Safety seats suspend shocks

Wednesday, 18 June, 2008

Germany’s Autoflug is among several exhibitors who are showing their response to explosive threats to occupants of armoured vehicles. Several options are shown by the company on Stand H260f, the most radical of which is the suspended dynamic seat (SDS).
Offered in a number of variants, the SDS has been especially designed to enhance protection for drivers, commanders, observers and gunners in heavy armoured vehicles.
The SDS is fully suspended from the vehicle’s ceiling, thereby avoiding any rigid connection to its hull. This concept has been proven and qualified for the M1 A1/A2 Abrams MBT and has consequently been supplied to US Army units. The system has also been supplied for Canadian Leopard 2 MBTs and is being promoted for
installation in other AFVs.
The SDS is Autoflug’s response to the challenge of how to survive heavy shock loads from a mine or IED blast, or rollover, resulting in shockwaves directly transmitted to crew members due to rigid seat structures. This objective of complete isolation from the vehicle structure has also been realised by the Pivot Frame and L-Frame seats mainly intended for APCs. The L-Frame seats have passed mine blast and IED tests.