Nomex® For Military Clothing: Protecting When Danger Flares Up

Our military personnel know that fires are an ever-present hazard. When escaping a fire, seconds can make all the difference between life and death. DuPont answers the call with Nomex® fiber.

DuPont understands that an already tough situation can flare up in a heartbeat, so we help keep fighting men and women safe from fires with Nomex® brand fiber. Proven in emergency response and in industrial situations, military clothing made with Nomex® fiber is inherently flame resistant for protection that won’t wash out or wear away. Nomex® won’t melt, drip or support combustion in the air, giving military personnel the confidence it takes to focus on the mission.

For more than 200 years, we’ve worked with the U.S. military to help them develop and deliver innovative solutions. Back in the early 1960s, we pioneered modern flame-resistance technology with the development of Nomex® for flight suits for the U.S. Navy, and we’ve been at it ever since. We’re not content to rest on this legacy; our scientists and engineers continue to research and test new technologies to keep up with changing times and conditions. 

We know that military personnel face a range of threats, so we offer materials that can be further processed to help optimize performance attributes, including protection level, durability, comfort and aesthetics. Military clothing solutions containing Nomex® fiber help deliver ideal performance, whether in confined spaces (mounted) or dismounted, whether from a fuel fire or an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) explosion.

Solutions for all branches of the military

Many solutions made with Nomex® fiber are currently in the field. The Fire Resistant Environmental Ensemble (FREE) and Multi-Climate Protection System (MCPS) demonstrate excellent versatility by enabling wearers to configure layers as needed to maintain comfort in weather conditions ranging from moderate to extreme, without compromising the built-in protection and durability of Nomex®. The proven performance of Nomex® fiber is battle-tested across every service branch in a variety of protective gear, including the iconic 27/P Flyers Coveralls, Army Aircrew Combat Uniform (A2CU), the Improved Combat Vehicle Crewman (iCVC) Uniforms, and accessories such as gloves and base layers.

Extreme testing survivability

To help Nomex® fiber address the extreme requirements of U.S. Air Force flight suits, DuPont scientists pioneered a laboratory simulation of flash fire conditions. Equipped with 122 sensors, the DuPont™ Thermo-Man®  esting unit helps our technicians calculate and predict the location and percentage of second- and third-degree burns that military personnel may experience in a flash-fire situation while wearing various types of protective apparel. In fact, this instrumented manikin approach to measure protective performance under simulated flash-fire conditions later became the basis for the current industry test standard (ASTM F1930). With this unique knowledge, we’re able to create and test new technologies to help provide superior protection in gear that can stand up to the heat of battle.

Fire Resistant Environmental Ensemble (FREE)

Created by the Army in 2007, FREE is a layered clothing system designed to protect the wearer from the effects of flame threats while serving in adverse weather conditions like those found in Afghanistan. The system is designed to be compatible with the A2CU and iCVC, and incorporates FR technologies like Nomex® fiber to help increase protection from flash fires. The layers of the system can be worn alone or as a system to help keep military personnel protected from flash fire and dry, warm and comfortable across a broad range of climatic conditions.

Whatever the uniform, whatever the job, military clothing made with Nomex® fiber from DuPont helps protect the heroes who protect our way of life.