Having been responsible for the carbon composite structure of the Mercedes McLaren SLR supercar (he was head of composites and body structures, then head of the advanced concepts team with McLaren), Scott-Geddes has considerable experience of the material. “One of the biggest benefits of carbon composites is their ability to absorb large amounts of energy: typically around five to six times more per kilogram than steel and two to three times more than aluminium,” he explains. “They are also very tuneable, allowing both strength and stiffness to change along a component so that every section is optimised for its purpose. Climatic compatibility is excellent and fatigue life is longer than for both aluminium and steel.”

This makes carbon composites extremely attractive in military applications, where high energy absorption translates into excellent safety performance and impact protection and tuneability leads to further simplification and weight savings. For operations in sun-drenched terrains such as Iraq and Afghanistan, excellent climatic stability solves many of the problems that have traditionally led to metals being used in place of cheaper, lighter polymers.

“The technique offers substantial weight reduction for vehicles, systems and armoured soldiers by replacing metals and expensive ceramics with lightweight carbon composites. We can use them in structures, components and in armour, greatly reducing the weight compromise necessary to deliver the required performance,” says Scott-Geddes. “It's a virtuous circle, with lighter weight leading to improved performance, reduced running costs, easier servicing and the flexibility to offer extra protection or payload. Knock-on effects are also positive, such as reduced costs of spares supply and in-field support.”