nickel-vanadium steel.  Unfortunately, these methods met with failure; the steel was too difficult to form with the means available at the time, and inevitably cracked during the stamping operation.  The US had to resort to helmets of Hadfield’s high-manganese steel simply on account of the fact that it could be made cheaply and rapidly with that era’s methods of production. 

So Hadfield Steel wasn’t even the best ballistic steel of 1917, to say nothing of today.  For reasons that doubtless have much to do with institutional inertia, and which have nothing to do with steel’s merits as an armor material, the M1 was made of Hadfield Steel until the day it was discarded in favor of Kevlar.

Advances in steel processing technologies may have just turned the tables.  The NovaSteel™ helmet is made of a vastly stronger alloy.  It was built to withstand all of today’s threats.  It is more comfortable, more modular, and more adaptable.  It is a thoroughly modern ACH ballistic helmet, with the pedigree of steel, and performance that is in many respects the best available anywhere.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is the M1, evolved. 

It is time for steel to retake its position as the helmet material of choice.

The Combat Circlet

Encircling the helmet, the Combat Circlet is an ideal mounting platform for NVGs and other headborne accessories. Mounted securely to the four retention-system holes on the helmet, it provides:

• An NVG bracket which requires no holes drilled into the front of the helmet, and bungee cord ports for stabilization and NVG retention.
• M-Lok side rails that accept accessories directly, and can also be used as a platform for Picatinny adapters.
• A vertical crest for more stability, and more accessory-mounting real estate. There are numerous modules in development for the crest, including applique blast protection, and an applique ghille module.
• A rear tie-down bar for enhanced stability, with or without a counterweight.
• Clean routing points for external wires and cables.
• Direct integration with the Face Protector.

The Combat Circlet is manufactured out of tough glass-filled polymer via advanced additive manufacturing techniques. It weighs just two ounces, but is impressively strong and resilient. Like the NovaSteel helmet, it’ll serve you well for years to come.

the_neosteel_helmet_logo-3

Ballistic Performance

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is fully VPAM 3 compliant, and is capable of stopping a wide variety of potent special threats, including:

• 7.62x25mm Tokarev at 1650 feet per second.

• 5.7x28mm ball rounds at over 2000 feet per second.

• 9x19mm 80gr. solid copper spun (SCS) rounds at carbine velocities.

And more.  In every case, backface deformation is minimal.

The NovaSteel™ ACH Helmet also boasts good performance against fragmentation threats, with performance comparable to aramid helmets such as the PASGT. The M1 had a V50 well under 1000 feet per second, and modern European metal helmets have a V50 against the same threat of just 986 feet per second.

Behind armor blunt trauma and head/neck acceleration

Ballistic helmet

The NovaSteel™ is the best ACH helmet to use if you’re concerned about behind armor trauma.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is not capable of significant backface deformation, and its stiff shell spreads the kinetic energy load of a projectile impact across the entire padding system.

In contrast, with a lightweight composite helmet, backface deformation is a real concern, and is associated with injuries up to and including skull fracture.

In any case, with either helmet, neck injuries resulting from head acceleration are very unlikely. A report by the Committee on Testing of Body Armor Materials for Use by the U.S. Army has examined the transfer of momentum in ballistic head impacts, and estimates that there’s a less than 0.1% chance of neck injury following small arms helmet impacts, up to and including 7.62x51mm rifle round impacts. This has been corroborated in tests performed by other labs.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet doesn’t only exhibit good ballistic performance – it does so in a way that poses effectively no risk of blunt impact injury to the helmet wearer. It won’t just keep you alive; it’ll enable you to return fire. No other helmet can say the same.

Further, TBI has been called “the signature injury of modern warfare,” and its emergence over the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has revealed that there are injuries that current helmets have not been designed to protect against. Helmets must continue to evolve to address today’s threats. The NovaSteel™ Helmet’s ultra-rigid shell and industry-leading padding system ensure extremely good blunt impact and blast protection. The NovaSteel™ Helmet may be a key component in the ongoing fight against blast-induced TBI.

Blunt Impact Performance

The NovaSteel™ helmet exceeds ACH blunt impact performance standards by nearly 50%.

The NovaSteel™ was tested at NTS-Chesapeake in accordance with the blunt impact testing procedure of AR/PD 10-02 Rev A Change 7 (the latest ACH and ACH Gen-2 blunt impact performance specification).  It was shown to provide excellent impact protection, achieving an average headform acceleration of 78.5 G, vs. maximum acceleration of 150 G, as shown in the test report.

