The Mk. 6 helmet is the standard combat helmet

Combat helmet

A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat. Helmets are among the oldest forms of personal protective equipment and are known to have been worn by the Akkadians/Sumerians in the 23rd century BC, Mycenaean Greeks since 17th...

 of the British Armed Forces

British Armed Forces

The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...

. The Mk6 replaced the Mk. 5 Helmet in service from 1986 and is designed to accept modern ear protection, personal radios

Bowman (communications system)

Bowman is the name of the tactical communications system used by the British Armed Forces.The Bowman C4I system consists of a range of HF radio, VHF radio and UHF radio sets designed to provide secure integrated voice, data services to dismounted soldiers, individual vehicles and command HQs up to...

, and respirators

Gas mask

A gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word...

. The helmet is manufactured by NP Aerospace, and is reported to have an "almost unlimited service life" by the manufacturer.

The helmet in its default configuration is a dark green. The army use covers

Helmet cover

The helmet cover was first used by French soldiers during World War I.Helmet covers are usually made out of canvas or cotton and come in many camouflage designs, for example: woodland, desert or urban, and different camouflage patterns like MARPAT, CADPAT and ACUPAT. It can also be used for UN...

 to camouflage the helmet and adapt it to different environments. Covers include the British Disruptive Pattern Material

Disruptive Pattern Material

Disruptive Pattern Material is the commonly used name of a camouflage pattern used by British forces as well many other armies worldwide, particularly in former British colonies....

 in temperate, woodland and desert patterns, a pure white cover for arctic environments and a United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 blue coloured cover. It is sometimes referred as the "battle bowler

Bowler hat

The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...

" a term first used for the Brodie helmet

Brodie helmet

The Brodie helmet, called Helmet, steel, Mark I helmet in Britain and the M1917 Helmet in the U.S., was a steel combat helmet designed and patented in 1915 by the Briton John Leopold Brodie...

.

The Mk 6 is often mistakenly thought to be made out of Kevlar

Kevlar

Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...

 when in fact it is constructed of "ballistic nylon" - nylon fibre.

Mk. 6A

In 2005, the Mk. 6 began to be replaced by an evolution of the original design, the Mk. 6A helmet. NP Aerospace also manufactures the MK6A. Although it looks very similar to the MK6, the MK6A has enhanced ballistic protection and is marginally heavier than the earlier model.

See also

• Mk. 7 Helmet
  Mk. 7 Helmet
  The Mk. 7 helmet is the newest helmet of the British Armed Forces. Officially known as the GS Mark 7 combat helmet. It is now replacing the previous Mk.6A helmet and Mk. 6 Helmet, introduced in 2005 and 1982 respectively....
  
   - Mk 6 replacement, general issue commenced in June 2009
• Modern equipment and uniform of the British Army
  Modern equipment and uniform of the British Army
  This is a list of the equipment currently in use by the British Army. It includes small arms, combat vehicles, aircraft, boats, artillery and transport vehicles...
  
  
• List of current issued combat helmets

External links

• NP Aerospace - Manufacturer's webpage.
• Battle Bowler (MK.6) - Army Rumor Service
  The Army Rumour Service
  The Army Rumour Service is an unofficial British Army website and forum. Known colloquially as ARRSE - from "ARmy Rumour SErvice" - the site styles itself as the unofficial voice of the British Army...