The Department of National Defence expects the helmets will be ready in 2026 or early 2027.
The Canadian military is funding the development of a new helmet designed to prevent traumatic brain injuries that have been affecting some special forces personnel and other soldiers.
The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command in Ottawa is working with Defence Research and Development Canada in Valcartier, Que., as well as a U.S. company on the new equipment.
Department of National Defence spokesperson Alex Tétreault told the Ottawa Citizen that DND expected the first of the helmets will be ready in 2026 or early 2027.
Militaries around the world have been becoming increasingly concerned about traumatic brain injuries, which can be caused by an external force strong enough to move the brain within the skull. In military service, that can involve repeated exposure to artillery fire and anti-tank weapons, controlled explosions such as the use of stun grenades, and gunfire or explosions in enclosed areas. The Pentagon has labelled traumatic brain injuries as one of the invisible wounds of war and an issue that has affected troops who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It is also problem affecting special forces in particular because of their repeated exposure to large numbers of explosions and other blasts on various missions and during high-intensity training.
The Canadian research into the new helmet started in 2022 and was scheduled at that point to continue for a decade.
The research is being divided into two phases. One will produce a helmet to provide protection for mild traumatic brain injuries and can be used with certain types of night vision equipment. The second phase will look to improve the protection the helmet provides.
DND awarded the contract for the initiative to Gentex, a U.S. firm in 2022. The contract included $4.1 million for the first five years, with extension options covering a total of ten years. The entire contract could be worth $8.1 million.
“The contract includes both the research and development of the helmet plus the acquisition, if we are satisfied with the final product,” said DND spokesperson Kened Sadiku. “The price of the purchase option remains to be negotiated.”
DND did not provide details on how many helmets could be ordered.
The contract is only for helmets for those serving with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. “The helmets will be available for other elements of the CAF to procure should they wish to do so and would be procured through a separate acquisition process,” Sadiku said.
He added that the starting point for the development of the new equipment is the existing Future Assault Shell Technology (FAST) Helmet developed by the U.S. and currently issued to troops. “As part of the research and development of the new helmet, extensive impact and blast testing has occurred which has not been done before to this extent,” added Sadiku. “Initial testing used the FAST helmet as a baseline and since then, several helmet shapes with different attachments have been tested in different orientation using advanced instrumentation that can measure brain pressure.”
He noted that the results of the tests have guided further changes to the development of the new helmet.
Sadiku said the process of developing a new helmet takes time because of the research needed. ”Significant changes to the impact mitigation requirements for the new helmet has also required the contractor to re-think the liner and suspension systems,” he said. “In particular, the new helmet will offer a higher level of protection against (mild traumatic brain injuries) from high velocity impacts and rotational loads.”
Further testing is still on-going and is not expected to be complete until later this year.
The U.S. Department of Defense has tracked the number of its soldiers who have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries and more than 500,000 personnel have received such a diagnosis since 2000.
Canada’s Department of National Defence could not provide figures on the number of its personnel who have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.
David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe
