A breakthrough in lightweight, one-handed, high-performance facial ballistic protection.
Denison, TX. (December 2025) – Adept Armor, pioneers in next-gen protective solutions, today announced the release of the NovaSteel™ Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2, an entirely reengineered facial protection module designed to meet the evolving ballistic and impact threats faced by modern warfighters, tactical teams, and security professionals. The Gen 2 model introduces a patented, sealed hinge mechanism that enables silent, one-handed flip-up operation with free-stop positioning at any angle, while preserving a lightweight form factor, wide field of vision, and exceptional ballistic performance.
Modern body armor has dramatically reduced thoracic injuries, but as coverage has improved, personal vulnerability has shifted. The face, once indirectly shielded, has become the most exposed anatomical region during ballistic engagements. Face and neck injuries are up 30 percent since Vietnam, and the face is struck over 700 percent more frequently than its surface area would predict. These shifting patterns of wounding have left the face as the most exposed region of the warfighter’s body.
?Injury simulations clearly illustrate the vulnerability of the face to ballistic and blunt-force impact, even at comparatively low velocities. As a result, the need for practical, high-performance facial protection has become paramount. The NovaSteel Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2, was expressly engineered to address this challenge, delivering substantial ballistic, fragment, and blunt-impact protection while maintaining wide visibility, ease of use, and compatibility with contemporary helmet systems.
“I’m incredibly excited to finally announce our new NovaSteel Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2. After nearly two years of development and countless prototypes, we’ve achieved a genuine breakthrough. The new face shield is lightweight, breathable, and exceptionally easy to operate. Users can flip it up, down, or hold it at any point in between with a simple, quiet, one-handed motion. It’s dramatically more intuitive than anything currently available,” said Jake Ganor, President of Adept Armor.
The NovaSteel Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2, represents a comprehensive redesign of Adept Armor’s acclaimed ballistic mandible platform. Its most significant innovation is its sealed, all-aluminum, patented rotating mechanism, permanently welded to a dedicated Combat Circlet, and designed for:
- Silent, smooth, one-handed actuation
- Free-stop positioning at any angle without detents or latches
- Stable, secure operation that preserves cheek-weld, comms access, and ventilation
- ?A dramatically reduced mechanical footprint compared to bulky or fixed alternatives
Underneath the protective housing lies an entirely new rotational architecture, engineered to deliver a level of sophistication, durability, and ease of use unmatched in current ballistic facial protection systems.
“Helmets have come a long way, but facial protection has lagged behind. We’re working to close that gap,” Ganor explained. “This isn’t a niche accessory anymore – in terms of protection, ergonomics, and durability, it’s at a point where it can become an essential piece of equipment.”
The NovaSteel Flip Ballistic Mandible, Gen 2, is built from high-grade NovaSteel alloy, offering robust ballistic resistance while remaining exceptionally lightweight at less than 1 pound. The sealed hinge delivers quiet, controlled operation with no clicks, snaps, or latch noise that could compromise user position. The low-profile geometry maintains a wide field of view and is fully compatible with most ballistic glasses, goggles, and common weapon optics. The mandible provides multi-threat protection against pistol-caliber ballistic impacts, high-velocity fragmentation, blunt-force events, and debris.
Key specifications include:
- Ballistic Rating: 124 gr 9mm FMJ
- Ultra-low BFD, enabling a tight, low-profile fit and cheek-weld capability
- Wide, unobstructed field of vision with no optical distortion
- High resistance to blunt impact and fragmentation
- No fogging, no transparency degradation, and no visor-related distortion
- Fully compatible with the ACH model and all NovaSteel helmets (2024+)
?The NovaSteel Flip Ballistic Mandible surpasses the ballistic and blunt-impact thresholds of the ACH and ACH Gen II helmet specifications, despite no formal testing protocol existing for ballistic mandibles. The design also demonstrates broad compliance with VPAM-3 helmet test criteria, maintaining low backface deformation, delivering stable edge-shot protection, and performing reliably even after sustained high-temperature conditioning at 168°F and beyond.
The mandible mounts via integrated bosses on the Combat Circlet Gen 2, leaving rail space free and requiring no drilling or modification. This Flip Mandible mounts only to the dedicated Combat Circlet supplied with the unit. It is not compatible with the standard Combat Circlet Mark II, older Circlet variants, or any third-party helmet mounting hardware. Each unit includes the NovaSteel Flip Mandible, Gen 2, and its dedicated welded Combat Circlet with integrated flip rotator assembly. Available in Black or Green. MSRP $490.00.
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