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Combat helmet

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A modern French combat helmet
A late 15th century sallet.

A combat helmet is a type of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during a fight. Helmets are among the oldest forms of personal protective equipment and are known to have been worn by the Akkadians/Sumerians in the 23rd century BC. Mycenaean Greeks since 17th century BC,[1][2] the Assyrians around 900 BC, ancient Greeks and Romans, throughout the Middle Ages, and up to the end of the 17th century by many combatants.[3] Their materials and construction became more advanced as weapons became more and more powerful. Initially constructed from leather and brass, and then bronze and iron during the Bronze and Iron Ages, they soon came to be made entirely from forged steel in many societies after about 950AD.

Mycenaean Greek boar tusk helmet, Mycenae, 14 century BCE
Ancient Greek bronze Corinthian helmet, ca. 500 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Inv. 4330)

At that time, they were purely military equipment, protecting the head from cutting blows with swords, flying arrows, and low-velocity musketry.

Military use of helmets declined after 1670, and rifled firearms ended their use by foot soldiers after 1700.[3] By the 18th century, cavalry units often wore steel body cuirasses, and frequently metal skull protectors under their hats, called "secrets". The Prussian leather spiked helmet, or Pickelhaube, offered almost no protection from the increased use of artillery during World War I, and in 1916 was replaced by the German steel helmet, or Stahlhelm, and afterwards it was worn merely for tradition.[4][5][6]

The Napoleonic era saw ornate cavalry helmets reintroduced for cuirassiers and dragoons in some armies; they continued to be used by French forces during World War I as late as 1915, when they were replaced by the new French Adrian helmet.[7] It was soon followed by the adoption of similar steel helmets by the other warring nations.

US Marine Corps M1917 Brodie helmet

World War I and its increased use of artillery had renewed the need for steel helmets, which were quickly introduced by all the combatant nations for their foot soldiers. In the 20th century, such helmets offered protection for the head from shrapnel and fragments.[8]

Today's militaries often use high-quality helmets made of ballistic materials such as Kevlar and Aramid, which offer improved protection. Some helmets also have good non-ballistic protective qualities, though many do not.[9] Non-ballistic injuries may be caused by many things, such as concussive shock waves from explosions, physical attacks, motor vehicle accidents, or falls[10].

Types

Current

A modern British Army Mk. 6 Helmet
A modern German Army Gefechtshelm
United States soldier wearing the MICH TC-2000.
A side view of a Vietnam-era M1 helmet
17th century Persian helmet (Safavid army)
6th century Spangenhelm
Model Origins Users Notes
SPECTRA helmet  France used by the French Army, Danish Army, United Nations peacekeeping forces[11]
MICH Combat Helmet  United States developed for use by Special Operations Forces by the United States Army and became the basis of the Advanced Combat Helmet. It has now become the official combat helmet of the

United States Army.(ACH)[12][13][14]

Lightweight Helmet  United States used by United States Marine Corps[15]
Mk. 6 Helmet/Mk. 7  United Kingdom used by British Armed Forces (all arms)[16]
BK-6 Helmet  Croatia used by the Croatian Army, Czech Army, Bulgarian Army, United Arab Emirates Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Mexican Army, Spanish Army, Turkish Army, Pakistan Army, Malaysian Army, Saudi Arabian Army, Finnish Army, National Army of Colombia, Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Italian Army, Military of Hungary, Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and by the police forces of the following countries: Croatia, UK, Spain, Republic of Macedonia, Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Italy, Ukraine and by Argentina .[17]
CCB (Combat Ballistic Helmet)  Brazil Used by the Brazilian Armed Forces in two versions: Polymer and Kevlar.[18]
Enhanced Combat Helmet  Australia [19]
CG634  Canada Used by the Canadian Forces since 1998.[20][21]
PASGT  United States Used by the USAF, but is being phased out by the ACH[22] US Air Force[23]. Also used by the Australian Army[19][24], but is being phased out by the Enhanced Combat Helmet.
GOLFO Military of Chile ( Chile) PASGT variant
QGF03  People's Republic of China People's Liberation Army
QGF02  People's Republic of China People's Liberation Army
SSh68  Russia Steel helmet Russian Army Russia[25]
6B7-1L  Russia Kevlar helmet Russian army and Naval Infantry Russia[25]
STSh-81  Russia Titanium helmet Russian Special Forces Russia
Kolpak 2  Russia Kevlar helmet Russian army
OR-201  Israel Kevlar helmet used by the Israel Defense Forces, Some units of Special forces of Indian Army, Lebanon (Lebanese Forces, South Lebanon Army, Hezbollah, Lebanese Army), Honduran Army, Guatemalan Army, Peruvian Army, Romanian Army, Nicaragua (National Guard and Police), Portugal (Portuguese Marine Corps), Irish Defence Force, South African Defence Force, Sri Lanka (Army and Police), and other countries.
KASDA  Israel Kevlar helmet Israel Defense Forces, Guatemalan Army
Gefechtshelm Schuberth B826  Germany used by the Bundeswehr, Swiss Army, Dutch Army, Estonian Defence Forces, Czech Army and other countries - PASGT type helmet
MARTE  Spain Protec type helmet replacing PASGT type helmets
Sistema Compositi SEPT-2 PLUS  Italy used by the Italian Armed Forces[26]
Sistema Compositi SUPERUBOTT  Italy used by Special Units (particularly GIS) of the Italian Law Enforcement community[27]
Tecnoplast TD-71  Italy used by the Italian Law Enforcement community for riot control[28]
Type 88 Helmet  Japan used by the JSDF - PASGT type helmet
M80 Helmet  Iraq Plastic and cloth helmet, limited use
M87  South Africa Kevlar helmet South African Army
Hjälm 90  Sweden used by the Swedish Armed Forces
RBH303IE  Ireland Used by the Irish Defence Force
Mile Dragić M-97  Serbia Used by the Serbian Army - PASGT type helmet[29]
Mile Dragić M-05  Serbia Used by Serbian Special Forces - MICH type helmet[30]

