16 May 2012

The Barracks: The Pro-Tec Helmets and Special Operations Units



























The first time I witness the power of the film Blackhawk Down, my wife and I had the same question...why were the Army's most elite badass soldiers, the DELTA Operators, using skateboard helmets? I would not find my answer until I read Mark Bowden superior Blackhawk Down novel, but then the little plastic helmet had gotten under my skin, and I was using for years after playing paintball.
I know from my research in the mid-2000's, that military forums were overloaded with the OMFG! D3LT4!!! people and thread starters wanting to discuss and detail the lightweight plastic helmets of Special Forces. Of course, these reenactors, like me, annoyed the piss out of the regulars on the forums, and started flaming wars for years after. Even now, you cannot mention the words 'Pro-Tec helmet' without eyerolls and flame wars. But here at FWS, I am different, and after watching Blackhawk Down this week, I thought I would put all of that research to good use and discuss, in depth, the little plastic helmet that could: The Pro-Tec.

 Why does the military plastic skateboard helmets?

1. Weight
If you have ever worn the original PASGT K-Pot helmet, than you know the weight of it, and I would not relish the opportunity to wield in the water or even mounting all manner of ligths and NVGs on it. The saving of weight was more critical than the need for ballistic protection in some combat situations, especially CQC, making the Pro-Tec a clear choice back then. 

2. Modularity
The hard Kelvar shell of the standard PASGT helmet was extremely difficult to modified for Special Operators to use the standard helmet with radios that were preferred by DELTA, ST6, and Parajumpers. When the MICH helmet came onto the scene in the early 2000's, they used the modular aspect of the Pro-Tec into ballistic helmet. Parajumper Tech. Sgt. Tim Wilkinson raised another positive of the Pro-Tec over the traditional K-pot in the Blackhawk Down book, the ablitiy to mount a flashlight with Velcro during trauma care. (Source: pg 13 of Blackhawk Down by Mark Bowden ) 

3. Bump Protection
The primary reason listed for Special Operation soldiers to use the Pro-Tec and other lightweight sport helmets is for bump protection during close quarters combat situations (like the Battle of Mogadishu) when the risk of head injury is greater than the OPFOR's ability to make headshots. One point raised by a friend of mine at the Trauma ICU was that ballistic helmets normally cannot protection against a direct from an assault rifle round anyway.
(Source: pg 172 of Blackhawk Down by Mark Bowden )

4. Vision
Some source online point to the fact that the PASGT helmet had a brim which cutdown vision and attachment usage caused Special Forces to unitize the Pro-Tec. Having worn both, I can attest to the improved visible in the Pro-Tec over the classic K-pot.

5. Designated Roles
Helmets like the Pro-Tec were designed for a specific reason, and specific sports. In certain situations, Kelvar protection is not warranted, and the soldiers can use the Pro-Tec for its designated purpose, like rock climbing training, water rescue and water vehicular training, motorcycle/ dune buggy use and training. This was the reason why DEVGRU RECON team MAKO-31 used Pro-Tecs during Operation: Anaconda in 2002 (Source: Sean Naylor's book Not a Good Day to Die )

