Frequently Asked Questions

CES personal protection covers three certified product families: ballistic helmets, VULCAN® ballistic inserts (body armour plates) and ballistic shields, all designed to integrate as a single protection system.

Yes. All three product lines are developed as part of the same CES personal protection system, so operators can specify a coherent package matched to the mission rather than combining unrelated equipment from different suppliers.

Standards vary by product: ballistic helmets are certified to STANAG 2920 17gr FSP, while VULCAN® inserts are tested against NIJ 0101.04, NIJ 0101.06, VPAM, HOSDB and CAST. Full certification documentation is available to qualified customers.

Yes. Every product can be configured through our design and integration capability to the specific threat profile, role and operator requirement.

Detailed protection levels and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

The shell is a seamless composite made from Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), chosen for its high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent ballistic and fragmentation resistance.

Protection is provided according to STANAG 2920 17gr FSP, with protection up to greater than 1,000 m/s available through the integration of additional plates.

Yes. The standard geometry is based on the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) profile, and MICH-shape helmets are also available to suit specific integration needs.

Yes. CES uses a fully modular approach, allowing retention, suspension and accessory subsystems — including NVG mounting and communications integration — to be specified to the mission.

Detailed product specifications and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

Most standard ballistic helmets are designed primarily for handgun and fragmentation threats rather than direct rifle-fire protection. Some helmets can incorporate additional protective solutions, but protection always depends on the specific configuration, threat and test standard. Always check the manufacturer's certified specifications.

Modern ballistic helmets commonly use aramid fibres or UHMWPE. UHMWPE is particularly attractive for applications where weight is critical because of its excellent strength-to-weight performance. However, material alone does not determine helmet performance. Construction, shell geometry, processing, testing and overall system design are equally important.

In general, lower is better, provided the comparison is made under the same test standard and conditions. High-performance helmets can achieve BFD values around 20 mm or below, depending on the applicable test method and configuration.

Service life varies according to the manufacturer, material, storage conditions, environmental exposure and usage. Always follow the manufacturer's specified service-life and inspection requirements. A helmet should also be inspected after significant impact and replaced when required by the manufacturer's guidance.

VULCAN® inserts are tested and qualified against NIJ 0101.04, NIJ 0101.06, VPAM, HOSDB and CAST, covering threat levels III through IV.

CORE, ENHANCED and SUPERIOR are the three tiers in the VULCAN® range. They share the same certified standards but differ in weight, multi-threat coverage and multi-hit performance per level, allowing operators to choose the balance of weight and protection that suits their mission.

Yes. Depending on the tier and threat level, VULCAN® plates are rated for multiple hits, with some configurations rated up to six hits.

Yes. VULCAN® inserts are designed as part of the wider CES personal protection system, alongside our ballistic helmets and ballistic shields, so operators can specify a coherent, mission-matched protection package.

Detailed protection levels, V50 data and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

CES shields use advanced composite construction engineered for the optimal balance of ballistic protection and manoeuvrability, keeping the shield light enough for rapid deployment.

CES ballistic shields are designed and tested to recognised ballistic protection standards. Full certification documentation and threat-level detail are available to qualified customers on request.

Yes. The lightweight, ergonomic design is intended for rapid deployment and manoeuvring in confined spaces such as doorways, stairwells and vehicles, where mobility is as important as protection.

Yes. Shields are designed as part of the wider CES personal protection system, alongside our ballistic helmets and VULCAN® ballistic inserts, so operators can specify a coherent, mission-matched protection package.

Detailed protection levels and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

CES platform protection covers three certified platform families — land, naval and aerospace — together with a dedicated law enforcement and civilian application range, all engineered to the specific structure and threat profile of the platform.

Yes. Every system is designed bespoke through our design and integration capability to the platform’s structure, ballistic specification and operational requirement, rather than fitted from a fixed catalogue.

Standards vary by platform: land systems are tested to NATO STANAG 4569 (AEP 55) Levels 1–6, naval systems to NIJ 0108.01 and STANAG 4569, and aerospace systems to AS9100 and NADCAP. Full certification documentation is available to qualified customers.

Yes. Platform protection covers armour systems built into or added onto land, naval and aerospace platforms, while our personal protection range covers helmets, body armour and shields worn or carried by the operator. Both ranges are engineered by CES to the same certification standards.

Detailed protection levels and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

CES offers three core land platform systems: add-on and appliqué armour, third-generation spall liners, and mine & blast protection — each designed bespoke to the platform and threat profile.

Our land platform armour is tested to NATO STANAG 4569 (AEP 55), with solutions available across Levels 1 to 6, including protection against fragment simulating projectile (FSP) threats.

Yes. Add-on and appliqué armour systems are designed to integrate with both new-build platforms and existing vehicles as part of an upgrade or re-fit programme.

A spall liner is fitted behind a vehicle’s armour to contain fragments generated when the outer armour is struck, reducing crew injury from spall. CES third-generation spall liners are built as bespoke 3D systems without the need for expensive tooling.

Detailed protection levels, test data and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

CES offers three core naval systems: integrated hull protection, patrol boat systems and modular auxiliary naval shields, each engineered to the vessel and threat profile.

Our naval platform armour is tested to NIJ 0108.01 and NATO STANAG 4569, with solutions scaled for both large surface vessels and smaller patrol craft.

Yes. Integrated protection systems can be added externally as a stand-alone application or internally behind the hull, and are designed to integrate with new-build vessels as well as upgrades and re-fits to existing fleets.

Integrated protection works with the hull itself to provide vessel-wide ballistic defence, while auxiliary naval systems are modular shields fitted to specific portable or fixed gunner positions, allowing protection to be added where it’s needed most.

Detailed protection levels, test data and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

CES offers three core aerospace systems: cockpit and seat armour, modular cabin protection for floors, walls and ramps, and wing and exterior armour — each engineered to the airframe and mission profile.

Our aerospace platform protection is manufactured to AS9100 and NADCAP, the quality and special-process standards recognised across the aerospace and defence industry.

Yes. Cockpit, cabin and exterior protection systems are designed to integrate with both new-build airframes and existing aircraft as part of an upgrade or retrofit programme.

Systems are built from lightweight composite materials — including UHMWPE, Aramid and Carbon Fibre — and manufactured to complex 3D-moulded shapes, so protection follows the airframe’s geometry rather than adding unnecessary bulk or weight.

Detailed protection levels, test data and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.

Hard armour uses rigid composite panels to reinforce doors, roofs and undersides against ballistic and blast threats, while soft armour uses flexible, fabric-based systems that offer protection with minimal disruption to a vehicle’s interior — the two can also be combined.

Yes. Both hard and soft armour systems are designed to up-armour new and existing vehicle platforms, with minimal disruption to interiors and everyday performance.

Systems are engineered to protect against ballistic threats, hand grenades and blast events, with protection levels tailored to the specific threat profile of your fleet and operating environment.

Yes. Our land platforms range is engineered for military tracked and wheeled vehicles to NATO STANAG 4569, while law enforcement and civilian protection is built around hard and soft armour systems optimised for police, government and civilian vehicle fleets.

Detailed protection levels, test data and certification documentation are available to qualified customers. Please contact our sales team at sales@cesarmour.co.uk.