Outboard engine ballistic protection

1. A system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection for use with existing small water craft outboard motors and comprising:

a mounting band circumscribing and affixing to a power head cowling;

a plurality of laterally extended struts affixed offset from the mounting band and positioned to a port, a starboard and an aft section of the power head; and

a system of panel supports affixed at an outer terminus of each strut, said system of panel supports circumscribing about at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the power head.

2. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 1 , wherein said mounting band comprises pair of symmetrically affixed band straps impinged about the cowling and secured fore and aft via a fastening mechanism.

3. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 1 , wherein the system of panel supports is manufactured of a fiberless composite ballistic shielding comprising:

a plurality of individual layers, each said layer comprising a plurality of film strips oriented side by side and affixed with a thermosetting adhesive, wherein each said plurality of film strips are less than approximately 0.010″ in width;

adjacent said individual layers at a bias angle and to a pre-determined number of layers or a desired thickness;

a thermosetting adhesive between said adjacent said individual layers; and

said oriented plurality of layers pressed and cured to form a panel.

4. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 3 , wherein the film forming said film strips has a modulus of elasticity less than 25%.

5. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 4 , wherein said film further includes a functional additive material is selected from the group consisting of: flame-retardants; and carbon nanotubes suspended in solution.

6. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 1 , wherein said system of panel supports comprises a series of individual protection panels selected from a group consisting of: a port protection panel; a starboard protection panel; and an aft protection panel.

7. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 1 , wherein each panel supports forms a ballistic barrier having an energy absorbing structure for ballistic protection against projectiles from munitions or shrapnel.

8. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 2 , wherein each panel supports forms a ballistic barrier having an energy absorbing structure for ballistic protection against projectiles from munitions or shrapnel.

9. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 3 , wherein each panel supports forms a ballistic barrier having an energy absorbing structure for ballistic protection against projectiles from munitions or shrapnel.

10. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 4 , wherein each panel supports forms a ballistic barrier having an energy absorbing structure for ballistic protection against projectiles from munitions or shrapnel.

11. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 5 , wherein said each of said series of protection panels forms a ballistic barrier having an energy absorbing structure for ballistic protection against projectiles from munitions or shrapnel.

12. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 7 , wherein said ballistic barrier forms a level of NIJ protection where NIJ protection is defined as capable of resisting penetration from projectile having an energy at least the equivalent of a projectile energy of a 9 mm full metal jacket round nose bullet with a specified mass of 8.0 g (124 gr) and a velocity of 355 m/s±9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s±30 ft/s) or a .40 Smith & Wesson Full Metal Jacket bullet with a specified mass of 11.7 g (180 gr) and a velocity of 325 m/s±9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s±30 ft/s).

13. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 8 , wherein said ballistic barrier forms a level of NIJ protection where NIJ protection is defined as capable of resisting penetration from projectile having an energy at least the equivalent of a projectile energy of a 9 mm full metal jacket round nose bullet with a specified mass of 8.0 g (124 gr) and a velocity of 355 m/s±9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s±30 ft/s) or a .40 Smith & Wesson Full Metal Jacket bullet with a specified mass of 11.7 g (180 gr) and a velocity of 325 m/s±9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s±30 ft/s).

14. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 9 , wherein said ballistic barrier forms a level of NIJ protection where NIJ protection is defined as capable of resisting penetration from projectile having an energy at least the equivalent of a projectile energy of a 9 mm full metal jacket round nose bullet with a specified mass of 8.0 g (124 gr) and a velocity of 355 m/s±9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s±30 ft/s) or a .40 Smith & Wesson Full Metal Jacket bullet with a specified mass of 11.7 g (180 gr) and a velocity of 325 m/s±9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s±30 ft/s).

15. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 10 , wherein said ballistic barrier forms a level of NIJ protection where NIJ protection is defined as capable of resisting penetration from projectile having an energy at least the equivalent of a projectile energy of a 9 mm full metal jacket round nose bullet with a specified mass of 8.0 g (124 gr) and a velocity of 355 m/s±9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s±30 ft/s) or a .40 Smith & Wesson Full Metal Jacket bullet with a specified mass of 11.7 g (180 gr) and a velocity of 325 m/s±9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s±30 ft/s).

16. The system for provide outboard engine ballistic protection of claim 11 , wherein said ballistic barrier forms a level of NIJ protection where NIJ protection is defined as capable of resisting penetration from projectile having an energy at least the equivalent of a projectile energy of a 9 mm full metal jacket round nose bullet with a specified mass of 8.0 g (124 gr) and a velocity of 355 m/s±9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s±30 ft/s) or a .40 Smith & Wesson Full Metal Jacket bullet with a specified mass of 11.7 g (180 gr) and a velocity of 325 m/s±9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s±30 ft/s).

17. A method for providing outboard engine ballistic protection comprising:

obtaining a water craft having at least one outboard motor;

affixing a mounting band circumscribing to a power head cowling of the at least one outboard motor;

affixing a plurality of laterally extended struts in an offset manner from the mounting band and positioned to a port, a starboard and an aft section of the power head; and

affixing a system of panel supports at an outer terminus of each strut, said system of panel supports circumscribing about at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the power head.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said film further includes a functional additive material is selected from the group consisting of: flame-retardants; and carbon nanotubes suspended in solution.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the system of panel supports is manufactured of a fiberless composite ballistic shielding comprising:

a plurality of individual layers, each said layer comprising a plurality of film strips oriented side by side and affixed with a thermosetting adhesive, wherein each said plurality of film strips are less than approximately 0.010″ in width;

adjacent said individual layers at a bias angle and to a pre-determined number of layers or a desired thickness;

a thermosetting adhesive between said adjacent said individual layers; and

said oriented plurality of layers pressed and cured to form a panel.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the film forming said film strips has a modulus of elasticity less than 25%.