Presentation from Advanced Blast & Ballistic Systems at the Centre for Defence Enterprise Marketplace held on 5 February 2015. For more info see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mod-brings-businesses-together-for-innovative-defence-ideas

1. Active Force Counteraction Technology
Kills Mine Blast Effects on Vehicles
1

2. Roger Sloman - Previous History
2
• 1970 ………… B.Sc. Organic & Polymer Chemistry.
• 1971 - 75 …… R&D in Advanced Composite Materials.
• 1975 ………… Founded Advanced Composites Group (ACG).
• 1975 - 80……. Introduced Carbon Fibre into F1 Motor Racing.
• 1980 - 2000 … Developed lower temp. cure (LTM/MTM) prepreg
concepts, materials and applications – composite
moulds, aerospace structure.
• 2004 ….…….. ACG sold to Umeco for £45 million (unfortunately
not all for me, but still retired.) Re-sold in 2012 for
£274 million to Cytec.
• 2007 ……….. Consultant to Aigis Blast Protection in Derby, UK.
• 2008 ……….. Observations of High Speed Video of Blast Test.
• 2008 - 2015... Development of Active Blast Protection Systems.

3. 3
Threats to the Occupants of an Armoured Vehicle
Hit by an Under-Belly Mine/IED.
• Penetration of the belly plate and floor.
Usually fatal to most occupants due to over-pressure, blast injuries,
and fragmentation. Non-failure assumed for AMPS to be effective.
• Shock Effects
Transmitted through vehicle structure to cause foot/ankle injuries.
• Floor deformation.
Rapidly deforming floor causes multiple fractures to feet, legs, and
potentially pelvis and spine. Amputations often required.
• Global Acceleration (Lifting of the whole vehicle.)
Rapid acceleration of the occupants bodies upwards can cause
organ and blood vessel ruptures internally which can be fatal due
to internal bleeding. Also spinal, neck and brain injuries.

4. 4
Vehicle Global Acceleration Mitigation -
VGAM – The Initial Patented Concept – Dec. 2008
Directly counteract the lifting forces caused by the mine
blast under the vehicle with motors on the roof.
mine
VGAM Motor Forces
Mine Blast Lifting Forces

5. 5
May 2010 - Early VGAM Proof-of-Concept Test
Baseline Test
5 meter jump height
VGAM POC Test
2 metre jump

6. Sloman & Associates Ltd. 6
VAFS – Vehicle Armoured Floor Stabilisation
A Logical Extension of the VGAM Concept – June 2010
VAFS Motor
Cluster
Structural
Column
Armoured Cover Over VAFS
Motor Cluster
Load
Spreading
Structure
106
16d
28d 104 28b
100
102
2
FIG. 3
3/1c

7. 7
Active Mine Protection Systems – AMPS
Future Changes in Design Philosophy.
• The AMPS technology is game-changing in terms
of protection against under-belly mine blasts.
• Doubling protection levels for a similar weight of mine
blast protection system should be possible.
• New armoured vehicles should be designed around the
systems to maximise occupant protection and minimise
vehicle damage and repair costs.
• Specifications for armoured vehicles should now include
VAFS and VGAM performance to provide targets for
development of the VAFS and VGAM technology.

8. 8
US Requirement – Extracts from Current TARDEC (Tank &
Automotive R&D Centre) Solicitation re Survivability
Development During 2015/16.
• Vehicle underbody protection is paramount in mitigating
occupant injuries on the battlefield.
• Active Blast Mitigation Systems (ABMS) are the next step
in achieving optimal occupant protection from underbody vehicle
threats.
• This new technology attempts to neutralize the impulse introduced from a
threat by initiating a counter impulse that will minimize or completely
negate the impulse experienced by occupants of a vehicle. ABMS can be
the next evolution in vehicle occupant protection.
• Specific Requirements:
a. The contractor shall have experience and extensive knowledge of
ABMS’s. (Note:- ABBS is involved in 4 separate bids
including GD and QNA)

9. 9
VAFS Technology – Fundamental Design Advantages
Of Actively Supporting the Belly Plate
VAFS column-equipped
vehicle with 60 degree
included angle increase
in V hull.
Lower floor,
same or
increased
internal
height and
volume.
Reduced
height
profile,
lower
C of G.

10. 10
VAFS Technology – Fundamental Design Advantages of Pushing
Floor Down and Actively Supporting the Belly Plate
• Much flatter V-hull possible, and lower ground clearance.
• Reduced height profile, smaller target.
• Lower centre of mass, greatly increased stability.
• Better cross-country performance.
• Less space between belly plate and internal floor possible,
more interior space.
• Reduced stroke requirement for blast mitigating seats,
reduced cost, increased interior space.
• Increased internal height available.
• Reduced belly plate thickness required for same blast spec
…offsets weight of VAFS/VGAM system.

