Frag Kit 6 is a vehicular armor upgrade kit developed by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to defeat explosively formed projectiles (EFP), a type of armor penetrator often utilized in improvised explosive devices (IED). It is designed to be added on armored vehicles such as the MRAP and unarmored Humvee.[1] Like the Chobham armor, the exact materials and the way it works is classified information.
Frag Kit 6 adds about 1000lb of extra weight (100 lb per sq ft) and 12inches of width on each side of the vehicle (2 feet overall) over the previous Frag Kit 5 Humvee armor. The doors are so heavy, troops may need a mechanical assist device to open and close them and so wide drivers may require built-in visual references so they will know if they can fit the vehicle in narrow spaces. Frag Kit 6 armor also makes MRAP vehicles too wide to legally operate on U.S. highways.
Frag Kit 6 technology is integrated into MRAP II vehicles. The purpose behind the MRAP II competition was to field vehicles that don't need the kit added on. Frag Kit 6 looks similar to the armored plates used on the British "Mastiff" version of the Force Protection Cougar.[2] It appears to be used extensively on Navistar's MaxxPro Plus vehicle.[3]