TEST REPORT
environmental_neosteel

Environmental stability 

The functional lifespans of composite helmets are unknown, and for this reason they are typically sold with short warranty periods.  The NovaSteel™ Helmet, in contrast, has an indefinite service lifespan.  If its handled and stored with reasonable care, it’ll maintain its full protective ability for many decades.  It is nearly or completely impervious to cold, chemical exposure, solvent exposure, UV radiation exposure, and structural loading.  Its heat resistance is substantially superior to polyethylene-based helmets; it has been tested to against steel-jacketed 9mm rounds, at over 1400 feet per second, immediately following 12 hours of conditioning at 100°C.  Even under such conditions, it did not allow penetration and did not exhibit excess backface deformation.

damage_tolerance_neosteel

Damage tolerance

Composite helmets must be immediately replaced after a single impact, for they will have delaminated and will not continue to exhibit good overall performance; they may even be impossible to wear comfortably, on account of permanent shell deformation.  The NovaSteel™ Helmet, like the steel helmets of old, can remain in emergency battlefield service after sustaining impacts.  For permanent damage to the shell is sure be slight, and should not meaningfully compromise future performance.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet can sustain tremendous damage before its form or function are compromised, and this battlefield durability makes it extremely well-suited for use by regular and light infantry forces.

With The NovaSteel™ Helmet, you can forget about replacing your helmet every five years.

Edge-to-edge Protection

Composite helmets offer little protection around their rims; hits near the helmet edge can cause the ballistic material to roll, resulting in penetrations or excessive trauma.  For this reason, the ACH spec has always included this terminology on fair hits:  “An impact resulting in a complete penetration shall be considered unfair if it is within 1.5-inches of another impact, within 1.5-inches of the closest edge of any hole, within 1.0-inch of the edge of the helmet.“  

On the streets and in the field, not all shots are fair.  But the NovaSteel™ Helmet has you covered: It offers full edge-to-edge protection – which vastly increases its area of protective coverage.  A leading competitor’s helmet offers 136 square inches of coverage in a size L – but the stated protective area of that helmet is under 90 square inches.  The steel helmet offers well over 110 square inches of real protection.

comfort_and_balance_neosteel

Comfort and balance

As the steel helmet is not capable of significant deformation upon impact, thick pads are not required, and the standoff distance between the helmet and the head is reduced.  Additionally, the shell is up to six times thinner than standard aramid or UHMWPE helmets.  Ultimately, this makes for a more streamlined helmet, a better-balanced helmet, and a lower-profile target.  Furthermore, the retention system developed by Adept offers real adjustability and stability, without ratchets or other mechanical parts that may break if handled roughly.

modularity_neosteel

Modularity

A broad array of accessories are available or in development:

• NVG shroud
• M-Lok side rails
• Ballistic mandible
• Ballistic visor
• Blast liner set
• Rifle-rated ballistic applique

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is a platform, designed to be extremely customizable.

The World’s Toughest Ballistic Helmet

 

The NovaSteel™ Helmet steel helmet boasts traits that cannot be matched by any other combat helmet.  Incomparable toughness.  Near-zero shell deformation upon impact.  Excellent performance against high-velocity special threats.  A top-tier padding system.  A pedigree that hearkens back to previous generations of the American fighting man.  A price affordable for large-scale military procurement.

Several patents pending.  The NovaSteel ACH helmet is the first and the definitive modern steel ballistic combat helmet.

ACH helmet

“Please contact us for international order inquiries.”

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]]> NovaSteel™ Helmet – High Cut https://www.ade.pt/product/novasteel-helmet-high-cut/ Thu, 10 Jun 2021 20:56:24 +0000 https://ade.pt/?post_type=product&p=7182 novasteel helmet circlet

• The Steel Helmet, Evolved: Advanced ballistic steel. Modern high-cut design. Built on the legacy of the M1.
• VPAM-3 + Special Threats: Stops 7.62×25 Tokarev, 5.7×28 ball, and 9mm SCS at carbine velocities.
• Near-Zero Backface Deformation: Sub-5mm BFD vs. 9mm FMJ. Half to a quarter of what composite helmets produce.
• Indefinite Service Life: Impervious to UV, solvents, and temperature extremes. No five-year replacement cycle.
• Multi-Hit Durability: Stays functional after impacts that would retire a composite helmet.
• True Edge-to-Edge Protection: Full protective coverage to the rim. No edge vulnerability.
• Low Profile, Balanced Fit: Shell up to 6× thinner than composite alternatives.
• Modular Platform: Combat Circlet, two ballistic mandibles, and a growing accessory ecosystem.
• The World's Toughest Ballistic Helmet: Unmatched toughness, trauma reduction, and longevity, at a procurement-friendly price.
• Helmet depicted here with optional circlet, sold separately.

