SSh-68 explained

SSh-68
Origin:	Soviet Union
Used By:	See Users
Wars:	Sino-Vietnamese War Soviet-Afghan War 1982 Lebanon War First Nagorno-Karabakh War Georgian Civil War Transnistria War War in Abkhazia Tajikistani Civil War East Prigorodny Conflict First Chechen War War of Dagestan Second Chechen War Russo-Georgian War War in Donbas Second Nagorno-Karabakh War 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Design Date:	1968
Production Date:	1968-present
Variants:	See Variants

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.^[1] It is usually painted in dark green.^[2]

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.^[3]

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Due to the introduction of improved helmets starting with the original 6B7, the SSh-68 was progressively withdrawn from service.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 kg^[7] respectively.

Dimensions

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

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

Size 2 dimensions 290/270/170 mm

Size 3 dimensions 300/260/175 mm

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).^[8] It's manufactured by NII Stali.^[9]
• 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.^[10]

Users

Current

• ^[3]
  • ^[11]
  • ^[3]
• ^[3]
• ^[12]
  • − Donations made from Moscow in October 2017^[13]
• − Limited numbers still in service as of 2022^[14]
• ^{[3] [15]}
• ^[16]
• ^[17]
  • ^{[18] [19]}

Former

• Afghanistan^[3]
• Georgia − Used in the 1990s, replaced by more modern Kevlar helmets
• ^[20]
• ^[21]
• ^[22]

States with limited recognition

Bibliography

• Book: Galeotti . Mark . Mark Galeotti . Russia's Five-Day War: The invasion of Georgia, August 2008 . 2023 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-4728-5097-3 . en.

External links

• Каска СШ-68 (Ukrainian)
• Who needs a Steel helmet? (Russian)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Headstrong. 2020-02-21. 2020-02-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20200221031832/http://ultimatehistoryproject.com/headstrong.html. live.
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
3. News: From Behind the Iron Curtain: Communist Bloc Helmets. Military Trader/Vehicles . 2020-02-21. 2022-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20220209095339/https://www.militarytrader.com/militaria-collectibles/from-behind-the-iron-curtain-communist-bloc-helmets. live.
4. Dmitri Mamontov. Cast iron forehead: Keep your head "Popular Mechanics", February 2007 http://www.popmech.ru/article/1197-chugunnyiy-lob/page/1/
5. Web site: Original USSR Military Soviet Army SSh 68 Type Steel Helmet Russian NOS . 2023-12-07 . eBay . en-US.
6. Web site: Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 2 Russian NOS . 2023-12-07 . eBay . en-US.
7. Web site: New Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 3 Big . 2023-12-07 . eBay . en-US.
8. NL-68M, a protective helmet of steel upgraded Web site: СШ-68М, шлем защитный стальной модернизированный — ОРУЖИЕ РОССИИ, Информационное агентство . 2012-07-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121208060112/http://www.arms-expo.ru/049051057048124054056053.html . 2012-12-08 .
9. Web site: Composite Helmet, Ballistic helmets, Military helmets RUSSIA, RUSSIAN helmet, Kevlar helmet. 2020-02-21. 2022-10-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20221002034102/http://www.gostak.co.uk/composites/russia/. live.
10. upgraded bulletproof helmet NL-68N "blank" http://shooter.com.ua/zashhita/966-modernezirovannyj-pulestojkij-shlem-ssh-68n-zagotovka.html
11. Web site: Azerbeijan Ssh68 . 2019-05-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426112253/http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/azerbeijan-ssh68.html . 2019-04-26 . live .
12. Web site: Войско казахстана - фото . bangkokbook.ru . 3 February 2024.
13. Web site: Equipment donation shows deepening PH-Russia ties. Philippine News Agency. 2021-07-02. 2021-07-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181930/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1013838. live.
14. https://kula-tactical.com/helmets-used-by-russian-army
15. Web site: Syria Ssh68 . 2023-11-09 . 2013-03-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130330005043/http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/syria-ssh68.html . live .
16. Web site: https://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/sites/turkmenistan.ru.ru/files/imagecache/GalleryFullView/Магадов-271010-(19).jpg.
17. Web site: Ukraine Ssh68 . 2019-05-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426113839/http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/ukraine-ssh68.html . 2019-04-26 . live .
18. Web site: Mũ chống đạn của Quân đội Việt Nam chịu được đạn 9mm. netnews.vn. 13 June 2016. 2019-04-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20190416202353/http://netnews.vn/Mu-chong-dan-cua-Quan-doi-Viet-Nam-chiu-duoc-dan-9mm-quan-su-150-0-1162817.html. 2019-04-16. live.
19. Web site: Vietnam Ssh60. 2020-02-21. 2021-12-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20211211195604/http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/vietnam-ssh60.html. live.
20. Web site: Lithuania Ssh68. 2020-02-21. 2021-12-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20211211195323/http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/lithuania-ssh68.html. live.
21. Web site: Mongolia Ssh68. 2020-02-21. 2022-01-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129001325/http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/mongolia-ssh68.html. live.
22. Web site: Nicaragua. 2020-02-21. 2017-09-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20170921193644/http://mahargpress.com/military-helmets/chapters-summaries/central-america/nicaragua/. live.