The Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) was the standard issue
combat helmet
A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of helmet. It is a piece of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat. Modern combat helmets are mainly designed to protect from shrapnel and fragments, offer some protec ...
of the
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...
, introduced in 2004 to replace the M91 helmet, an Australian version of the American
PASGT helmet, it was replaced by the Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic helmet from 2015
Design
The ECH is manufactured by Israeli company Rabintex, and was selected in a competition between four rival designs. It is the same shape as the U.S
MICH 2000 helmet, but is lighter in weight and has a
Bundeswehr M92 helmet-style padded headband/crown pad suspension system. It retains the 3-point chin strap that was used on the previous Australian M91 helmet.
The ECH has four sizes (Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large). It was also in service with the New Zealand Defence Force from 2009 to 2019. Its Rabintex model number is RBH 303 AU.
Users
* : used by all branches of
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...
(replaced by the Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic helmet as Tiered Combat Helmet.) and
Specialist Response Group
The Specialist Protective Services (SPS) (formerly Specialist Response Group (SRG)) is a highly trained police unit of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) consisting of a range of teams capable of deploying at short notice in order to undertake ...
of the
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the national and principal federal law enforcement agency of the Australian Government with the unique role of investigating crime and protecting the national security of the Commonwealth of Australia. Th ...
* : Australian variant ACH made by Rabintex, Israel used by
Irish Defence Force
The Defence Forces ( ga, Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled ) derives its origins from the Irish Volunteers. Whilst the Irish for ''Defence Forces'' is , as Ó Cearúil (1999) points out, the Defence Forces are officially styled . is used in ...
.
* : Australian Enhanced Combat Helmet made by Rabintex, Israel used by all branches of
New Zealand Defence Force
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; mi, Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa, "Line of Defence of New Zealand") are the armed forces of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and her realm, prom ...
and
Special Tactics Group of the
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police ( mi, Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa) is the national police service and principal law enforcement agency of New Zealand, responsible for preventing crime, enhancing public safety, bringing offenders to justice, and maintai ...
from 2009.
References
Further reading
*
External links
Rabintex Product: RBH 303 AU*
Combat helmets of Australia
Australian headgear
Military equipment introduced in the 2000s
{{Australia-mil-stub