The NovaSteel™ helmet, the pioneer in steel helmet technology, is exclusively produced by Adept. It is now available in two sizes and will soon feature a range of additional accessories.

Current lead time: 4 weeks.  Please allow up to four weeks for order fulfillment.

The post NovaSteel™ Helmet – High Cut appeared first on Adept.

]]> novasteel helmet circlet

Advanced Evolution of the Steel Helmet

The steel pot.  Immediately recognizable.  A visual representation of the American fighting man, as seen on marketing and recruiting materials the world over.  Millions of M1 helmets were produced, and they were the standard-issue helmet for US military forces from the World War Era until 1983.  The M1 has been described as the most successful helmet of all time, given its service history spanning decades.  

In light of this, it may be surprising to note that the metallurgy behind the M1 helmet dates back over one hundred years, and was never improved.  The M1 is made from Hadfield Steel — an inferior armor alloy that first saw use in the early days of World War One.  As far back as 1917, United States manufacturers had attempted to produce helmets from high-hardness chrome-nickel-vanadium steel.  Unfortunately, these methods met with failure; the steel was too difficult to form with the means available at the time, and inevitably cracked during the stamping operation.  The US had to resort to helmets of Hadfield’s high-manganese steel simply on account of the fact that it could be made cheaply and rapidly with that era’s methods of production. 

So Hadfield Steel wasn’t even the best ballistic steel of 1917, to say nothing of today.  For reasons that doubtless have much to do with institutional inertia, and which have nothing to do with steel’s merits as an armor material, the M1 was made of Hadfield Steel until the day it was discarded in favor of Kevlar.

Advances in steel processing technologies may have just turned the tables.  The NovaSteel™ helmet is made of a vastly stronger alloy.  It was built to withstand all of today’s threats.  It is more comfortable, more modular, and more adaptable.  It is a thoroughly modern high cut ballistic helmet, with the pedigree of steel, and performance that is in many respects the best available anywhere.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is the M1, evolved. 

It is time for steel to retake its position as the helmet material of choice.  

Ballistic helmet
ballistic helmet
ballistic helmet
Ballistic helmet

The Combat Circlet

Encircling the helmet, the Combat Circlet is an ideal mounting platform for NVGs and other headborne accessories. Mounted securely to the four retention-system holes on the helmet, it provides:

• An NVG bracket which requires no holes drilled into the front of the helmet, and bungee cord ports for stabilization and NVG retention.
• M-Lok side rails that accept accessories directly, and can also be used as a platform for Picatinny adapters.
• A vertical crest for more stability, and more accessory-mounting real estate. There are numerous modules in development for the crest, including applique blast protection, and an applique ghille module.
• A rear tie-down bar for enhanced stability, with or without a counterweight.
• Clean routing points for external wires and cables.
• Direct integration with the Face Protector.

The Combat Circlet is manufactured out of tough glass-filled polymer via advanced additive manufacturing techniques. It weighs just two ounces, but is impressively strong and resilient. Like the NovaSteel helmet, it’ll serve you well for years to come.

Face Protection Module

The NovaSteel Ventail offers enhanced protection from ballistic threats — covering the face, the side of the head, and a portion of the anterior neck. It also offers protection from blunt impact, blast overpressure, and debris. Mounts rapidly and securely to the helmet via the four retention system holes on the shell. Fully compatible with most ballistic glasses, the Ventail offers an unconstrained field of vision, and is significantly lighter and tougher than transparent ballistic visors.

the_neosteel_helmet_logo-3

Ballistic
Performance

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is fully VPAM 3 compliant, and is capable of stopping a wide variety of potent special threats, including:

• 7.62x25mm Tokarev at 1650 feet per second.

• 5.7x28mm ball rounds at over 2000 feet per second.

• 9x19mm 80gr. solid copper spun (SCS) rounds at carbine velocities.

And more.  In every case, backface deformation is minimal.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet also boasts good performance against fragmentation threats, with performance comparable to aramid helmets such as the PASGT. The M1 had a V50 well under 1000 feet per second, and modern European metal helmets have a V50 against the same threat of just 986 feet per second.

Behind armor blunt trauma and head/neck acceleration

Ballistic helmet

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is the best ballistic helmet to use if you’re concerned about behind armor trauma.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is not capable of significant backface deformation, and its stiff shell spreads the kinetic energy load of a projectile impact across the entire padding system.

In contrast, with a lightweight composite helmet, backface deformation is a real concern, and is associated with injuries up to and including skull fracture.

