About

Hephaestus Consulting provide specialist armour and ballistic design advice though to management of build projects to the customers in both Military and Civilian protected assets sectors. With over a decade of experience in both government and industry Hephaestus possesses a unique range of real, practical experience extending from stab and slash resistant PPE garments through to IED blast and Anti-tank munitions. We work extensively with UK and overseas agencies, test houses and universities to deliver the clients needs at highly competitive rates.

Hephaestus is a specialist subject matter experts in the design testing and integration of composite armour solutions, vehicle design, Ballistic, Blast, IED and RPG testing, as well as in providing civilian security and infrastructure solutions. In addition to this Hephaestus can also supply advice and threat analysis based on detailed experience of real-world scenarios with the real limitations to use of protective equipment.

Past clients include UK and European Police forces, MoD’s and Scientific organisations as well as bespoke protected vehicle builders for covert policing and cash-in-transit applications. Architectural and critical infrastructure protection agencies are also supported. All of our staff are fully UK Gov security cleared for your peace of mind.
Our services include design, test and evaluation, threat analysis and advice, third party reviews and expert witness testimonies as well as full project management of design through to build and installation / integration / production.

Working from our high profile offices in Reading UK we are easily accessible by road or rail from London Heathrow and are well placed for travel links to the remainder of the UK and mainland Europe.

Expertise

Qualifications

  • All employees are at least degree educated in a technical field
  • All employees are UK security cleared. Highest level is UK SECRET

Primary expertise

  • Blast IED & Fragment protection (>1000kg)
  • Building protection
  • Vehicle & human survivability
  • Ballistic protection up to 30mm Medium Cannon
  • RPG, ATGM & Shaped Charge protection
  • Composite materials for ballistic protection, especially Polyethylene
  • Weapons effect and threat analysis
  • Applied and fundamental research

Related experience

  • PPE design and evaluation
  • Human Factors
  • Technical and Research management
  • MoD engagement
  • Product design, development and integration
  • Stakeholder engagement / needs analysis
  • Industry / armour supplier relations
  • Blast induced nerve damage / TBI

Additional experience

  • Armour integration – Vehicle design and armour integration
  • Security and threat advice – Assistance in correct specification of protective equipment
  • Human Factors – Design for use by a range of body types and sizes plus analysis
  • Non-Conventional testing – Design and conduct of tests to unusual and unconventional requirements including ‘one-chance-only’ experiments. Blast testing >1000kg NEQ
  • Mine Blast Protection– Additional involvement with large underbelly and side attack blast loading on structures (including composite structures) including effect of soil conditions and burial depth.
  • Projectile Design – Design of sabots and projectiles for unconventional threats and tests.
  • Design for manufacture – Translating ‘coupon’ development into engineered products suitable for volume production
  • Academic writing and presentation – Published authors on a range of subjects from Medieval Longbows to Advanced
  • Satellite space debris protection. Regular presenter at academic and industrial forums
  • IP and patents
  • Application and protection of Classified and Non-Classified patents.
    Security
  • Fully UK security cleared (SC), previously DV

Novel and Naval
ASM fragments

Ballistic
Testing

Threat evaluation
and Advice

Test ammunition
and Surrogate Engineering

STANAG 4659
level 6 testing

Ballistic test
and evaluation