Lightweight explosive ordnance disposal suit delivers advanced fragment protection while reducing operator burden
ALPHARETTA, Ga., June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arclin, a leading materials science company, today announced its collaboration with BSST, a manufacturer of bomb suits and body armor, on a next-generation explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) suit featuring Kevlar® EXO™ aramid fiber technology. Designed to support explosive threat response operations in some of the world's most demanding environments, the new suit combines advanced fragment protection with a significantly reduced system weight to enhance mobility, endurance, and operational performance.
The certified EOD suit incorporates Kevlar® EXO™ fabric alongside BSST's proprietary design architecture and Kevlar® technologies. Developed in response to evolving end-user requirements and BSST's ongoing commitment to innovation, the suit delivers a lightweight solution without compromising protection against explosive fragmentation threats.At approximately 30 kilograms (66 pounds), the system weighs roughly 15 percent less than many conventional EOD suits, which can exceed 35 kilograms (77 pounds). The reduction in weight helps improve operator comfort and maneuverability during extended missions while maintaining the high level of protection required for explosive threat response."Bomb disposal professionals operate in environments where every decision matters and every pound carried can impact performance," said Steven LaGanke, Global Segment Leader, Defense at Arclin. "Our collaboration with BSST demonstrates how material science innovation can help advance personal protection solutions that are lighter, more agile, and better aligned with the evolving needs of today's security and defense professionals. Kevlar® EXO™ CoreMatrix™ was designed to push the boundaries of fragment performance, and we're excited to see it helping enable the next generation of EOD protection."BSST selected Kevlar® EXO™ as part of its effort to explore advanced materials capable of delivering enhanced performance characteristics for modern EOD operations. The development effort was led by BSST's technical team and built upon extensive expertise in bomb suit engineering and protective technologies."This launch represents an important milestone in the evolution of bomb disposal protection," said Heiko Baumann, Technical Director R&D at BSST. "By combining our expertise in EOD suit design with the advanced performance capabilities of Kevlar® EXO™, we've created a solution that addresses one of the industry's most persistent challenges—reducing weight while maintaining the protection operators depend on. We're proud to introduce this innovation to the global defense and security community."The new EOD suit is available for international deployment and is currently being introduced across key markets in Europe and Asia.
