Future Assault Shell Technology helmet

It was developed by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in collaboration with the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier as part of the Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program, which led to the development of other helmets such as the Maritime helmet and the Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH).[2][3]

The name FAST helmet was coined by a manufacturing company called Ops-Core in 2005.[4] In 2008, Ops-Core showed off their prototype helmet with their Head-Loc™ Helmet Retention System (a.k.a. Head-Loc Retention System) at the 2008 SHOT SHOW convention. The helmet was publicly revealed in 2009 at the annual SHOT Show.[5] It was issued to U.S. special forces operators deployed in Afghanistan.[6]

In 2019, U.S. Special Operations Command awarded Gentex a contract worth $95 million to supply Ops-Core FAST SF Super High Cut Helmets.[7]

Compared to standard combat helmets, the FAST helmet offers up to 25% weight reduction and is notable for its early use of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers (UHMWPE) in its design.[2][3] It was also designed to allow outside features such as wearing communications headsets which can be attached with rail adapters.[8]

•  Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Used by the Afghan National Army Commando Corps.[13]
•  Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: Taliban make use of stocks left over or acquired from Afghan National Army and commandos. In use with the Badri 313 Battalion.
•  Australia: Used by special forces units since 2010 and the Australian Defence Force since 2015. Also worn by Police Tactical Groups of each state.
•  Austria: 20,000 Sentry XP Mid Cut-type helmets ordered in 2016, adopted by the Austrian Armed Forces in 2017.[14]
•  China: OEM factories produce clone helmets for use in multiple countries, FAST styled helmets are also in use with the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police.
•  Finland: Worn by Finnish Naval Special Forces Coastal Jaegers.
•  France: Used by French special operations forces.[15] Reported used by a 1st Marine Infantry Paratroopers Regiment commando, who credited the helmet with saving him from being shot in the head during the 2015 Bamako hotel attack.[15]
•  Indonesia: Used by Kopaska (Komando Pasukan Katak) Frogman of the Indonesian Navy.
•  Israel: Used by Israeli special forces units.
•  Japan: In use with Special Forces Groups
•  Malaysia: In 2016, a contract was signed with Usahawan PSE Sdn Bhd to supply FAST helmets to the Malaysian military under RM45.9 million.[16] The first Malaysian unit issued with the helmet is the 7th Royal Ranger Regiment.[17]
•  New Zealand: Used by New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) and Armed Offenders Squad of the New Zealand Police.
•  Norway: In 2011, the Norwegian Defense Logistic Organization (NDLO) selected the FAST helmet as the new standard issue protective headgear for the Norwegian Army and National Guard. The decision was made after positive results from rounds of ballistic and safety testing and has been previously fielded by the Norwegian Special Forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq.[18] This replaces the PASGT made by Cato Ringstad.[19]
•  Philippines: Different variations of Ops Core FAST. helmets and clone copies are used by different units in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police but the most notable users are the Philippine NAVSOCOM as they are the first unit to use them starting late 2015.[20]
•  Poland: FAST Ballistic High Cut helmets used by JW GROM and JW Formoza operators. 50 thousand HP-05 ordered for Polish Army.[21]
•  Sweden: FAST Maritime Helmets used by Särskilda operationsgruppen.[21]
•  South Africa: Used by Special Forces.
•  South Korea: Used by Used by ROKASWC, ROKNSWF and 707th Special Mission Group.
•  Turkey: Used by the Turkish Army, with a reported incident where a Turkish soldier's life was saved when his Ops-Core Sentry-type helmet was shot at in 2015.[1]
•  Ukraine: Used by Ukrainian Spetsnaz Forces.[22] Also in rapid use with National Guard of Ukraine upon Russian buildup on border in 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis
•  United Arab Emirates: The UAE Presidential Guard is equipped with the FAST Ballistic High Cut helmet, announced in 2013.[23]
•  United Kingdom: Used by the Pathfinder Group and the United Kingdom Special Forces.
•  United States: Used by special operations forces. Delta Force has used the FAST XP helmet (MultiCam shell) since around 2015, though SF (also in MultiCam) is in use as well. Some DEVGRU operators had used the FAST XP (with AOR1 paintjob) until the FAST Maritime (AOR1 shell) started being officially issued in 2011. Navy SEALs use the LBH (same cut as an XP, but with a different velcro shape pattern and the shell material is the same as that of the Maritime) with AOR1 shell and SWCC with AOR2 shell. AFSOC, Special Forces (Green Berets), 75th Ranger Regiment and Marine Raider Regiment use the FAST Maritime[2][24] as well as the FAST SF.[7]
  • In use with the LAPD SWAT, where a SWAT officer credited the helmet for saving his life from being shot in the head in 2017.[25]
  • Small number of FAST SF helmets purchased by the FBI.[26]
• Vietnam: In December 2020, it was reported that Z176 Factory has been producing copies of the High Cut helmets for police and Special Forces use.[27]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ops-Core Helmet.

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• Ops-Core FAST RF1 High Cut Helmet System