Scale Up of Large ALON~® Windows

摘要

Surmet continues to develop and improve our capability for producing large ALON~® Windows. We are now able to routinely produce windows as large as 15×27-in in large quantities and with high yields. Surmet is scaling up to much larger sizes under its ongoing Title III program. The largest windows that have been produced to date are 18×35-in in size and the goal is to produce 36×36-in windows by June of 2014. The 15×27-in in blanks have been shown to be of sufficient high optical quality for reconnaissance applications. Blanks of this size have been characterized for homogeneity of index of refraction and shown to be uniform to 5ppm over the entire clear aperture of the blanks. Furthermore, these blanks have been measured to have acceptably low stress birefringence for recce applications as well. In addition to superior performance against armor piercing rounds, ALON~® Transparent armor also offers superior transparency for Night Vision Goggles. New ALON~® Transparent Armor designs have been developed and tested against multi-hit armor piercing threats, at less than half the weight of conventional glass laminates.