Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH)

ADVANCED COMBAT HELMET (ACH)

Origin: United States

Users: US Army, Air Force Security Forces

In service: 2002-present

Replaced: PASGT Ground Troops & Parachutists Helmet

Designer: US Army Soldier Systems Center

Manufacturer(s): ArmourSource, Gentex, MKU

Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large

Weight: 3 pounds, 2.5 pounds (Gen II model)

Camo: Woodland, DCU, UCP, UCP-D (trial), OEFCP, OCP


The PASGT helmet, though an improvement over the older M1 steel pot helmet, still had its downsides; it protected only against fragmentation and shrapnel and not small arms, and was uncomfortable to wear, with soldiers often having to constantly readjust it in the field. Research into a possible replacement into the PASGT helmet began in the late 1990s under a program run by the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Special forces operators preferred to use other helmets, especially the ‘bump’ helmets similar to the ones that were popular amongst skateboarders. This was because they were compatible with headsets and other communications systems, and were lighter and offered greater comfort. A new helmet - the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet (MICH) - was developed at Natick for SOCOM in 1997, and introduced for general service with ground troops in 2002, through the Army Soldier Systems Center.


Above: The ACH’s foam suspension pads and liner.


Derived from MICH, the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) was introduced 2003 and began to replace the PASGT helmet soon afterwards, first seeing use in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. A more comfortable alternative that could fit communications systems was needed. Lighter and more comfortable than the PASGT, the ACH has a new suspension system and four-point design. The helmet is near-identical to the MICH, and compared to the PASGT helmet, it does not have a front brow - this was eliminated to improve upwards visibility and make it easier to mount brackets for night vision goggles.  The helmet has a pre-drilled bracket hole for night vision goggles (NVGs). The side brim was raised to allow greater compatibility with communications headsets and improve hearing when not used. The soldier’s last name, blood type, and ‘Battle Roster’ or ‘Battle Number’ - initials of their first, middle and last name and the last four numbers of their social security number - are printed on nylon elastic pieces and attached to the helmet band. On the back of the band, neon ‘cat eyes’ are worn, allowing soldiers to follow one another at night - these have been used since the early 1980s when they were first introduced for use with the M1 helmet. 


Above: All four ACH covers - woodland, 

3-color desert, UCP and Multicam. 


The ACH allows maximum sensory and situational awareness for the operator. This includes an unobstructed field of view and increased ambient hearing capabilities. The ACH's chinstrap retention system and pad suspension system provides unsurpassed balance, stability, and comfort - and provides for proper size, fit, and ventilation. The pad suspension system provides impact protection throughout all operational scenarios, including static-line airborne operations. The ACH is compatible with night vision, communications, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) equipment. The ACH weighs approximately 3 lbs for the size medium, 3.25 lbs for the size large, and slightly more than 3.6 lbs for the extra large. A total of six different covers were made, in the Woodland, DCU, UCP, UCP-Delta, OEFCP and OCP patterns. Reversible covers in both Woodland and DCU were also available in the early 2000s during the initial fielding of the ACH, made with a 50% nylon and 50% cotton (NYCO) blend. The regular non-reversible covers were made with the same material. By 2005, when the Universal Camouflage Pattern began to be used, a new cover was made in it, with a cotton/nylon blend twill. Covers are treated with quarpel, static dissipative fiber or water repellent. 


Above: an Infantryman holding up an ACH in UCP with a 4th Infantry patch.

The cover provides signature reduction in infrared and near visible spectral ranges, preventing detection by enemy observation or night vision devices. There are also infrared tabs that can be covered or revealed depending on the circumstance. A communications flap in the rear was added in the mid-2000s, to store cables from headsets and communications systems used with the helmet.  During the trials in the late-2000s to develop a possible replacement for the UCP, a cover in the UCP-Delta variant was made, but the pattern saw only limited use with units in Afghanistan during the trials, and the UCP-D pattern ultimately was never considered for Army-wide use. By the early 2010s, a new cover was made in the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OEFCP) for soldiers in Afghanistan, and in the mid to late 2010s, the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), both derived from Multicam. A lighter version, the Lightweight ACH (LW-ACH Gen II) was developed, and weighs a pound less while offering the same amount of protection.


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