Spanish Navy takes up graphene bulletproof vest research

The Spanish Navy will include Marine Corps Eastern Tercio and the Algameca Naval Station in its research on the use of graphene in ballistic protection systems.

The Navy is conducting this research jointly with the Cartagena Polytechnic University (UPCT) in Spain.

Composed of a multidisciplinary team of UPCT researchers and the Ministry of Defense’s Weapons and Material Directorate, the 18-month project will be held at the Algameca Naval Station.

It includes the design and manufacturing of an Experimental Integrated Ballistic System with live ammunition, based on NATO standards, also producing a series of nanocomposites (composite materials based on nanotechnology) against ballistic impacts with live fire.

The Navy said the results obtained may be a landmark in the field of nanomaterial ballistic material and will serve to design future and revolutionary bulletproof vests.

The Spanish Navy and the Cartagena Polytechnic University have been collaborating for more than a decade, resulting in a wide variety of multidisciplinary projects.
By virtue of the current collaboration agreement, the UPCT requested the collaboration of the Spanish Navy to assess and test the ballistic protection capability of graphene-based armor-plating.

To this end, and for collaboration purposes, the Navy tasked the Marine Corps’ Eastern Tercio for experimental testing, providing personnel and military equipment, as well as the expertise of soldiers and commanding officers who have participated in different operational missions.