World War I - Vietnam

Model Origins Users Notes
Adrian helmet  France [7] used in  France,  Belgium, Japan Japan,  Serbia,  Yugoslavia,  United States,  Soviet Union, Template:Ireland,  Italy,  China,  Manchukuo
Brodie helmet  United Kingdom used in  United Kingdom,  Canada,  United States,  Australia [8],  China,  Estonia,  Belgium
Mk III Turtle helmet  Canada,  United Kingdom
Bulgarian M36 Helmet  Bulgaria Bulgaria[31]
M1 helmet  United States U.S.Army, U.S.Marine Corps;  Canada [32],  China, Guatemalan, Philippines,  Belgium
Pickelhaube  German Empire  German Empire
Soviet helmets during World War II  Soviet Union  Soviet Union,  People's Republic of China,  North Korea,  North Vietnam,  Finland, Warsaw Pact
Stahlhelm[4][5][6]  German Empire Chile Chile,  China,  Nazi Germany,  Poland,  Weimar Republic,  Estonia,  Finland
Hełm wz. 31  Poland Poland

Medieval and early modern militaries

Model Origin Users Notes
Bascinet circa 1300 Europeans during the Hundred Years' War(1337 to 1453) amid the kingdoms of  France,  Aquitaine, Burgundy and  England
Burgonet[33] circa 1600 Europeans, especially by militias of  Poland &   Switzerland
Capeline late 16th century Europeans during 17th century, including the English Civil War in  England & Thirty Years' War across the  Holy Roman Empire
Cervelliere late 13th century Christian Europeans in Crusades during the 14th century
Great helm[34] 1189 Christian Europeans in Third Crusade; other Europeans until 1540
Kabuto circa 1600 Samurai especially during the 17th century of the Edo Period Tokugawa shogunate in Medieval  Japan.
Pickelhaube[4][5][6] 1842 especially by  Prussia,  Kingdom of Bavaria &  German Empire and other Europeans until 1918; revived for 2006 FIFA World Cup in  Germany
Sallet circa 1450 used in Northern Europe &  Hungary until mid-16th century
Spangenhelm[35] 5th century Central Asia, Near East & Europe; espec. by Scythians, Sarmatians, Persians, & Germans until 1000

See also headgear listing within Components of medieval armour.

Ancient militaries

Model Origin Users Notes
Attic helmet ancient Greeks
Boar's tusk helmet 17th century B.C.E. Mycenaean Greeks until 10th century BCE
Boeotian helmet ancient Greek cavalry
Chalcidian helmet ancient Greeks
Corinthian helmet[36] ancient Greeks
Disc and stud helmet circa 400 BCE ancient Illyrians & Adriatic Veneti until 167 BCE
Galea (helmet) ancient Romans
Horned helmet circa 1000 BCE Celtic Europeans until 700 CE
Illyrian type helmet ancient Greeks
Kegelhelm ancient Greeks
Negau helmet ancient Etruscans in Negau, Slovenia
Pilos ancient Greeks
Pot helmet ancient Illyrians
Phrygian/Thracian helmet 400s BCE ancient Greeks in Thrace, Dacia, Italia & Hellenistic Europe until circa 200 CE

Various periods

Model Origins Users Notes
Kettle hat

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military helmets.
  1. ^ Shaft Graves, Mycenae
  2. ^ Nobuo Komita, The Grave Circles at Mycenae and the Early Indo-Europeans
  3. ^ a b http://www.nps.gov/archive/colo/Jthanout/HisArmur.html
  4. ^ a b c German-Helmets.com
  5. ^ a b c Axis History Factbook: A brief history of the German Stahlhelm
  6. ^ a b c German Pickelhaube Spiked Helmet Evolution Guide
  7. ^ a b Heaumes Page
  8. ^ a b Index CEF Helmets
  9. ^ Kevlar Pasgt Helmet
  10. ^ http://www.operation-helmet.org
  11. ^ MSA: Casques Militaires
  12. ^ Advanced Combat Helmet ( ACH )
  13. ^ Advanced Combat Helmet ACH
  14. ^ US Military Taking Delivery of Advanced Combat Helmets
  15. ^ The Warrior
  16. ^ PLCE and Body Armour
  17. ^ Šestan - Bush d.o.o. (Ltd)
  18. ^ http://www.grupoinbra.com.br/InbraTextil/ProdutosdeSeguranca/CapacetesEmFibra.aspx
  19. ^ a b Military Photos: New Australian Combat Helmet
  20. ^ Canadian Military Police Virtual Museum
  21. ^ Canada
  22. ^ http://www.operation-helmet.org/usaf.html
  23. ^ Department Of The Air Force
  24. ^ Kevlar Pasgt Helmet
  25. ^ a b www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=99988&page=685
  26. ^ Sistema Compositi SEPT-2 PLUS helmet
  27. ^ Sistema Compositi SUPERUBOTT helmet
  28. ^ Tecnoplast TD-71 riot control helmet
  29. ^ Mile Dragić Production M-97S/P
  30. ^ Mile Dragić Production M-05S/P
  31. ^ Българските Военни Каски
  32. ^ Home of the M-1 Helmet
  33. ^ myArmoury.com: The Burgonet
  34. ^ 75years - Great Helms
  35. ^ Simon Coupland, "Carolingian Arms and Armor in the Ninth Century", (accessed 10 March 2006).
  36. ^ lookup=Hdt.+4.180.1 Herodotus, The Histories (ed. A. D. Godley)

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