20.500.12556/RUL-183616 Comparative ballistic analysis of cold war-era eastern european steel and composite military helmets This research presents the first comprehensive comparative evaluation of Eastern European steel military helmets from the four decades of the Cold War (1950 s–1990 s) against a modern Kevlar-based composite benchmark. Through rigorous ballistic, mechanical, and metallographic testing of models fabricated from different steel types, the study generates specific insight into the relationship between helmet structure and ballistic protection achieved by these nations. Addressing a significant gap in academic and military literature, this multidisciplinary analysis offers a direct comparison of historical protective equipment against modern standards, using the commercial availability of these Cold War helmets as a critical research strength. The results indicate that a well-designed steel helmet can offer ballistic protection comparable to that of composite helmets against handgun calibers, while maintaining similar weight characteristics. Furthermore, steel helmets demonstrate greater long-term cost efficiency due to their extended service life and reduced replacement frequency. This paper critically examines the trade-offs among ballistic resistance, longevity, and affordability, ultimately assessing the continued durability of optimized steel helmets as a competitive and cost-effective solution in contemporary protective systems. cold war military helmet steel and composite helmet ballistic protection material characterization vojaške čelade jeklene čelade kompozitne čelade balistična zaščita karakterizacija mehanskih lastnosti true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-06-16 10:17:28 2026-06-16 10:17:35 2026-06-17 04:11:02 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 16 str. Vol. 196, art. 111112 2026 0000-00-00 PostprintKoncna Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 620.17:623.445.2 1350-6307 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2026.111112 281594883 Hauck,_Klobcar_..._Comparative_ballistic....pdf Hauck,_Klobcar_..._Comparative_ballistic....pdf 1 1BFDD3C0B2B790C0A41D5B68ECC63922 a0861516acfefff28fac038cc4ab27c2b843a091b9a71fcbf39f01d390fc3c64 521d2ad7-695c-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=235726 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S135063072600587X 1 c68cb100-695b-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=235725 Fakulteta za strojništvo 0 0 0