New Ballistic Helmet

From Kit Up:

The Marine Corps and Army have tapped Ceradyne Inc., to make the first of the new Enhanced Combat Helmets, ending a five-year search for a brain bucket capable of stopping rifle rounds. 

The Marines and Army have given the green light to Ceradyne to build 8,600 ECHs, which will be split between the services. Fielding won’t begin until after the services approve the ECH for full-rate production, a decision scheduled for May, according to a recent press release.

SPC Tom Albers survived a rifle round to the helmet
with no injuries in Afghanistan.

Our current helmets are already very good.  A very short search turned up several stories of US Soldiers and Marines, and a UK Soldier who survived rifle rounds to the helmet; none of which penetrated the shell.

I did find one story of a UK Soldier who survived a rifle round to the helmet even though it penetrated.  That being said, British and Australian helmets are different than ours.  I don't know which is better.

German sniper team.

Armor - whether on battle ships, tanks or individual Soldiers - is always a compromise between protection and mobility.  Given the same technology, more protection = more weight = less mobility.  That's why Special Ops servicemen, who generally require more mobility than ordinary Soldiers, often use helmets like the ones to the below.  Note the large cutouts over the ears that make the helmets lighter and block less sound, but also provide less protection.

The new helmets the US Army and Marine Corps commissioned supposedly use new technology that provides more protection without adding weight.  I think I'd be happy with the same protection our current helmets provide with less weight.