The Affordable Titanium to Useable Defence Equipment (ATiTUDE) programme is a £3.5m Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) funded project, led by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL). Other members that make up the consortium are the University of 91Ö±²¥ (UoS), BAE Systems, MBDA, Transition International and the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC). The aim of the project is to develop a processing route for low-cost titanium for exploitation across the land, maritime and air defence sectors.
By using the FCT HP D 250 (FAST/SPS) followed by the FENN Hot Rolling Mill in Phase 2 (both accessed at the Royce Discovery Centre at the University of 91Ö±²¥) it has been possible to create armour plate for ballistic protection in land-based applications.
The majority of land-based military vehicles employ Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) or high hardness steel (HHS) armours, which are comparatively cheaper than titanium. However, titanium alloys have a high mass efficiency in comparison to RHA and can provide a 30–40% weight reduction whilst maintaining survivability.
The development of a powder metallurgy processing route for titanium alloys has the potential to eliminate many thermo-mechanical processing steps, especially if this can be combined with a low-cost feedstock such as oversized Ti powder or machining swarf.
Ballistic testing of Ti-64 armour plate produced from both low-cost powder and swarf via the FAST process, has demonstrated that it meets the MIL-Spec V50 ballistic limit requirement against a given threat. This work presents an exciting opportunity for the development of a sustainable closed-loop production route for low cost armour in a range of new applications.