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If anyone wants to read the rough Altyn helmet script for this week's video early here it is
🕑 Added 2020-04-01 12:04:23 +0000 UTC
The image above is a 6b6, an Titanium helmet for the infantry.
This video series would not have been possible without dedicated research by an individual that will be known only as J. K. You know who you are, thank you.
With Quarantine in full affect here I thought I’d give you all a brain dump on the Altyn helmet and its extended family. In this multi series video I’m going to go over the famous and quite heavy Russian helmets that were used by their counter teorrism units. Special attention will be given to the Altyn helmet, as its the most famous of the bunch and I happen to have one in my possession. It must be said that the genesis of these tough metal helmets does not begin from welding masks.
Obvious myth out of the way, you might be surprised to find that the first designs were not developed by the Russian institute of steel known as Nii Stali. On the contrary the first titanium helmet was designed and produced by a Swiss firm known as Tig Bicord. In 1977 this company produced a helmet known as the PSH-77, colloquially as the “Tig” helmet. During this time, the fledging GSG 9 German counter terrorism team had been looking to replace their obsolete M31 Springerhelmes. If these look familiar its because these helmets basically were the same helmet used by Falshimjagers in World War 2. As such, GSG 9 became Tig’s first customers, and I find it likely, though I can’t prove, that this Tig helmet was designed specifically due to a request by GSG 9. Many of these helmets are also produced in Germany by GARANT Schutztechnik. There is also a similar, but lighter helmet, produced by Ulbrechts in Austria
Probably due to the neutrality of the Swiss and the Austrians, the sale of these helmets was not limited to Western nations, as Yugoslavia, and East Germany purchased helmets for their counter terrorism and police forces. Yugoslavia bought helmets for their SAJ anti terrorist team, specially for the Sarajevo Olympic games and some saw use during Yugoslav war (clips.) East German helmets also seen here in Diensteinheit IX use. I also found this interesting example of Turkish Gendarme also equipped with the helmet.
But I’m dancing around the big red elephant in the room, the Soviet Union also acquired several of these helmets. Immediately trailing them as early as a year after the PSH-77’s release. These helmets were quickly issued to the Soviet Union’s KGB Alfa and Vympel teams. Just in time for Operation Storm-333. Where the KGB direct action teams supported by GRU’s Muslim battatlion, assaulted the Tajbeg Palace, assassinating the President of Afganistan and killing hundreds of Afgan National army soldiers and palace gaurd.
And so the Tig received its baptism of fire at the start of the Soviet Afgan war. And though the Soviet union hadn’t developed the first Titanium helmet, it became the most prolific users of them. Naturally, many of these helmets were also delivered to Nii Stali for evaluation. Being a superpower rich in Titanium, it didnt take too long for an indigneous design to appear. And in 1984, a new, completely Russian helmet was made.
Coined the Altyn after the Renaissance era Russian currency, this helmet was put into service as a direct replacement for the Tig helmets. According to Russian sources, the four mm of titanium provides even more protection than the original Tig, even though both weigh about the same. Around 3.8 kilograms without the visor. The altyn can confidently stop every pistol round in existence and I’ve seen reports of it deflecting 5.45 rifle rounds. The round angles and hard material of the helmet make ricochets more likely. Later versions of the Altyn drop a mm of titanium for an aramid layer. At a glance you can tell an Altyn apart from a Tig by the visor. Some late versions of the altyn also have a rounded top edge visor, known to Russians as a humpback.
Altyn helmets come standard with a communications headset, unlike Tigs that don’t always use them. The radio port in the back on early versions has 19 pins as opposed to the later types that have seven pin connectors. The 19 pin altyns used these cool low profile Angstrem radios. While the radios that these seven pin altyns use are the marentz standard radios, HX-290 Vertex standard radios and lastly the Vertex VX-900 radios. The first two radio sets make use of a Kenwood style radio cord, while the latter radio, the VX-900, makes use of a rare Vertex style cable. The vertex is the last and most modern radio to be used by the Altyn. If you happen to find one, send me an email at bbgunbb@gmail.com and I’ll happily guide you on programming the VX-900 radio.
Several variants of the Altyn helmet were created and put into use from the mid 1980s onward. It was used by FSB teams during the 1993 Constitutional crisis where Alfa and Vympel stormed the Russian Parliament building. The altyn was also the primary helmet used during the Nord Ost siege and Beslan School hostage crisis. These days, altyn helmets and their progeny though obsolete, still make sporadic appearances in Roosgaurd and regional FSB teams. Titanium helmets, unlike aramid, kevlar, and ceramic types, tend to maintain their ballistic qualities for a significantly longer period of time.
Personally, I find the altyn to be a very comfortable helmet with the visor detached. The headset’s speaker is quite loud and even when guns are firing I can clearly hear radio transmissions. My visor is not the one that came with my helmet and doesn’t fit entirely to spec, as such I had to reverse one of the brackets for the visor to seat properly. With the visor attached, the Altyn becomes an unbalanced heavy and uncomfortable mess. Its very difficult to aim properly and shoulder your rifle without special visor stocks. But if you’re breaching a building, that extra protection you get obviously makes a difference. I can feel a psychological boost with the visor down, and that metal buff might give me just enough confidence to make entry.
And thus concludes chapter 1 of this video series. The long and colorful history of these two starting helmets really dwarfs everything else. In chapter 2, we’ll talk about the Altyn’s extended family of helmets. Including, the K6, Lynx, Maska, ZSH, DT, Kiver, Vityaz S, and Vulcan helmets. I have a strong desire to test the protection level of these helmets. And with enough patron donations from viewers like you, I plan to purchase a few of the aforementioned helmets and do some penetration testing in a future chapter of this series. Thank you and goodbye
