Constellium introduces armor aluminum solutions at Eurosatory 2012

Today, at Eurosatory 2012, the leading defense trade event, Constellium announced its global 'Armor' offering including a set of targeted innovative solutions building on aluminum exceptional properties. These new products will be used for vehicle and turret hulls, appliqué armor kits for ballistic protection, underbelly armor kits for blast confinement and bridging or pioneering vehicles. This global offering adds to Constellium's innovative and broad portfolio of technologies, from the well-known 2XXX and 7XXX series alloys, to the newest and revolutionary Corevo(TM) aluminum foam.

Constellium's defense offerings leverage its global presence, with hubs in Europe and the US and dedicated manufacturing lines allowing for reliable sourcing and optimized fabrication flows. This customer-driven approach, supported by a dedicated sales team worldwide, is part of Constellium's drive to understand and meet the new defense industry's specific requirements notably in ballistic testing. While working closely with its customers to develop targeted responses, Constellium is also collaborating on technical issues with several key research centers, such as the US Army Research Lab (ARL).

Constellium's key customers include leading manufacturers in the defense sector worldwide. As an example of its global reach, Constellium recently won a contract with a major North American Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to deliver a new "underbelly" plate solution for Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that is highly formable in specific tempers and thus allows complex shapes. This proprietary alloy is designed to maximize ballistic Armor Piercing and Fragment protection while maintaining superior blast protection from Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's) and similar threats. The vehicle achieves a significant weight reduction as well. All material will be shipped by the end of June 2012 and be field ready by the end of 2012.