DSM Dyneema has announced that it has been selected as the preferred supplier to armour the patrol boats of the newly created Sea Police National System (NEPOM), a division of the Brazilian Federal Police. To date, 11 armoured boats are patrolling the port of Rio de Janeiro, but additional units will be released between 2006 and 2008.

Dyneema is used in conjunction with a steel plate, a design created by AXIA Blindagens, a Brazilian armour company, for vehicle protection.

DSM Dyneema’s UD is a unidirectional crossply composite that is said to provide a superior ballistic performance at the lowest weight/area density achievable.

Dyneema is a superstrong polyethylene fibre that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is said to be up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibres, on weight per weight basis. It floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. It is used in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries as well as in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector.