Cranfield is renowned for its expertise in armour systems, including terminal ballistics, body armour ergonomics and impact properties of materials.

This encompasses:

  • vehicle armour systems (including composite, compound and active protection systems)
  • aircraft systems
  • personal protection systems (including body armour, helmets, stab vests). 

Our expertise includes practical experimentation and test capability including instrumented indoor ballistic ranges, impact testing machines, projectile launchers including weapon systems and comprehensive instrumentation.

The University carries ISO9001 approval for mechanical and ballistic testing and is one of the primary light armour test facilities in the world.

About our research

Our research is highly regarded internationally and our academics are called upon to undertake progressive research projects and to provide impartial, expert advice on their subjects. Our approach to research and consultancy projects is flexible. While our main areas of research are defence and security, we often apply our knowledge to other sectors or to bring together multidisciplinary teams combining the skills of a number of academic areas.

Our research influences and informs the global defence and security sector. Forged through a distinctive blend of expertise, experience and facilities, we are leaders in defence and security research.

Clients and partners

We work closely with the military, industry and government departments to influence and provide leading solutions to major global defence and security challenges.

Examples of key business clients and partners include:

• RAF,
• AWE PLC,
• Research Councils,
• BAE Systems,
• FCO,
• MOD,
• Chemring,
• DSTL,
• DFID,
• AEL Mining,
• Honda.


Working with us

There are a variety of ways in which your organisation can engage and work with us. We can provide real-world solutions that support and inform your operations, products and services. To highlight a few of the ways that you can work with us:

• Provision of expert advice;
• Sponsor a PhD student research project;
• Commission a research project;
• Collaborate on an research activity or project;
• Provision of support to a master's project;
• Commission a customised development programme, tailored to the requirements of your organisation;
• Commission a consultancy project. 

 

Our facilities

The University’s ballistics facilities are managed by the Survivability and Advanced Materials group and include the following core capabilities, alongside a wide range of diagnostics including high-speed cameras and flash X-ray equipment:

  • Instrumented (bungie accelerated) drop towers plus knife stab rig,
  • The Protective Solutions Laboratory – providing ballistics testing/research capabilities utilising state-of-the-art ballistics facilities.