French Army Equips Body Armour with Smart Shock Sensors from SilMach

Smart Sensors French Army Equips Body Armour with Smart Shock Sensors from SilMach

2025-07-31 Source: Press release 2 min Reading Time

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The French Defence Procurement Agency has commissioned SilMach to deliver ultra-compact shock detectors for use in ballistic protection plates. The goal: continuous, energy-free monitoring of bulletproof armour integrity in real-time.

Microsensors like these will be embedded directly into ceramic plates, providing soldiers with a simple visual check on equipment safety. (Bild: SilMach) — Microsensors like these will be embedded directly into ceramic plates, providing soldiers with a simple visual check on equipment safety.
(Bild: SilMach)

France's armed forces are taking a technological leap in battlefield safety. In July 2025, the Commissariat des Armées awarded French deeptech company SilMach a seven-year contract worth at least €3 million to supply hundreds of thousands of micro-shock sensors. The devices will be embedded into ceramic ballistic plates worn by soldiers, allowing for real-time visual confirmation of a plate's structural integrity. Deliveries begin in September.

The sensors are based on SilMach’s proprietary ChronoMEMS® technology, which is energy-autonomous and roughly the size of a credit card chip. The sensors do not require batteries or power supplies and are designed to register and indicate impacts, such as those caused by drops or collisions, which could compromise the integrity of ceramic armour. A visible indicator lets users know immediately whether a plate is damaged and needs replacing.

This addresses a long-standing issue in the use of ceramic armour. While lightweight and highly protective against ballistic threats, ceramic inserts can fracture from non-combat stress, such as rough handling or accidental drops—often without visible damage. Until now, inspecting each plate required manual checks or costly diagnostic procedures.

According to SilMach CEO Pierre-François Louvigné, the innovation enhances both safety and efficiency: "By making it easier to identify potentially damaged plates, we are reinforcing personnel safety and improving operational maintenance carried out by the Service du Commissariat des Armées."

The GMOS programme (Gestion des Moyens de Surveillance) could mark a paradigm shift in how personal protective equipment is monitored. The sensors are designed for harsh environments—they are waterproof, resistant to electromagnetic interference, and function in extreme temperatures and pressures. These qualities make them not only viable for military use, but potentially valuable across industries such as aerospace, transport, and logistics, where impact monitoring is critical.

The contract was supported by France’s Direction Générale pour l'Armement (DGA), which has backed several SilMach innovations. The company, based in Besançon, is also known for its hybrid MEMS micromotors and has previously drawn international attention for its CES-awarded micromechanical drone, Dragonfly.While initial deployment will focus on body armour, the broader implications of ChronoMEMS® technology suggest a growing market for smart, passive condition-monitoring devices across civilian and defence applications.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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