 The History of the Pro-Tec usage by the Military
Before the use of Pro-Tec by specialized military units, it was common for Special Forces troopers to be associated with Boonie hats, Do-Rags, and bandannas due to their low-profile missions and the issues with the old steel-pot helmets. This was the classic image of the Special Force Snake-Eaters that I grew up with, but, that all changed after the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.
There is no clear date when Pro-Tec first became used by military units. According to the very limited information that I could dig up, aquatic-based military units, like the SEALs, the British SBS, and the Air Force Parajumpers began using these plastic helmets during the early 1980's for collusion  protection, weight saving, and salt water corrosion during seaborne operations. It is likely that first Pro-Tec plastic helmet used was the original 1970's Pro-Tec full-cut that can be seen even today in SEAL training.
Later, the same high speed/low drag concept was applied to the close quarters combat/hostage rescue, and  to the left is the first known picture of DELTA operators in the field with the Pro-Tec helmets, taken in 1989 during the Operation Just Cause. It was also during the 1989 American invasion of Panama, that DELTA Force rescued American and CIA operative Kurt Muse from a Panamanian prison, reportedly, these Tier-1 soldiers wore black Pro-Tecs during the lightning raid called Operation Acid Gambit. 
The next piece of pictorial evidence for the military use of Pro-Tecs came during Desert Storm, SEAL Team Eight was photographic in full Pro-Tec glory has they trained for ship boarding/VBSS in 1991 onboard the naval refueling vessel USNS Joshua Humphreys for their mission to enforce the UN sanctions. These were clearly of classic Pro-Tec full cut variety. However, it was Operation Gothic Serpent when the Pro-Tec helmet relationship with Special Operations become concrete in a little piece of hell called Mogadishu. Most of us are familiar with the events of October 3rd and 4th 1993, and that the Air force Parajumers, DELTA assaulters and possibly SEAL Team Six Operators all wore the iconic plastic helmet. Mark Bowden explained the role of the Pro-Tec in three different parts of the 1999 book, but he called the plastic helmets 'hockley helmets' or 'Pro-Tech' or even "little helmet', and he stated the death of DELTA Operator SFC Earl Fillmore was cause by an AK-47 round to the head and seemed to lay blame on the helmet.  
And yes, to all of those that doubters of the film, DELTA Force Operators really did wear Pro-Tec skateboard helmets during the October 3rd and 4th, 1993 battle on the streets of Mogadishu. These events and the death of SFC Fillmore was rumored to be genesis of the SPEAR MICH helmet project, which took elements of the Pro-Tec and the original K-pot into a lightweight ballistic helmet. After 1993, the Pro-Tec helmet continued to be used by Special Forces in the role familiar, water operations and CQC, unfortunately, there few if any pictures of this period displaying usage by Special Forces. 
After September 11th, Special Forces of all types were mobilized for a new war, and their plastic bump helmets went with them. Rumors have the Pro-Tecs of the classic variety and the newer Ace Wake helmet were used in cave clearing operations by American and British Special Forces, and during the Mir Wais Hospital  clearing by Army Special Forces.
By the time of the War in Iraq, Special Forces units were fielding the new MICH Kevlar helmet. These were designed with the needs of Special Forces in mind, and incorporated some elements of the Pro-Tec into the design, like the adjustable pad system, modularity, and unlike the Pro-Tec, the MICH offered ballistic protection. Did the MICH helmet spell the end of the Pro-Tec and other lightweight plastic helmets?
No, however the MICH did take away from most of its classic CQC duties, however,  if you go to BUD/s today than you will still be issues a full-cut classic Pro-Tec helmet for use during the boat drills. This is the same for Search-and-Rescue Coast Guard teams and seaborne missions of the Air Force Parajumpers. Despite the balletic protection that the new line of helmets like the MICH offer to operators, there have been photographs of soldiers in A-Stan using the Pro-Tec Ace Wake helmet and the new OPS-CORE FAST (Future Assault Shell Technology ) non-ballistic helmet. But why? It has been a tread in military units to use, as Military Morons.com called it, helmets as 'load-bearing equipment' mounting all manner of lights, NVGs, IR beacons onto the helmet instead of inside a pouch, lightening the load on the body but increasing it for the head, causing operators to turn to the Ace and the FAST to save weight and exhaustion. OPS-CORE has even designed a FAST helmet with ballistic protection that is 20% lighter than the standard ACH system.