In any case, with either helmet, neck injuries resulting from head acceleration are very unlikely. A report by the Committee on Testing of Body Armor Materials for Use by the U.S. Army has examined the transfer of momentum in ballistic head impacts, and estimates that there’s a less than 0.1% chance of neck injury following small arms helmet impacts, up to and including 7.62x51mm rifle round impacts. This has been corroborated in tests performed by other labs.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet doesn’t only exhibit good ballistic performance – it does so in a way that poses effectively no risk of blunt impact injury to the helmet wearer. It won’t just keep you alive; it’ll enable you to return fire. No other helmet can say the same.

Further, TBI has been called “the signature injury of modern warfare,” and its emergence over the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has revealed that there are injuries that current helmets have not been designed to protect against. Helmets must continue to evolve to address today’s threats. The NovaSteel™ Helmet’s ultra-rigid shell and industry-leading padding system ensure extremely good blunt impact and blast protection. The NovaSteel™ Helmet may be a key component in the ongoing fight against blast-induced TBI.

Blunt Impact Performance

The NovaSteel™ helmet exceeds ACH blunt impact performance standards by nearly 50%.

The NovaSteel™ was tested at NTS-Chesapeake in accordance with the blunt impact testing procedure of AR/PD 10-02 Rev A Change 7 (the latest ACH and ACH Gen-2 blunt impact performance specification).  It was shown to provide excellent impact protection, achieving an average headform acceleration of 78.5 G, vs. maximum acceleration of 150 G, as shown in the test report.

Test report:

Ballistic resistance test

Download

Operator’s guide

Setup / Usage Notes / Donning / Accessories

Download

Test Video:

Environmental stability 

The functional lifespans of composite helmets are unknown, and for this reason they are typically sold with short warranty periods.  The NovaSteel™ Helmet, in contrast, has an indefinite service lifespan.  If its handled and stored with reasonable care, it’ll maintain its full protective ability for many decades.  It is nearly or completely impervious to cold, chemical exposure, solvent exposure, UV radiation exposure, and structural loading.  Its heat resistance is substantially superior to polyethylene-based helmets; it has been tested to against steel-jacketed 9mm rounds, at over 1400 feet per second, immediately following 12 hours of conditioning at 100°C.  Even under such conditions, it did not allow penetration and did not exhibit excess backface deformation.

Damage tolerance

Composite helmets must be immediately replaced after a single impact, for they will have delaminated and will not continue to exhibit good overall performance; they may even be impossible to wear comfortably, on account of permanent shell deformation.  The NovaSteel™ Helmet, like the steel helmets of old, can remain in emergency battlefield service after sustaining impacts.  For permanent damage to the shell is sure be slight, and should not meaningfully compromise future performance.

The NovaSteel™ Helmet can sustain tremendous damage before its form or function are compromised, and this battlefield durability makes it extremely well-suited for use by regular and light infantry forces.

With The NovaSteel™ Helmet, you can forget about
replacing your helmet every five years.

Edge-to-edge Protection

Composite helmets offer little protection around their rims; hits near the helmet edge can cause the ballistic material to roll, resulting in penetrations or excessive trauma.  For this reason, the ACH spec has always included this terminology on fair hits:  “An impact resulting in a complete penetration shall be considered unfair if it is within 1.5-inches of another impact, within 1.5-inches of the closest edge of any hole, within 1.0-inch of the edge of the helmet.“  

On the streets and in the field, not all shots are fair.  But the NovaSteel™ Helmet has you covered: It offers full edge-to-edge protection – which vastly increases its area of protective coverage.  A leading competitor’s helmet offers 136 square inches of coverage in a size L – but the stated protective area of that helmet is under 90 square inches.  The steel helmet offers well over 110 square inches of real protection.

Comfort and balance

As the steel helmet is not capable of significant deformation upon impact, thick pads are not required, and the standoff distance between the helmet and the head is reduced.  Additionally, the shell is up to six times thinner than standard aramid or UHMWPE helmets.  Ultimately, this makes for a more streamlined helmet, a better-balanced helmet, and a lower-profile target.  Furthermore, the retention system developed by Adept offers real adjustability and stability, without ratchets or other mechanical parts that may break if handled roughly.

Modularity

A broad array of accessories are available or in development:

• NVG shroud
• M-Lok side rails
• Ballistic mandible
• Ballistic visor
• Blast liner set
• Rifle-rated ballistic applique

The NovaSteel™ Helmet is a platform, designed to be extremely customizable.

The World’s Toughest Ballistic Helmet

 

The NovaSteel™ Helmet steel helmet boasts traits that cannot be matched by any other combat helmet.  Incomparable toughness.  Near-zero shell deformation upon impact.  Excellent performance against high-velocity special threats.  A top-tier padding system.  A pedigree that hearkens back to previous generations of the American fighting man.  A price affordable for large-scale military procurement.