11. 11
VAFS Belly Plate Design
For V-Hull Vehicle
Basic
Vehicle Body
Shell
Vehicle
Floor
Optional
Column
Joint
Space to
Allow for
Some
Movement of
Belly Plate
Stiffening Rib with
Lightening Holes
Full Length Reinforcing
Plates to Spread Load
from Column
Longitudinally
Column Braced
at Both Top
and Bottom
Elements of
Belly Plate

12. 12
VAFS/VGAM Combined Motor Design For SUV/Light
Vehicle With Low Ground Clearance
Vehicle
Floor Full Length Reinforcing
Plates to Spread Load
from Column Laterally.
Full length top hat
section to form rigid,
strong spine.
Chrushable structure
including Al honeycomb
between floor and
belly plate.
Tunnel options for drive
train/exhaust etc.
VAFS/VGAM
combined motor

13. 13
VAFS Technology – Shock Isolation Mounting System for Floor,
With Spaced Armour Configuration and EFP/Shaped Charge
Protection.
EFP/shaped charge
protection if required.
Connect floor to
vehicle side structure
via shock attenuating
mountings.
Honeycomb cells can be filled with
lightweight shock attenuating filler.
Column slides through
shock-isolating rubber
sleeve.
Honeycomb energy
absorbing volume.
Duct for services or
prop shaft etc.
V
A
F
S
M
O
T
O
RFree space

14. 14
VAFS/VGAM – 6kg Discovery Test Stills
About 2m Jump at Front, 1m at Rear

15. 15
Land Rover Discovery After 6kg Mine Under-Belly Blast Test.
Window glass left intact, no direct blast damage, minimal floor deformation, demonstrating
that the technology works even with a crude VAFS motor generating only 1/3rd of the impulse
required and no stiffening top-hat spine on floor to reduce floor deformation.

16. 16
VAFS Technology – Integration Design Concept With 3
Small Diameter VAFS Columns and VGAM Motors
Base of VAFS columns
on doubler plate on
crushable structure top
plate.
Crushable structure top
plate.
Honeycomb crushable
structure.
Sensors
Free
space
Ballistic partition provides
spall protection, support for
seats and floor, and stowage
space.
VGAM
Motors.

17. 17
VAFS Technology – Integration Design Concept With
Rear and Side-Opening Doors.

18. 18
VAFS Technology – Integration Design Concept With
Rear and Side-Opening Doors.

19. ABBS Ultra-Lightweight (3,500lb) Special Forces Vehicle
Concept With VAFS/VGAM System - Nine Man Variant.
19

20. IMI Combat Guard Vehicle - Template for Future Armoured
Vehicle Design With VAFS/VGAM Combined System.
20

21. 21
Rocket Motor Performance Characteristics Required
For Armoured Vehicle Mine Protection Application
• Effectively a controlled explosion over 20 – 30ms.
• For a rocket motor, exceptionally rapid initiation
and rise time to peak thrust, ideally <5ms.
• Very high thrust of about 50,000kg for a 1m motor.
• Very high total impulse,10kNs per 1m long motor.
• Very short duration of about 20ms.
• Compact, low profile design.

22. 22
Linear Rocket Motor (LRM) With Transverse
Exit Slots

23. 23
Prototype Linear Rocket Motor.

24. 24
Second Firing of Novel, Patented, Low Cost
Linear Rocket Motor Design Concept.
Shock cones indicate
efficient motor operation.

25. 25
January 2015 - Basic Testing of System
Response and Linear Rocket Motor Initiation.
LRM initiated by autonomous
adjustable-response e2v
sensor/control system.

26. 26
Other Potential LRM Applications
• Emergency helicopter hard landing system.
• Aircraft Controlled or Un-Controlled Flight Into
Terrain prevention system.
• Aircraft missile evasive manoeuvre system.
• ICBM re-entry vehicle/interceptor missile divert
motors.
• Ejection seat motors.
• Ejection seat attitude control motors.
• Naval vessel mine protection system.

27. 27
Commercial Development and Funding
• NO CURRENT UK MOD REQUIREMENT – NO FOLLOW-ON R&D
OR QUALIFICATION FUNDING FROM UK MOD (or Ploughshare)
• TSB to the rescue - £250,000 funding + £675,000 raised by
share sale to complete VGAM system development to full
POC level …… now at TRL6. (TSB is also supporting the helicopter
crash application. The TSB is doing an excellent job!)
• US Market/TARDEC requires the technology so opening
ABBS Inc. in USA, maybe with £3 million US funding.
• Negotiating with major Israeli defence equipment supplier
for £8 million deal to fund qualification and establish
worldwide marketing/support as an Israeli brand.
• THE UK MISSES OUT ON GAME-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY
EXPLOITATION AGAIN ……………… BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO TALK!

28. 28
Advanced Blast & Ballistic Systems Ltd
Thank you for your attention.
www.advanced-blast.com
roger.sloman@advanced-blast.com
Tel:- (44) 01335 360641 Mobile:- (44) 07989 381057