Pro-Tec helmets in Military Sci-Fi
With the extreme popularity of the film Blackhawk Down, paintballers, airsofters, and 1/6th kitbashers all went bloody mad over the little skateboard helmets. This even included me when I used my DELTA BHD layout (just look at my blogger profile pic) for years on the paintball fields of the Midwest.  I was obsessed with finding the prefect helmet for paintball, and bought several, including a real Pro-Tec that lasted six months. The odd reason for that was the mineral oil in the paintball ate away at the glue, and went I was shot in the helmet during a speedball game, the helmet separated. It must have looked real frakking fun. This made me more hyper aware of the use of Pro-Tecs in military sci-fi works, and it seems that for the most part, Pro-Tec-like helmets were used only in a few MSF works. Namely, we're talking about the ISA Marines in the second KILLZONE game, and I believe the main reason behind the choice of using the Pro-Tec look for the 23rd century marines was because the Pro-Tec is tacticool.
Other MSF works use the lightweight and cheaper Pro-Tec helmets to be the base of their fabricated futuristic combat helmet, much like the Rossdale Alliance soldiers in the 2010 MSF webseries Trenches. Another helmet that precessed the tacticool trench of lightweight non-ballistic military helmets, and I could totally wrong here, is the Rebel Commandos from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Military science fiction as a whole talks little of the personal gear (or kit) of the soldiers, often this important aspect of the soldier's lives is ignored, and that is true of the helmet. If we are too look at the current trend, it is assumed that near-future soldiers will don lighter, stronger helmets with smaller gear than now...until they implant them into their skulls that is.    

The Three Know Types of Pro-Tec Helmets used by the Military

The newer Pro-Tec ACE Wake Helmet design


The Classic Water sport Pro-Tec full cut



The Classic Pro-Tec Skateboard Helmet





Pro-tec for the 21st Century: the OPS-CORE FAST Helmet














The OPS-CORE company developed a 21st century Pro-Tec with the Future Assault Shell Technology or FAST.  These FAST Helmet are available in both the non-ballistic carbon fiber bump shell and lightweight Kevlar ballistic variant that, according to the company's website, offers the same level of protection as the MICH 2002 helmet. Along with lightweight, the FAST offers adjustable interior pads, mounting rails, NVG mounting, breathing holes, and modular design to allow various radio/comm gear.
If it looks familiar, the FAST was seen on the lid of DELTA operator Sandman in COD:MW3 and several of the GHOST RECON squad in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Maybe it is me, but the FAST helmet reminds me of the M10 Colonial Marine helmet from ALIENS.
Price tag? About $600.

29 comments:

  1. I came across your blog through a random google search. Enjoyed your post on the Pro Tech helmets used by Tier One Operators. I can tell you from personal experience that some units of Seal and SF were using multi-sport helmets in the very early 90's. They were not the skate or wake helmets but Hockey(no face protection). I remember ordering mine from some sport catalog. I can't recall it being specifically ProTech. Hockey helmets at the time were so similar to the skate board helmet design it doesn't make much difference, totally smooth, ear exposed, no air holes. At the time SO didn't want to wear kevlar in CQB but soft covers and boonies didn't protect from low hanging pipes, door frames, wall studs and other passages. I got a few concussions running around corners and right into a hard object that normally wouldn't be there, busted pipe or caved in hallway. thanks for the history lesson.

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  2. Thank you for reading the blogpost and commenting!
    Your firsthand information is what I love to read, the use of lightweight plastic helmets by military units is rare to find. Thank you for sharing it. When thinking about CQC conditions, it makes complete sense to use a helmet and most operators would have more experience with Hockey than skateboarding and use them]
    FWS is at present working on an entire blogpost on Tier One operators and what Tier One really means.

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  3. Viele Menschen würden es vorziehen, Parajumpers für den Winter, dass Parajumpers recht beliebte Marke für Winterkleidung ist, zeigt kaufen. Ich habe vor kurzem ein auf http://www.parajumpersonline.com/ Parajumpers Online Shop gekauft haben, haben auch. Aber der Preis ist günstiger als im Vorjahr. Dies ist eine gute Nachricht.