Several patents pending.  The NovaSteel helmet is the first and the definitive modern steel ballistic combat helmet.

novasteel_helmet_circlet

Frequently Asked Questions

“Please contact us for international order inquiries.”

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The post NovaSteel™ Helmet – High Cut appeared first on Adept.

]]> NovaSteel™ – Ballistic Mandible https://www.ade.pt/product/ballistic-mandible/ Mon, 07 Jun 2021 19:12:15 +0000 https://ade.pt/?post_type=product&p=7022 ballistic mandible

• Provides additional ballistic and blunt impact protection.
• Ultra-low BFD upon impact allows for a low profile and a close fit.
• Design offers a wide field of vision without compromising protective coverage.
• Attaches securely to the four retention system bolts on the helmet shell. This offers enhanced stability, and at the same time does not require, or take up any space on, the Combat Circlet.
• Performance: 124 grain 9mm FMJ, >1400 fps V0

NovaSteel Helmets and accessories are typically in stock and ready to ship within 0–2 weeks.

The Ballistic Mandible is, at present, incompatible with the ACH-style helmet. If you anticipate that you will want or need enhanced facial protection, please select the high-cut helmet option.

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Ballistic Mandible – NovaSteel™

faceprotector_icon
Ballistic face shield - NEOSTEEL FACE PROTECTION MODULE

The NovaSteel Ballistic Mandible offers affordable and effective face protection from ballistic threats. Without optical distortion or excessive field-of-view restriction.

The advent of truly effective body armor has resulted in new patterns of wounding. Torso injuries are down 13% since Vietnam. Face and neck injuries are up 30%.

If you’re wearing the modern panoply of armor plates and helmet, your face has just become the most vulnerable area of your body. By some accounts, it is hit 730% more frequently than its surface area would indicate.

Injury simulations clearly illustrate the vulnerability of the face to ballistic impact, even at low velocities.

ballistic_face_shield-1
ballistic_face_shield_1

Personal Vulnerability Simulation being used to compare the predicted damage of structures in the thorax. Using a 8 mm sphere at 400 m/s (left) and the 12 mm sphere at 800 m/s (right). Severity increases from 1 (minor) to 6 (maximal).

[From Breeze, John & Lewis, Eluned & Fryer, Robert. (2016). Optimising the Anatomical Coverage Provided by Military Body Armour Systems. 10.1007/978-3-319-21867-0_28.]

The NovaSteel™ Ballistic Mandible was created with this problem in mind.

 

Offers enhanced protection from ballistic threats — covering the face, the side of the head, and a portion of the anterior neck.

Protection from blunt impact, blast overpressure, and debris.

Mounts rapidly and securely to the helmet via the four retention system holes on the shell. Is fully compatible with most ballistic glasses and goggles.

Fits closely around the face, so field of vision is not constrained. Aiming down sights is still possible in most instances, and using standard optics is easy.

Is significantly lighter and tougher than transparent ballistic visors. With none of the fogging and optical distortion (fishbowl effect) that those visors are infamous for, and none of their ability to pick up scratches.

Simply put, the NovaSteel™ Ballistic Mandible module offers practical, no-nonsense ballistic face protection.

  • TYPE

    Ballistic Mandible – Combat Helmet Accessory

    Add-on armor designed to upgrade the area of coverage of the NovaSteel ballistic helmet, so that it can offer facial protection from high-velocity fragment, blunt impact, and pistol-caliber threats.

  • RATING:

    ACH & ACH-Gen II Helmet Specification

    The ballistic protection that the NovaSteel Ballistic Mandible offers exceeds the criteria set out in the ACH and ACH Gen II helmet specifications, though the specifications do not include any provision for ballistic mandibles. Blunt impact and backface deformation limits are also well within spec. The Mandible will stop 9mm FMJ at 1400 fps as well as similar/lesser threats and certain special handgun threats.  No ballistic mandible offers a higher ballistic protective rating; most are rated to 9mm FMJ at a reduced velocity. 

  • RATING:

    VPAM-3 Helmet Specification

    Though VPAM has no test protocol for ballistic mandibles, the NovaSteel Ballistic Mandible is in broad compliance with the stringent VPAM helmet test protocol. BFD is always within spec — and in many cases there is none at all, due to a large standoff between the mandible and its wearer’s face. It is capable of stopping edge shots, even to within 0.78″ of the rim.  Lastly, it is capable of withstanding high temperature conditioning, to 168°F and perhaps beyond.  

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