Ballistic helmet: Why ceramics from Schunk save lives

In tactical operations, special operations, or urban crisis situations, one thing is clear: the human head remains one of the most vulnerable targets. That is why ballistic helmets are an indispensable part of modern protective equipment. They offer protection against bullets, shrapnel, and blunt force—and must be lightweight, stable, and reliable.

However, what is often overlooked is that the actual protective mechanism of these helmets is not in the outer shell, but inside – in an invisible layer of technical ceramics. This is exactly where Schunk comes in.

We supply the crucial ceramic components on which many high-performance helmets worldwide are based. Materials such as SafeGuard GD and SafeGuard B4C protect thanks to their exceptional hardness, low weight, and ability to fragment even armor-piercing projectiles and absorb the impact energy.

Thanks to innovative processes such as 3D printing with IntrinSiC®, even complex helmet structures can now be produced – precisely fitting, lightweight, and highly effective.

So anyone who thinks that protection is just a matter of the shell has not looked at the core: that is where safety begins – with high-performance ceramics from Schunk.

Schunk's materials for ballistic helmet applications

Schunk supplies the critical ceramic materials that make their protective effect possible. With one of the world's broadest portfolios of high-performance ceramics for ballistics, the company offers everything manufacturers need to produce state-of-the-art helmets – from series solutions to customized high-end components.

Ballistic Protection by Schunk