5083 aluminum alloy, with its lightweight, high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and outstanding weldability, has become an ideal material in the modern armor protection field.
5083 aluminum armor plate, especially in the 5083-H131 temper, is a proven lightweight armor material that occupies an important position in military vehicle and ship protection due to its excellent ballistic performance, corrosion resistance, and weldability. The 5083-H32, on the other hand, is more commonly used as a component material meeting commercial standards, playing a role in composite armor systems.
- 5083-H131 is specifically designed for military armor, providing top-level ballistic protection.
- 5083-H32 economically meets commercial protection and structural application requirements.
Both products offer a full thickness range from 0.250 inches to several inches, allowing selection of the appropriate specification based on specific protection requirements. For high-security protection (e.g., military and law enforcement), 5083-H131 is recommended. For commercial structures and general protection, 5083-H32 offers a more cost-effective choice.
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Specifications
| Item | 5083-H131 | 5083-H32 |
| Product Form | Supplied as armor plate | Commercial-grade aluminum plate, commonly used as part of composite armor |
| Standard Compliance | Typically meets military or specific armor standards | Complies with ASTM B209 standard |
| Typical Thickness Range | Stock: 0.250" – 3" (approx. 6.35 – 76.2 mm) | Stock: 0.250" – 4" (approx. 6.35 – 101.6 mm) |
| Typical Stock Size | 72 inches wide x 144 inches long (approx. 1829 mm x 3658 mm) | 48 inches wide x 144 inches long (approx. 1219 mm x 3658 mm) |
| Main Application Features | Specifically used for monolithic armor or primary armor structures. Materials thicker than 0.499 inches (approx. 12.7 mm) can provide ballistic certification. | More commonly used as backing or structural components in composite armor. |
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Features
- Good ballistic performance: 5083 aluminum alloy has high strength and good toughness. After special processing, it can effectively resist certain types of ammunition.
- Excellent corrosion resistance: Due to the presence of magnesium, 5083 aluminum armor plate has strong resistance to seawater, atmospheric, and other corrosive environments, suitable for use in complex outdoor conditions.
- Good processing performance: The alloy has good formability and weldability, and can be processed into armor plates of different thicknesses and shapes through rolling, stretching, and other processes, as well as assembled by welding.
- Lightweight and high strength: Low density, about 1/3 of steel, favorable for equipment weight reduction.
- Excellent weldability: Supports multiple welding methods with high weld strength.
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Performance Advantages
- Outstanding corrosion resistance: Performs excellently in seawater and chemical corrosive environments, known as "marine-grade aluminum alloy"
- Excellent mechanical properties: Among non-heat-treatable aluminum alloys, it has the highest strength, good fatigue resistance, and impact toughness, maintaining performance even at low temperatures (-60℃)
- Excellent weldability: Maintains high strength after welding, suitable for complex armor structure manufacturing
- Lightweight and high strength: Density approx. 2.65g/cm³ (1/3 of steel). For the same surface density, thickness is three times that of steel, bending stiffness nine times that of steel, allowing armored vehicles to reduce weight by 6%-20% and improve mobility
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Ballistic Protection Performance
5083-H131 provides complete ballistic test reports (thickness > 0.499 inches), meeting NATO protection standards
Ballistic defense capability:
Provides good protection against 7.62mm armor-piercing bullets. As thickness increases (0.7–2 mm), ballistic limit improves by 23%-27%
Defense factor is approximately 0.4 (i.e., 4 mm thick 5083 aluminum alloy provides protection equivalent to 1 mm of standard armor steel)
Chemical Composition of 5083 Armor Aluminium Plate
| Element | Composition % |
| Al | REM |
| Si | ≤0.4 |
| Cu | ≤0.10 |
| Mg | 4.0-4.9 |
| Zn | ≤0.25 |
| Mn | 0.40-1.0 |
| Ti | ≤0.15 |
| Cr | 0.05-0.25 |
| Fe | ≤0.40 |
| Note: Single≤0.05; Total≤0.15 | |
5083 Armor Aluminium Plate Typical Mechanical Properties
| Temper | Tensile Strength | Yield Strength | Elongation |
| KSI | KSI | % | |
| O (annealed) | 42 | 21 | 14 |
| H112 | 43 | 23 | 10 |
| H116 | 46 | 33 | 10 |
| H321 | 46 | 33 | 10 |
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate–Available Stock Sizes
| Description | Temper | Thickness(in) | Width × Length |
| 0.25" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 0.25" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 0.375" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 0.375" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 0.5" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 0.5" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 0.75" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 0.75" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 1" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 1" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 1.25" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 1.25" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 1.5" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 1.5" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 1.75" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 1.75" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 2" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 2" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 2.25" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 2.25" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 2.5" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 2.5" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 3" 5083 H131 Aluminum Armor Plate | H131 | 3" | 72 in × 144 in |
| 0.25" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 0.25" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 0.375" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 0.375" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 0.5" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 0.5" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 0.75" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 0.75" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 1" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 1" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 1.25" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 1.25" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 1.5" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 1.5" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 1.75" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 1.75" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 2" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 2" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 2.25" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 2.25" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 2.5" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 2.5" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 3" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 3" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 3.25" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 3.25" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 3.5" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 3.5" | 48 in × 144 in |
| 4" 5083 H32 Aluminum Armor Plate | H32 | 4" | 48 in × 144 in |
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Corrosion Resistance
The magnesium content provides excellent resistance to seawater and atmospheric corrosion, forming a dense oxide layer on the surface, making it suitable for prolonged exposure to harsh environments.