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  4. HI I AM AN E-X S/F OPERATOR BRITISH ARMY -Si-op's and used the m88 and pasgt both helmets were heavy and bullk'y i spend every moment that i had making it feel snug but to no avail,Hence it was more of a hinderence than protection i have allways loved the design of the DELTA/PROTEC bump helmet it feel the firs time i used it,not as a helmet but a parp of my head almost like the most comfortable watch cap but bump protction.since my medical discharge i have been in the private/protection and close protection of/for coperate contractors.I have 10 helmets including,op's core gentex protec nexues pasgt m88 ranging in price from 900.00 to 60.00 english sterling and the op's core helmet;s look good but that is about it,They are over priced and quite frankly a helmet as for ballistic protection i would describe them as having a hair-cut with a hat on'useless and like i said over priced,out of my favourite is the PT-BRAVO A KIND OF ACE WAKE BUT WITH RAILS ON BOTH SIDES AND WATER DRAIN HOLES AND VELCRO BACK SIDES AND TOP WITH COUNTER WAIT STRAPS AT THE REAR.THE HELMET IS MADE IN THE US AND UNLIKE THE ACE WAKE IT OUTER SHELL IS FLEXIBLE BUT STRONG,I DROVE OVER THE HELMET AND IT JUST SPRANG BACK IN TO SHAPE,NEEDED A BIT OF A TUG AND PULL BUT IT DID NOT SPLIT OR CRACK,dOWN FALL THAT IT IS IN A SATIN FINISH RATHER THAN A MATT BLACK/O/G THE SAME SATIN WHY DONT THEY REALISE THAT THE COLOUR FINISH IS EVERTHING FOR FOLAGE MATCH AND OR REFLECTION ASPECT,i watched green zone if you have to the scene wher matt damon has just bagged a republican commander and then the s/f turn up in the blackhawks and what they have on there heads is a pt bravo with the same finish as the gentex a specalled grainn mat black pt bravo helmet,one of the guys has a helmet cover,now i no that nrg do a fast water bump helmet but cant seem to find and purchase one and i spent 15 hours straight on internet seaching.found a blog calledSPECGEAR.COM BUTno details of how to purchase one, or a company or retailer not even ebay can you help me get the right helmet and y conquest is over,thanks for info liam.

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  5. THERE WILL NEVER BE IN MY LIFE TIME A BEETR HELMET THAN THE 'DELTA'DESIGN PT BRAVO OR ACE WAKE N/R/G MANY THANKS LIAM.U CAN FIND ME ON EBAY ;ironhammer892013 user name!!!

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  6. Delta first used Hockey helmets before going with Protec.

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  7. I wish I could some pictures of when special operators wore the original hockey helmets...never found one, but there mentions of them in old special forces books. Thanks for commenting!

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  8. Delta seems to be using Crye AirFrame helmets these days, according to a couple of unconfirmed pictures.

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  9. You're more concerned with protecting your head from bumps and cuts, which result in swelling, pain and distraction. Even ballistic helmets of today only stop Level 3 threats at best and that's if you get hit in the helmet! The blunt force trauma of the impact will put you out of the fight. Whether you survive or recoup after is out of your hands. Ballistic protection from rifle fire to the head doesn't exist and you wouldn't survive the blunt force trauma of the bullet. The projectile itself you wouldn't even have to worry about. Our heads are vulnerable. No way really around it.

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  10. In reference to my above comment, it's Level 3A which I failed to annotate on the ballistic helmets of current use. Not Level 3.

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  11. After SF started using Pro Tec helmets in the early "90's, GSA awarded a contract to Pro Tec for a DoD version Today the PT A-Bravo and A-Bravo Half-Shell (For COMMs use) are the helmets issued to the Spec Ops community. They are available from Military & Rescue Supply LLC (CAGE CODE: 6BDU1) in Toledo Ohio. Link is: www.pthelmets.com. These Helmets are different than the above mentioned Pro Tec 'Skate' and 'Hockey' etc. The PT A-Bravo is produced for DoD and are not truly a Pro Tec product. The Shell is a different material, they have a 4-Point Retention system, and removable/replaceable EVA Foam liners. Do not buy a skate helmet for Tactical Use! The A-Bravo is specifically designed for Non-Ballistic Tactical use and is CEEN and ANSI compliant. They are also multi-impact helmets, which means, unlike the Skate Helmets, they can take a hit and still be useable. One good shot to the other helmets may crack them as they have a more brittle shell material and Styrofoam Liners. The A-Bravo is also a much more stable platform for NVG use, and is available with M1918 Picatinny rails and VAS Shrouds installed. The PT Helmet you see SEAL and SF Units for HALO and HAHO is actually the CFC Air, not the "Full Cut" Skate helmet as mentioned above. It is an easy mistake to make, as the shells for the CFC Air and the A-Bravo are made in molds originally developed for their cilvilian sports helmet's counterparts.
    There is also a company called JPM Tactical that offers the A-Bravo with Ops Core style ARC rails mounted for use with all the Ops Core/Peltor/Princeton Tec gear.

