Defense & Security

Ballistic Ceramic Components for Defense Applications

From ceramic strike faces for body armor to lightweight components for aircraft protection and armored vehicles, Schunk has been supporting the defense industry for decades. Under the Qitin® Armor Ceramics brand, we develop and manufacture advanced ceramic components engineered for today's ballistic protection systems. Working closely with defense OEMs, armor manufacturers, and system integrators, we supply lightweight ceramic solutions designed to deliver reliable ballistic performance as part of advanced composite armor systems.

Military & National Defense

Schunk supplies ballistic ceramic components (Ceramic Strike Face) for high-end body armour for soldiers, 3D-printed structures for rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft, and monolithic elements for armoured land vehicles.

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Law Enforcement & Police

The portfolio includes cost-optimised, highly reliable ceramic components for public sector tenders, anatomically tailored designs for law enforcement personnel, and protective panels for armoured emergency vehicles.

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Reliable Components for Advanced Composite Armor Systems

Ceramic Solutions for Body Armor, Aircraft Protection, and Vehicle Armor

Advanced technical ceramics play a critical role in protecting personnel and vehicles against modern ballistic threats, including armor-piercing (AP) ammunition. With more than two million ceramic armor plates delivered worldwide, Schunk has established itself as a proven supplier to NATO armed forces.

As a solution-oriented development partner, Schunk manufactures advanced ceramic components that deliver their full performance when integrated into the customer’s final hybrid and fiber-composite armor system (Ceramic Composite Armor). The ceramic acts as the hard ballistic component (Ceramic Strike Face), fragmenting the hardened projectile core, while the remaining kinetic energy is transferred in a controlled manner into the underlying fiber-composite materials.

Tailored Material Solutions for Every Application

Schunk's advanced silicon carbide (SiC) and boron carbide (B4C) materials are ideal for applications where low weight and high ballistic performance are essential. We manufacture monolithic ceramic components in a wide range of geometries to meet the specific requirements of each protection system.

Body Armor: Depending on the required threat level, all three performance classes—Qitin® Classic, Qitin® Performance, and Qitin® Ultimate—are available to support the highest protection levels against armor-piercing threats in body armor systems.

Aircraft Armor: For rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, Schunk offers Qitin® Ultimate (7000 Series). Manufactured from reaction-bonded boron carbide, these lightweight ceramic components significantly reduce system weight while maximizing payload capacity. Additive manufacturing enables seamless production of complex monolithic components, including pilot seats and cockpit protection.

Vehicle Armor: For armored ground vehicles, Schunk provides both Qitin® Classic for cost-efficient high-volume production and Qitin® Ultimate for lightweight, high-performance applications. In addition to custom-shaped components for crew compartment and side protection, additive manufacturing enables highly complex ceramic geometries for ballistic protection of optical systems, periscopes, remote weapon stations, and other mission-critical vehicle components.

Products | Ceramic Protective Gear

Qitin® Armor Ceramics

Complex Shaped, Monolithic Ceramic Segments

Qitin® Armor Ceramics

Monolithic Ceramic Plates for Body Armour

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Qitin® Armor Ceramics

Monolithic Ceramic Solutions for Vehicle Protection

Benefits of Our Technical Ceramics for Defense & Security

Global Market Leader: More than two million ceramic armor plates delivered worldwide for body armor systems used by NATO and allied forces.
Resilient Supply Chain: Maximum supply security thanks to a fully European raw material supply chain and production at Schunk facilities in Europe.
Lightweight Design: Up to 30% lighter than conventional aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), helping improve mobility for personnel while increasing payload capacity for vehicles and aircraft.
Supports System Certification: Provides an excellent material foundation for customer certification to internationally recognized standards, including STANAG 4569, NIJ, VPAM, and the German Technical Guideline (TR).
Design Flexibility: Advanced additive manufacturing enables maximum design flexibility for complex, monolithic ceramic geometries.
Engineered for Specific Applications: From ergonomically optimized body armor plates—including female-fit geometries—to large format ceramic components for aircraft and armored vehicles, Schunk develops solutions tailored to each application.
Advanced Digital Quality Assurance: Complete traceability with ten years of documentation for every individual plate via QR code, including measurement records from high-resolution X-ray inspection, 3D measurement, 100% density testing, and a digital twin.
Sustainable Manufacturing: Through the RECOSiC recycling initiative, Schunk plans to reduce CO₂ emissions from raw material processing by more than 80%, with industrial implementation scheduled from 2027 onward.

Brochure: Defense

SiC & B4C armour materials for ballistic protection

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Brochure: IntrinSiC® 3D-printing

Create design in diamond-like hardness

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