5083 alloy exhibits outstanding resistance to seawater, industrial environments, and exfoliation corrosion due to its uniform microstructure and alloying additions. This makes it an ideal choice for coastal and marine operations, where chloride-induced pitting and crevice corrosion are critical issues.
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Welding and Processing Performance
Excellent weldability, with weld joint strength reaching 90%-95% of the base material, suitable for manufacturing complex armor structures.
O condition (annealed) plates have high ductility (elongation ≥ 20%), making them easy to stamp, bend, and form.
H32/H34 semi-hard temper balances strength and formability.
5083 Armor Plate Specifications and Standards
The manufacturing of 5083 armor plates complies with the following standards:
- MIL-DTL-46027 (formerly MIL-A-46027): covers H116 and H131 temper conditions for ballistic plates.
- NATO STANAG 4569 Levels 1-2: Plate thickness ranges from 6-12mm (Level 1) to 15-20mm (Level 2), suitable for small arms protection.
- ASTM B928 / ASME SB928: Standards for marine-grade plates and sheets commonly used in corrosion and mechanical testing.
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Applications
5083-H131 Aluminum Armor Plate
Military field: Infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, tank components, amphibious vehicles
Special vehicles: Riot control vehicles, police armored vehicles, border patrol vehicles
5083-H32 Aluminum Armor Plate
Composite armor: Combined with ceramics and composite materials to create high-performance protection systems
In addition to military armor applications, it is also widely used in shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, aircraft welded components, subway and light rail systems, and pressure vessels requiring strict fire resistance.
Applications of 5083 Aluminum Armor Plate
5083 aluminum armor plate combines strength, light weight, corrosion resistance, and weldability, meeting strict military specifications. Its proven ballistic protection (whether homogeneous or composite) ensures its continued use in global defense and marine applications.
- Armored vehicles: Used for the hulls, doors, and turrets of light armored personnel carriers and mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles, balancing weight and protection.
- Military vehicles: Used in armored personnel carriers, naval vessels, and amphibious vehicles.
Other Applicable Fields
- Naval superstructure: Used for blast-resistant bulkheads and deck plates, due to its corrosion resistance and impact resistance.
- Protective structures: Blast walls, bunkers, and portable ballistic protection for mobile barriers.
- Naval and aerospace: Due to its saltwater resistance, it is used in hulls, decks, and structural components.
- Modular armor systems: Used as additional armor for upgrading existing vehicles.
- Special equipment: Missile launchers, armored transport boxes.
Advantages of 5083 Aluminum Armor Plate
Lightweight and Protection Balance
With a density of 2.75g/cm³, significantly lower than steel, it reduces the weight of armor systems while maintaining moderate static strength to meet ballistic requirements.
Blast and Impact Resistance
High toughness and fatigue resistance effectively absorb explosive shock energy, reducing the risk of structural deformation.
Environmental Adaptability
Corrosion resistance reduces maintenance requirements, making it suitable for amphibious vehicles, naval vessels, and other humid or high-salt environments.
Limitations of 5083 Aluminum Armor Plate
- Not suitable for use alone in ultra-high threat scenarios; usually laminated with ceramics or steel.
- Material cost is higher than steel, but the reduction in long-term operating costs makes it justifiable.
Its hardness is lower than high-strength steel, so composite armor designs (such as combining with ceramic layers) are required to enhance overall protection.
Plasticity decreases after cold working, requiring strict control of forming process parameters.
5083 aluminum alloy, through optimized composition and process innovation, demonstrates unique performance advantages in lightweight armor, especially in applications requiring high corrosion resistance, weldability, and overall cost-effectiveness.
5083 Aluminum Armor Plate Manufacturing Process
It typically undergoes processes such as hot rolling, cold rolling, stretching, and thermal stabilization. For example, 5083 alloy ingots are first hot-rolled into medium-thick plates, followed by cold rolling with a single-pass cold work not exceeding 5% and a total cold work not exceeding 40%. Then, the plates undergo two rounds of stretching and thermal stabilization at 130℃ for 30 minutes, followed by ballistic testing and other performance inspections to ensure compliance with military standards.