MEXAS

The exact composition of the MEXAS armor is classified, but it is known that the armor contains a ceramic layer that is bonded with an adhesive compound to a layer of organoplastic (organo-textolite) based on high-strength Kevlar or Dynema fibers . The purpose of the ceramic layer of aluminum oxide is to destroy (trigger) a bullet or projectile and distribute the kinetic energy over a larger area of ​​the base, the residual energy is absorbed by an extremely hard-textolite layer. In terms of resistance, this type of combined armor, with the same weight as steel armor, is twice as much. As a rule, MEXAS is not an independent means of machine protection, but serves as mounted or laid-on armor on a finished armored steel construction. It is delivered in the form of ready-made protective kits or modules, adapted to the design of a particular machine. It is possible to quickly install the MEXAS modules on the machine.

The use of armor began in the 1990s in Bosnia, when 50 and 95 sets of MEXAS, respectively, were supplied to increase the protection of the crews of the Swedish BTR Pbv302 and Canadian M113 . The weight of the MEXAS hinged armor kit for the M113 BTR is about 500 kg, and the weight of each module does not exceed 30 kg ^[2] .

MEXAS armor protection has been used to increase the security of the following combat vehicles: Leopard 2 main tank (Sweden Strv 122), Dingo ATF , Fennek armored car, ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle, Denmark’s BMP CV 9035 MKIII , Bryther Stryker , Piranha IV, as well as SAG PzH 2000 .

In addition to modern combat armored vehicles, MEXAS armor protection has been installed, to improve survival, on previous-generation vehicles, in particular on the M113 and TPz 1 Fuchs BTR. For use in Afghanistan, the Canadian tank Leopard 1 is equipped with MEXAS-H armor. ^[3] See fig.

MEXAS is available in three versions. MEXAS-L (light) - light armor of light tracked and wheeled vehicles from small-caliber small arms bullets, can also be mounted on unarmored vehicles, for example, military trucks. To protect light armored vehicles from shells of small-caliber guns and melee weapons with combat units of cumulative action, such as the RPG-7 , MEXAS-M armor (medium) is used. MEXAS-H is designed to protect heavy machines like the main tank.

According to Jane's, MEXAS-L and MEXAS-M provide the following levels of protection ^[2] :

1. From 7.62 mm armor piercing bullet

   - from fragments of 152-mm and 155-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, with undermining at a distance of 15 m

   - from 14.5 mm armor piercing bullet in the front sectors of fire from 60 to 180 °.

2. Additionally, from 12.7-mm / 14.5-mm armor-piercing bullet in the 360 ​​° shelling sector (roundabout)

   - from fragments of 152-mm and 155-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, with undermining at a distance of 10 m.

3. In addition from 30-mm projectiles of types: armor-piercing (AP), BPS (APDS), BOPS (APFSDS), and also a cumulative grenade with a warhead diameter of 84 mm.
4. The special version of the mine protection of the MEXAS-H underbody ensures the machine’s invulnerability when the following anti-tank mines are blown up: TMRP 6 EFP, TMA 1-5 and TM46 ^[4] .

The advantages of modular armor MEXAS are ^[2] :

• The ability to enhance the protection of an armored vehicle, depending on the combat mission
• High durability armor
• The ability to repair and upgrade armor in the field using a standard military toolbox.

A further development of the MEXAS armor is the AMAP modular protection system ( A advanced M odular A rmour P rotection), which is equipped with a new generation of armored combat vehicles - the Puma infantry fighting vehicle and the BTR Boxer . In these cases, due to the modular construction principle, the protection can be adapted to the specific conditions of the combat use of the vehicle.