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Volume 3
Page 21
April 2016 Edition
Ford Police Interceptors
Protects Against ArmorPiercing Ammo
globally told us they needed protection from armor piercing
ammunition and we added increased ballistic protection to
an already great product – that’s continuous innovation,”
said Arie Groeneveld, chief engineer, Ford Police
Interceptors.
Ford announced today it will offer ballistic panels on their
Police Interceptor sedan and utility with protection from
armor-piercing rifle ammunition.
The Type IV panels are an additional option above and
beyond existing ballistic panel protection offered by Ford.
Optional Type III ballistic panels are already on duty in
agencies around the United States and are rated to protect
against all handgun and non-armor piercing bullets up to
.30 caliber (specifically up to 7.62mm x 51mm NATO M80
ball ammunition) as well as special threat rounds identified
by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The optional ballistic panels are in addition to a long list of
existing features aimed at protecting officers, including Ford
Police Interceptor safety cell construction to aid structural
integrity.
Ford Police Interceptors Become First Pursuit-Rated Police Vehicle
to Offer Ballistic Protection Against Armor-Piercing Rifle Ammunition
“Ford is well-known in the police community for going further
to enhance officer safety. It’swhat our product is all about,
first and foremost,” said Raj Sarkar, general marketing
manager, Ford North American Fleet, Lease and
Remarketing operations.
The factory-equipped vehicles are the first pursuit-rated
police vehicles in the United States to offer ballistic protection
up to Department of Justice’s (DoJ) National Institute of
Justice standard Type IV.According to the Department of
Justice standard, the description of a Type IV ballistic panel
is:
“Type IV hard armor or plate inserts shall be tested in a
conditioned state with .30 caliber armor piercing (AP) bullets
(U.S. Military designation M2 AP) with a specified mass of
10.8 g (166 gr) and a velocity of 878 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (2880 ft/s
± 30 ft/s).”
While the number of shootouts between police and criminals
using high-powered, armor-piercing rifle ammunition is low,
they are unfortunately becoming more common.
“The fact that we design our Police Interceptors around
officer feedback is what has made them number one. Officers
In the event of a crash, advanced safety technology helps
to absorb the energy of the collision and to direct the impact
forces away from the occupants. Additionally, crumple
zones are strategically placed in the frame or body of the
vehicle, further absorbing and dissipating the energy of a
crash to reduce intrusion into the occupant compartment.
Innovative materials – such as aluminum, advanced plastics
and boron steel – also contribute to vehicle strength.
Other examples of Ford’s commitment to officer safety
include a 75-mph rear crash test rating, police-tuned
suspensions, police brakes, steel wheels, unique police
interiors as well as a range of upfit options.
For more information on Ford Police Interceptor, visit the
Ford Police Interceptor site.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility
company based in Dearborn, Mich. With about 199,000
employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core
business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing,
financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs
and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles.
At the same, Ford is aggressively
pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart
Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connec tivity,
mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience
and data and analytics.