Armored and Bullet Proof Vehicles - Using Linear Actuators to lift the windows

In certain parts of the world the need for an Armored car, with Bullet proof capabilities is very real. The challenge with converting a regular vehicle such as a Mercedes G-waggon, into a fully protected vehicle requires a lot of components to be swapped out and beefed up. The other problem is space.  Once you start to increase the window thickness, and add more metal around the door jams, and the rest of the door and other body panels you begin to loose a lot of available space required for opening and closing the windows electronically.  This means even a traditional heavy duty window lift mechanism becomes hard to use, hence why Linear Actuator are mostly used in these types of applications.

 armored Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG and G63 6×6 AMG

In the example above, this Mercedes 6 wheel drive G-Waggon has side windows with Curved ballistic glass with a thickness of around 39mm for the front and rear doors, means the electric window lift mechanism will no longer work. The standard window lift motor is only good for the 4mm thick standard glass, but ballistic glass with a thickness of around 39mm  weighs around 500% more. Armored car manufacturers are now turning to Linear Actuators to do the window lifting for them. 

bullet proof cars - armored vehicles - bullet proof glass window lift 

The Linear Actuator choice for each vehicle largely depends on the level of protection required. Lower levels of protection may only require a thinner Bullet proof glass thickness thereby reducing weight allowing for a smaller Linear Actuator to be used. The most popular choice is this type of application is our Deluxe 6" Stroke model it offers a fast 3" per second speed at 100.lbs of force, easy to install thanks to the Clevis fittings on each end that offer a lot of fixture capabilities and enough force to lift a large 50mm thick bullet proof glass window lift.  Longer and shorter strokes are also available but this seems to be the most popular. 

Our Armored Window Door Lifter/Linear Actuator Solutions covers armored vehicles for every level, the most popular being B6 & B7 level.   Armored SUV, Armored sedan cars, Armored Trucks, Armored Tactical Vehicles, Armored Personnel Carriers, all typically use this Actuator. 

Following are the Technical Specifications for our Heavy Duty Windows Lifter

Model Number: FA-HF-100-12-XX

Strokes: 3" 6" 9" 12" 15" 18" 24" 30" 32" 36" 

Dynamic Force: 100lbs

Static force: 180lbs

voltage: 12V drawing 10A at Max load.

Speed: 3" per second

IP Rating: IP66

bullet proof cars - armored vehicles - bullet proof glass window lift

The Level of protection for vehicles can be categorized below, and the type of weapon that relates to the different classes is also shown below. 

STANDARD THREAT PROTECTION - DIRECT FIRE LEVELS

Test conditions

Conditions meet or exceed European Committee for Standardization guidelines outlined in EN1063, 1522, 1523 and PM2000 for qualification & certification of armor solutions. On customer request, STANAG 4569 test conditions can also be used.

PB Pointed bullet SCP1 Soft core (lead) with steel penetrator(Type M855 or SS109)
SC Soft core (lead) SCP2 Soft core (lead) with steel penetrator
SP Soft point SCP3 Soft core (lead) with steel penetrator (3.7 +/- 0.1g, type PS)
CB Conical Bullet HC(1) Steel hard core, mass (4.6 +/- 0.1) g, hardness >63 HRC
JSP Jacketed Soft Point HC(2) Tungsten Carbide hard core, mass (5.95 +/- 0.1g) ammunition type M993/AP8, hardness >63 HRC
FJ(1) Full steel jacket (plated) HCI(1) Steel hard core with incendiary, combined mass (5.4 +/- 0.1) g, hardness >63 HRC
FJ(2) Full copper alloy jacket HCI(2) Steel hard core with incendiary, ammunition type BZ-API, hardness >63 HRC
FN Flat nose bullet    

 bullet proof cars - armored vehicles

Test level according to VPAM APR 2006 Classification by PM 2007 (PM)     BRV 2009 (VR) Stanag 4569 AEP 55 (level) Comparable to*                         DIN EN 1063 (BR),           DIN EN 1522/23 (FB),       BRV 1999 (VR)           Type of Weapon Calibre Type of bullet           Test condition
Standoff (m) Standard Hit Spacing
4 PM 4 VR 4   BR 4 FB 4 VR 4 357 S/W .357 Magnum FJ(1)/CB/SC 10 +/- 0.5       3 shots on the vertices of a triangle @ 120 +/- 10mm
44 S/W .44 Magnum FJ(2)/FN/SC
6 PM 6 VR 6   ( B4+ not classified) PS Ball (AK 47) 7.62 x 39mm FJ(1)/PB/SCP(3) 10 +/- 0.5 3 shots on the vertices of a triangle @ 120 +/- 10mm
7 PM 7 VR 7 Level 1 BR 5 FB 5 VR 5 M16A2/Famas-G2 5.56 x 45mm FJ(2)/PB/SCP(1)
BR 6 FB 6 VR 6 M80 Ball (M60/M14/FAL-FN) 7.62 x 51mm FJ(1)/PB/SC
    ( B6+ not classified) M16A1/Famas-G1 (M193) 5.56 x 45mm FJ(2)/PB/SC
8 PM 8 VR 8 Level 2   BZ-API (AK-47) 7.62 x 39mm FJ(1)/PB/HCI(1) 10 +/- 0.5 3 shots on the vertices of a triangle @ 120 +/- 10mm
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