A Pentagon evaluation group is looking at ballistic caps made by R-12—items designed to slow NIJ Level IIIA handgun threats—after being displayed at SOF Week in Tampa. Kevin Kelly, a Department of Defense contractor, says some Army and Marine Corps units could
The caps were sitting in the middle of an industry-heavy room in Tampa. Florida—ordinary at a glance. thicker than the baseball hats troops usually wear—but their purpose is anything but routine. Kevin Kelly. a Department of Defense contractor who works with the Pentagon’s Sustainable Technology Evaluation and Demonstration Program. said some Army and Marine Corps units could soon get them to test.
Kelly’s evaluation group focuses on performance: it tests and evaluates commercially available off-the-shelf equipment before the military or other federal agencies decide whether to buy it at scale. This week. the gear was on display during the annual SOF Week conference. a major gathering of special operations service members and defense industry representatives.
The manufacturer. R-12. says the protective hat “will slow the energy of NIJ Level IIIA threats. ” a designation that applies to powerful ammunition fired from handguns. though it does not protect against ammunition fired from rifles. according to the National Institute of Justice. R-12 also said that in a shooting scenario. “the kinetic energy of the bullet may still damage the skull and/or cause bruising. bleeding. or swelling in the brain. However, those injuries are treatable and survivable with prompt surgical care.”.
Kelly said the caps are manufactured by R-12 and were created by a surgeon. They include patrol caps—known within the military as “covers”—that soldiers and Marines wear with their camouflage uniforms, as well as neutral-colored ball caps many special operations members are known to favor.
R-12’s product is not limited to soldiers either. Kelly said the protective caps could also be worn by law enforcement officers or by personnel in other parts of the federal government where workers could be exposed to harm.
That broader interest has real urgency inside state units. Kelly said National Guard units. including the West Virginia National Guard. have expressed particular interest in the gear following the deadly shooting attack in Washington. DC. last November in which two service members from the West Virginia National Guard were attacked. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head. A second service member, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, was also shot in the head and seriously wounded.
The caps come with a price tag and a maintenance expectation. The ball caps weigh 11 ounces and cost $365 each, and they should be replaced every two years, according to R-12.
SOF Week isn’t just about head protection. Kelly said other items on display that his team is looking at possibly having service members test included suppressors to reduce heat signatures and biometric devices to prevent swim deaths.
Pentagon Sustainable Technology Evaluation and Demonstration Program SOF Week ballistic caps R-12 Army testing Marine Corps National Guard West Virginia National Guard NIJ Level IIIA protective equipment suppressors biometric devices Tampa Washington DC shooting