NIJ Standard for Ballistic Helmets

May 16, 2024

NIJ Standard-0106.01 is an equipment standard developed by the Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory of the National Bureau of Standards. It is produced as part of the Technology Assessment Program of the National Institute of Justice. This standard is a technical document that specifies performance and other requirements equipment must meet to conform to the needs of criminal justice agencies for high quality service.

According to this standard, ballistic helmets covered are classified into three types, by level of performance. They are respectively level I, level IIA, and level II. Each level is set based on certain threats, which are all shown as below.

	Test variables				Performance requirements
Helmettype	Test ammunition	Nominal bullet mass	Suggested barrel length	Required bullet velocity	Required fair hits per helmet part	Permitted penetrations
I	22 LRHVLead	2.6 g50 gr	15 to 16.5 cm 6 to 6.5 in	320±12m/s 1050±40 ft/s	4	0
I	38 Special RN Lead	10.2 g 158 gr	15 to 16.5 cm 6 to 6.5 in	259±15 m/s 850±50 ft/s	4	0
IIA	357 Magnum JSP	10.2 g 158 gr	10 to 12 cm 4 to 4.75 in	381±15 m/s 1250±50 ft/s	4	0
IIA	9 mm FMJ	8.0 g 124 gr	10 to 12 cm 4 to 4.75 in	332±15 m/s 1090±50 ft/s	4	0
II	357 Magnum JSP	10.2 g 158 gr	15 to 16.5 cm 6 to 6.5 in	425±15 m/s 1395±50 ft/s	4	0
	9 mm FMJ	8.0 g 124 gr	10 to 12 cm 4 to 4.75 in	358±15 m/s 1175±50 ft/s	4	0

Abbreviations: FMJ—Full Metal Jacketed JSP—Jacketed Soft Point LRHV—Long Rifle High Velocity RN—Round Nose

Above is all the instruction of ballistic helmets standards. Purchasers can use the test methods described in this report to determine firsthand whether a particular piece of equipment meets the standards, or they may have the tests conducted on their behalf by a qualified testing laboratory.