Hammerhead Armor highlights front and rear bumper systems

CLEVELAND—Heavy-duty steel bumper manufacturer Hammerhead Armor is gaining traction among public sector fleets, with the company announcing at the NAFA 2026 Institute & Expo that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) has standardized its Guardian Series vehicle protection system across its entire patrol fleet.

The move, shared during a presentation by Hammerhead national sales director Troy Waldrup, reflects a broader push by agencies and fleets for vehicle protection designed to keep units in service and reduce costly downtime.

Hammerhead Armor engineers aftermarket front and rear bumper systems for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, with a focus on applications where uptime is critical. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all products, the company works with fleets to design systems around specific duty cycles, operating environments, and vehicle configurations.

The approach begins with a phone call or site visit, Waldrup said, in order for the company's engineering team to target specific customer needs.

In many applications, disaster recovery for example, "failure is not an option," Waldrup continued. "They're out in the field, and they need to be able to rely on their product. If it doesn't deliver, then that means their team can't execute, and it puts them in harm's way."

This was put to the test with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, which had been dealing with repeated bumper failures during pit maneuvers. Over a 12-month evaluation, the agency ran Hammerhead’s Guardian Series through high-speed impacts and animal strikes—real-world scenarios that typically lead to front-end damage and downtime.

He highlighted a specific instance where a Hammerhead equipped pursuit vehicle sustained an 80 MPH pit manuever impact and the fender remained protected and replaced with zero downtime.

Beyond public safety, Hammerhead’s lineup covers everything from light-duty pickups to Class 8 trucks, with varying levels of protection and integration. The systems are all built from high-strength steel and can be spec’d with features like winch mounts, lighting provisions, and accommodations for the sensors and cameras that are increasingly common on today’s vehicles.

Walters also pointed to a fleet project where Hammerhead co-engineered a bumper to meet specific load ratings and equipment needs. The final design exceeded the fleet’s requirements, while integrating components like winches and onboard sensors.