[Trotter]

Air Force testing new transparent armor

10/17/2005 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- Engineers here are testing a new kind of transparent armor -- stronger and lighter than traditional materials -- that could stop armor-piercing weapons from penetrating vehicle windows.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing directorate is testing aluminum oxynitride -- ALONtm -- as a replacement for the traditional multi-layered glass transparencies now used in existing ground and air armored vehicles...

ALONtm is a ceramic compound with a high compressive strength and durability. When polished, it is the premier transparent armor for use in armored vehicles, said. 1st Lt. Joseph La Monica, transparent armor sub-direction lead

"The substance itself is light years ahead of glass," he said, adding that it offers "higher performance and lighter weight."

Traditional transparent armor is thick layers of bonded glass. The new armor combines the transparent ALONtm piece as a strike plate, a middle section of glass and a polymer backing. Each layer is visibly thinner than the traditional layers.

ALONtm is virtually scratch resistant, offers substantial impact resistance, and provides better durability and protection against armor piercing threats, at roughly half the weight and half the thickness of traditional glass transparent armor, said the lieutenant...

Here's a link to the whole story:
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123012131

[Elbatrop1]

Thats pretty cool. I vaguely remember the Star Trek movie that involved the Enterprise going back in time to get whales to bring back to the future to save Earth. I think they convinced the guy at the aquarium to give them the whales in exchange for transparent aluminum.

[Elbatrop1]

I guess it was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

[Keyboard Cowboy]

Oh yeah.... STAR TREK IV : THE VOYAGE HOME

I was trying to work out which one that was from.