The International Personal Armour Committee (IPAC) is proud to announce the 17th edition of the *Personal Armour Systems Symposium (PASS 2025)*, to be held from **22 to 26 September 2025** at the Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre (BMCC), in the historic city of Bruges, Belgium.
PASS is the **world’s only dedicated scientific symposium** focused exclusively on **personal protection and armour systems** in operational contexts. This biennial event serves as a vital platform for the global exchange of scientific research, technical innovations, and operational insights related to body armour, helmets, EOD protection, and the physiological impact of ballistic threats. PASS 2025 continues this tradition by offering an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the world’s leading experts in personal protection, defence, and law enforcement.
A Global Tradition of Excellence
Since its inception in 1990 at SCRDE in Colchester, UK, the PASS Symposium has been the benchmark event in the field of personal armour. Traditionally hosted by European countries, the overwhelming interest from North American participants has led to an alternating transatlantic hosting schedule. The previous edition, held in 2023 in Dresden, Germany, welcomed over 200 delegates from defence forces, academic institutions, and industry partners around the world.
PASS 2025, hosted by the **Department of Weapon Systems and Ballistics** of the **Royal Military Academy (RMA) of Belgium**, will build on this legacy. The RMA is recognized for its world-class research and its accredited Ballistics Laboratory, which supports advanced investigations in internal, external, and terminal ballistics.
What to Expect at PASS 2025
The symposium will feature oral and poster presentations selected through a rigorous peer-review process managed by IPAC. Topics will span personal armour design, fragment and bullet resistance, stab protection, behind armour blunt trauma (BABT), human body response, non-lethal weapons, and injury biomechanics.
Key sessions will focus on scientific and technological challenges in:
* Advanced ballistic materials and terminal effects
* Biomechanical response to blunt trauma and blast
* Numerical simulations and finite element analysis
* Testing methodologies and certification standards
* Operational feedback from military and law enforcement users
An **industry exhibition** will run in parallel, allowing for in-depth discussion and demonstration of cutting-edge innovations from research and commercial sectors.
Expert Tutorials to Deepen Knowledge
PASS 2025 will also feature four specialized tutorial sessions led by internationally recognized experts:
- **“Beat the Heat?”** by Dr. Boris Kingma – examining the physiological impact of armour on body heat transfer and performance.
- **“Behind Armour Blunt Trauma”** by Dr. Cynthia Bir & Dr. Dale Bass – a comprehensive review of BABT mechanics and injury data.
- **Trauma Biomechanics Fundamentals** by Prof. Steffen Peldschus & Dr. Steffen Grobert – introducing key principles and military applications of injury biomechanics.
- **“Ballistic and Blast Test and Evaluation of Personal Armour”** by Phil Gotts – covering global standards, evaluation techniques, and challenges in armour testing.
Registration and Additional Information
Scientists, engineers, operational users, and industry partners are invited to join us in Bruges for this premier event in personal protection science.
To **register** or submit an abstract, visit: [https://indico.ipac-pass.org/event/1/]
For more details and regular updates, visit the **official PASS 2025 website**: [https://www.ballistics.be/pass]
Join us in Bruges to advance the science of survivability and shape the future of personal protection.
