The U.K.’s Hobson Industries Ltd. has developed new advanced vehicle protection solutions for the military to meet the current threat, and recently formed a joint venture with the U.S. firm Paxcon Inc., which makes LINE-X.
LINE-X is a polyurethane coating that has added the benefit of a lightweight spall lining that can be applied directly to metal and non metal surfaces. For example, the latest versions of the Weapons Mounted Installation Kit for Land Rover vehicles, being assembled for operations in theater, are equipped with LINE-X anti spall lining on the inner surface of the rear protective floor pan.
LINE-X has developed a Blast Mitigation material known as PAXCONr for use on buildings and other permanent structures. In the late 1990s, the U.S. military has tested PAXCONr where it proved to be the most effective of a batch of some 27 different products, a company statement said Oct. 31.
Since then LINE-X has developed a range of products for spall protection, and products with fire retardant properties. LINE-X is currently carrying out tests with the U.S. Department of Justice to ascertain the improved capabilities of their products.
Additionally, the scientific branch of the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) is currently carrying out tests on LINE-Xr to determine defensive properties suitable for many other applications.
LINE-X continues to develop and test new formulations for various threats for military customers worldwide.
Through an agreement with LINE-X USA and LINE-X UK, Hobson Industries has secured the rights to use LINE-Xr for vehicle applications in defence.
Customers include the U.K. MoD, RUC/PSNI, Australian Defence Force, Nigerian MoD, Jordan Armed Forces, Jordan Public Security Directorate, Office of the High Representative (OHR) Bosnia & Herzegovina and the Libyan National Oil Corporation.