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  12. Try to catch the ESPN "Outside The Lines" that does a story about the ineffectiveness of these hockey helmets. I doubt that the Kevlar shells make much of a difference when it comes down to preventing concussions which is the main reason they're worn.

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  13. Well my opinion i think the ECH helmet is better. I've tried it on before.

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  14. I didn't know that there were so many different kinds of helmets for the military. I didn't know that they use skateboard helmets and tactical helmets. The important thing is that they have protection because they are in a war zone where there is falling debris and they will need to protect their head the most. http://actiicom.com

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  15. The headgear being used by the armed forces, across the world, has just moved beyond just protecting the head in a full scale altercation, it is rather now an apparatus that is used by the personnel of forces in a variety of combat settings, ranging from performing general operations to carrying out special missions. The constant need to keep improving the system to provide better protection to the personnel has inspired the researchers and developers to look for new material.

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  16. These are seriously high tech helmets. Even ballistic helmets of today only stop Level 3 threats at best and that's if you get hit in the helmet! The blunt force trauma of the impact will put you out of the fight. Whether you survive or recoup after is out of your hands. https://helmetstore.ca

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  17. I’m clearly a few years behind the blog post. However, as early as 2014, conventional Sniper sections were beginning to get memo’s allowing Snipers to wear bump helmets. After graduating Sniper school in 2014, I was allowed to wear an OPS-Core or Team Wendy Helmet. The other option being that I could purchase a ballistic helmet with my own coin. I opted for the bump helmet; rationale being that ounces equal pounds. I wore my issued ACH on the flat range while in the presence of higher ups, but once in the field or on deployment, I had the bump helmet.

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  20. First of all, what a great blog! I refer to its pages often.
    When I was in the US Army in the 1990s, the Delta guys wore either the Pro-Tec helmets, black wool (standard issue) watch caps, or nothing at all whenever I saw them doing their thing. The PASGT helmet sucked, it was good for shrapnel and bricks being thrown at your head but not much else (although I do believe it's rated for 9mm fired from a distance!?). Now of course with the Ops-Core style helmets, they kinda cover all the bases in that they have better ballistic protection and are lightweight enough to be used as a "bump" helmet during training and such.

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  21. Many thanks at the beginning for your informative blogspot article. So let me state: All my questions to that subjects around kevlar helmets and previous developments has been answered by that point.
    I came from issues in regard to an article about a 200 mill.€ deal between German
    forces and a Gallion/Revision % Rheinmetall Defence Joint Venture to produce
    300.000 fullcut batlskin viper helmets.
    I personally use the Ops - Core Fast Carbone High Cut for Mountainbiking.
    (non balistic)...… so I began to google and wonder about the many differences
    from several types of lightweight balistic protection systems.
    By the time I remembered the very beginning of plastic protection within the
    90s from my point ( Special Police Forces) . Soon I remembered a scene ( far from
    my memory) : Blackhawk Down !!! = Deltas with black helmets ( obviously very early high cut balistic types ). So I downloaded the movie and wanted to identify

    the type of helmet....before the download was finished i came to your blogspot
    by random acsess.....thanks a lot for that article.
    Now i should see the fabuless movie again.

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  22. And now in the year of our lord 2023 the MICH is old and cut ballistic helmets are everywhere.

    ReplyDelete