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SSh-68
Russian and Soviet steel combat helmet

The SSh-68 (Russian: СШ-68 [стальной шлем образца 1968 года/stalnoy shlyem], English: SSh-68 steel helmet model 1968) - is a steel combat helmet of the Soviet and then Russian Armed Forces. The SSh-68 is a further development of the SSh-60 helmet. It differs primarily in its greater strength, greater front slope of the dome and the shorter outer edge. It is usually painted in dark green.

The SSh-68 was used by the armed forces of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies, and others. Today, it is still in service in most countries of the CIS, as well as Vietnam and Afghanistan.

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History

Due to the introduction of improved helmets starting with the original 6B7, the SSh-68 was progressively withdrawn from service. In the Russian Armed Forces, the final examples are being gradually replaced by the newer 6B7-1M and 6B47 helmets.

Design

The helmet weighs 1,300 grams (with leatherette balaclavas - 1,500 grams). SSh-68 provides protection from impact shock (machetes, etc.), and steel fragments (shrapnel) weighing 1.0 grams at speeds up to 250 m/s.4 The SSh-68 is not meant to protect against bullets.

Sizing

SSh-68 are available in three different sizes, P1, P2, and P3. P1 (small) is good to about a 58 head, size 2 (medium) is between about 59 and 61 and size 3 (Large to extra large) is from 61 up. SSh-68s are not sized as NATO helmets are since they are designed to be able to adjust for soldiers to wear an Ushanka or other heavy hat underneath it during the winter.

Helmet sizes 1, 2, and 3 of the standard steel variant with the leatherette liner weighs 1.3 kg,5 1.3 kg,6 and 1.32 kg7 respectively.

Dimensions

The standard steel variants have different dimensions depending on the size.

Size 1 dimensions (LxWxH) 280/270/170mm 8

Size 2 dimensions 290/270/170 mm 9

Size 3 dimensions 300/260/175 mm 10

Variants

  • SSh-68M/СШ-68М (GRAU index - 6B14) - A modernization of SSh-68 by installing an aramid fiber liner, called SVM, inside the helmet, as well as modern harness belt and restraint systems. As a result, the mass of the helmet is increased to 1.9 kg. The helmet is designed by "Special equipment and communication", for the personnel of the Russian Ministry of the Interior Internal Troops. The SSh-68M provides head protection of class 1 (pistol and revolver bullets).11 It's manufactured by NII Stali.12
  • SSh-68N "blank"/Заготовка (Grau index - 6B14) - Modernization of SSh-68 by increasing the thickness of the aramid membrane inside the helmet, as well as by the installation of modern harness belt and restraint systems. As a result, the mass of the helmet is increased to 2 kg. This helmet is designed for the personnel of the Russian armed forces. The helmet protects the head in class 1 (9×18mm Makarov pistol and revolver bullets), as well as from fragments of steel of spherical mass of 1.1 g (6.3 mm diameter of fragment) up to 400 m/s.13

Users

Current

Former

States with limited recognition

Bibliography

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References

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  2. Sergey Monetchikov. Uniforms: From helmet to the steel helmet Magazine "Big Brother», № 6, June 2009 https://www.bratishka.ru/archiv/2009/6/2009_6_14.php Archived 2018-09-26 at the Wayback Machine https://www.bratishka.ru/archiv/2009/6/2009_6_14.php ↩

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  4. Dmitri Mamontov. Cast iron forehead: Keep your head "Popular Mechanics", February 2007 http://www.popmech.ru/article/1197-chugunnyiy-lob/page/1/ Archived 2013-10-10 at the Wayback Machine http://www.popmech.ru/article/1197-chugunnyiy-lob/page/1/ ↩

  5. "Original USSR Military Soviet Army SSh 68 Type Steel Helmet Russian NOS". eBay. Retrieved 2023-12-07.[better source needed] https://www.ebay.ca/itm/224260164705 ↩

  6. "Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 2 Russian NOS". eBay. Retrieved 2023-12-07.[better source needed] https://www.ebay.ca/itm/224270347966 ↩

  7. "New Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 3 Big". eBay. Retrieved 2023-12-07.[better source needed] https://www.ebay.ca/itm/225127357499 ↩

  8. "Original USSR Military Soviet Army SSh 68 Type Steel Helmet Russian NOS". eBay. Retrieved 2023-12-07.[better source needed] https://www.ebay.ca/itm/224260164705 ↩

