The Scientific and Research Center of Testing, Expertise and Certification of Personal Armored Protection

Head of the Research Center
candidate of sciences (Engin.), senior researchcolonel
Sviatoslav SIEDOV

General information

The Scientific and Research Center of Testing, Expertise and Certification of Personal Armored Protection is a structural unit of the National Defense University of Ukraine and reports to the head of the university.

The coordination of scientific and technical activities of the Center is carried out by the deputy head of the university for scientific work.

The main tasks of the Center are:

• conducting scientific research in the areas of development (modernization) of individual and collective armor protection, mine protection of armored vehicles, explosion resistance of structures, cartridges for small arms and grenades;
• training of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel, participation in retraining and upgrading of qualifications of military specialists, ensuring creative activity of participants in the educational process;
• conformity assessment (tests and experimental studies) of means of individual and collective armor protection;
• scientific and technical examination of means of individual and collective armor protection;
• certification of personal armored protective equipment for compliance with established requirements;
• development of regulatory documents in the direction of the development of individual and collective armor protection;
• creation and improvement of the research base for conducting research.

Structure

Structurally, the Center consists of:

• Scientific and testing department;
• Scientific and research laboratory of examination and certification of personal armored protective equipment.

Creation and development history

• 1992-2000 – Specialized Ballistics Laboratory of the Department of Armor and Technological Training of the Kyiv Higher Tank Engineering College named after Marshal Yakubovsky;
• 2000 – merger with the Explosion Laboratory of the Kyiv Institute of the Air Force and the creation of The Research Laboratory for Problems of Restoring Weapons and Military Equipment and Testing Special Materials of the National Defense Academy of Ukraine;
• 2008 – The Scientific and Testing Laboratory of Weapons and Special Protective Materials of the Scientific and Innovative Department of the Scientific and Methodical Center for the Organization of Scientific and Scientific and Technical Activities of the National Defense University of Ukraine named after Ivan Chernyakhovsky;
• 2019 – Scientific and Testing Department of the National Defense University of Ukraine named after Ivan Chernyakhovsky;
• From March 2023 – the Research Center of Testing, Expertise and Certification of Personal Armored Protective Equipment of the National Defense University of Ukraine.

Scientific potential

2 doctors of technical sciences, professors and 3 candidates of technical sciences, senior researchers are serving (working) in the Center, and 4 adjuncts are being trained by specialty 255 - "Weapons and military equipment".

The Center has 2 scientific schools:

• development of methodological foundations for the construction of ballistic and anti-mine protection of combat wheeled vehicles;
• development of methodological foundations for the construction of complex anti-mine protection of combat armored vehicles.

The personnel of the Center are members of the technical standardization committees:

• TC 320 "Buildings for ammunition storage";
• TC 143 "Means of protection against crimes, protection and security services".

Two scientists from the Center are members of specialized scientific councils for dissertation defense.

Among the personnel of the Center are two laureates of the President of Ukraine award for young scientists; one laureate of the award of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to a young scientist; one scholarship holder of the state named scholarship to the best young scientist for perpetuating the events of the Revolution of Dignity and commemorating the feat of the Heroes of Ukraine - Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred and two scholarship holders of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for young scientists.

Main achievements and gains

In 2023, at the request of the military administration, the center performed 2 research works, 3 operational tasks, 3 scientific and technical examinations, certified 4 batches of military products (ballistic combat helmets, ballistic protective glasses and body armor), and also carried out a significant number of ballistic tests of samples of individual and collective protection, explosion tests of protective structures, their elements and structures of various types.

During 2022 and 2023, the Center tested about 4,000 samples.

According to the results of the tests, the share of samples that did not meet the requirements established by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in 2022 was 23% of the total number of samples, and in 2023 this indicator was 21%.

Thanks to the competent actions of the qualified personnel of the Center, it was possible to prevent the delivery of batches of low-quality personal armor protection to the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In addition, a number of tests and researches were carried out on trophy samples of the Russian Federation, such as small arms cartridges, body armor and helmets. Their technical characteristics, protective properties and methods of countermeasures were established, respectively.

The center is accredited by the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine for compliance with the requirements of DSTU ISO/IEC 17025:2019 "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories", in addition, accreditation for compliance with the requirements of DSTU ISO/IEC 17065:2019 "Assessment of compliance" is currently underway. Requirements for certification bodies of products, processes and services".

As part of the transition of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to NATO standards at the beginning of 2018, the Center is only one in Ukraine expanded the scope of accreditation at the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine in accordance with the requirements of NATO standards and began conducting ballistic tests of personal ballistic protection in accordance with the requirements of the specified standards.

The Center has at its disposal the necessary measuring equipment and equipment, all types of small arms of calibers from 5.45 mm to 14.5 mm, ballistic barrels, as well as the necessary types of ammunition.

In addition, the Center has 5.6 mm, 6 mm and 7.62 mm pneumatic installations for conducting ballistic tests according to NATO standards (tests for anti-fragmentation resistance).

The Center's measuring equipment and equipment are certified by the Central Department of Metrology and Standardization of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for compliance with the requirements of DSTU ISO 10012:2005 "Measurement management system. Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment".

Contacts

Povitroflotskyi avenue, 28, Kyiv, Ukraine
Tel.: (044) 271-09-45
e-mail: nvv_nuou@post.mil.gov.ua