  9. "Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 2 Russian NOS". eBay. Retrieved 2023-12-07.[better source needed] https://www.ebay.ca/itm/224270347966 ↩

  10. "New Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 3 Big". eBay. Retrieved 2023-12-07.[better source needed] https://www.ebay.ca/itm/225127357499 ↩

  11. NL-68M, a protective helmet of steel upgraded "СШ-68М, шлем защитный стальной модернизированный — ОРУЖИЕ РОССИИ, Информационное агентство". Archived from the original on 2012-12-08. Retrieved 2012-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20121208060112/http://www.arms-expo.ru/049051057048124054056053.html ↩

  12. "Composite Helmet, Ballistic helmets, Military helmets RUSSIA, RUSSIAN helmet, Kevlar helmet". Archived from the original on 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2020-02-21. http://www.gostak.co.uk/composites/russia/ ↩

  13. upgraded bulletproof helmet NL-68N "blank" http://shooter.com.ua/zashhita/966-modernezirovannyj-pulestojkij-shlem-ssh-68n-zagotovka.html Archived 2012-11-01 at the Wayback Machine http://shooter.com.ua/zashhita/966-modernezirovannyj-pulestojkij-shlem-ssh-68n-zagotovka.html ↩

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  15. "Azerbeijan Ssh68". Archived from the original on 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2019-05-24. http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/azerbeijan-ssh68.html ↩

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  17. "From Behind the Iron Curtain: Communist Bloc Helmets". Military Trader/Vehicles. Archived from the original on 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2020-02-21. https://www.militarytrader.com/militaria-collectibles/from-behind-the-iron-curtain-communist-bloc-helmets ↩

  18. "Войско казахстана - фото". bangkokbook.ru. Retrieved 3 February 2024. https://bangkokbook.ru/foto/vojsko-kazahstana.html ↩

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  20. "What Helmets Does The Russian Army Use? | Kula Tactical". https://kula-tactical.com/helmets-used-by-russian-army ↩

  21. "Armed Forces of the Republic of Turkmenistan". https://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/sites/turkmenistan.ru.ru/files/imagecache/GalleryFullView/Магадов-271010-(19).jpg ↩

  22. "Ukraine Ssh68". Archived from the original on 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2019-05-24. http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/ukraine-ssh68.html ↩

  23. "Mũ chống đạn của Quân đội Việt Nam chịu được đạn 9mm". netnews.vn. 13 June 2016. Archived from the original on 2019-04-16. Retrieved 2019-04-16. http://netnews.vn/Mu-chong-dan-cua-Quan-doi-Viet-Nam-chiu-duoc-dan-9mm-quan-su-150-0-1162817.html ↩

  24. "Vietnam Ssh60". Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2020-02-21. http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/vietnam-ssh60.html ↩

  25. "From Behind the Iron Curtain: Communist Bloc Helmets". Military Trader/Vehicles. Archived from the original on 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2020-02-21. https://www.militarytrader.com/militaria-collectibles/from-behind-the-iron-curtain-communist-bloc-helmets ↩

  26. Galeotti 2023, p. 8. - Galeotti, Mark (2023). Russia's Five-Day War: The invasion of Georgia, August 2008. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-5097-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=EeaeEAAAQBAJ ↩

  27. "Lithuania Ssh68". Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2020-02-21. http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/lithuania-ssh68.html ↩

  28. "Mongolia Ssh68". Archived from the original on 2022-01-29. Retrieved 2020-02-21. http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/mongolia-ssh68.html ↩

  29. "Nicaragua". Archived from the original on 2017-09-21. Retrieved 2020-02-21. http://mahargpress.com/military-helmets/chapters-summaries/central-america/nicaragua/ ↩

  30. "From Behind the Iron Curtain: Communist Bloc Helmets". Military Trader/Vehicles. Archived from the original on 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2020-02-21. https://www.militarytrader.com/militaria-collectibles/from-behind-the-iron-curtain-communist-bloc-helmets ↩

  31. "Syria Ssh68". Archived from the original on 2013-03-30. Retrieved 2023-11-09. http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/syria-ssh68.html ↩

  32. Galeotti 2023, p. 32. - Galeotti, Mark (2023). Russia's Five-Day War: The invasion of Georgia, August 2008. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-5097-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=EeaeEAAAQBAJ ↩