Survival Directory
Body Armor
A good set of body armor can mean
the difference between life and death.
Body armor isn't just for
the military and police in tactical situations. Body armor is for anyone who
puts themselves in the way of danger. If you might catch a bullet, it's best to
catch it with a nice thick piece of Kevlar.
There are many types,
weights, and styles of body armor on the market today. Remember: The best body
armor is the body armor you are wearing.
Body Armor Information
The History of
Kevlar
The History of Kevlar
Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Armor (NIJ Standard 0101.04)
This NIJ Standard
establishes minimum performance requirements and test methods for the ballistic
resistance of personal body armor designed to protect the torso against
gunfire. The standard is limited to ballistic resistance only and does not
address resistance from knives or other sharply pointed objects. It reviews NIJ
body armor classifications, details requirements (i.e., acceptance criteria,
workmanship, armor backing material, and so forth), and discusses test methods
(i.e., velocity measurement equipment, wet conditioning, test preparation, and
so forth). This standard serves as a general revision to NIJ Standard 0101.03
from April 1987.
Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor (NIJ Standard 0115.00)
This standard, the first
of its kind in the United States, specifies the minimum requirements for body
armor designed to protect the torso against slash and stab threats. This NIJ
Standard describes the test methodology used for the assessment and focuses
primarily on knives that are readily available from sports equipment retailers
- ones of high quality that feature very sharp machine-ground cutting edges and
fine points. Lower quality, prison-made knives, ice picks, and shivs are not
addressed in this report. The threats treated in this standard are from
hand-delivered impacts from instruments whose points or tips lie near the
centerline of the clenched fist holding the weapon.
Body Armor User Guide
This user guide is your
information tool. It lists the many benefits of wearing body armor, along with
the few limitations of which you should be aware. It provides detailed safety
information and lists specific instructions on the care and maintenance of body
armor that will extend its effective usefulness.
Selection and Application Guide to Police Body Armor (NIJ Guide
100-01
This NIJ Guide responds
to questions about the selection and use of body armor for law enforcement and
corrections. It includes information from the latest NIJ standard on ballistic
resistance of body armor (0101.04), as well as information on NIJ's new
standard on stab resistance of body armor (0115.00). The guide provides information
to help determine what level of protection is consistent with the threats to
which individual officers are exposed. It describes the various body armor
styles available, along with the proper care of body armor in service. The NIJ
standards are discussed in detail, as well as the use of the standards in body
armor procurement.
Body Armor Standards and Testing
NIJ and its National Law
Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) administer a voluntary
compliance testing program to assess whether models of ballistic- and stab-
resistant body armor comply with NIJ Standards. The NIJ Standards identify
minimum performance criteria critical to protecting officers from various
threats.
Bulletproof
Vest Partnership
Bulletproof Vest
Partnership, US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and Bureau
of Justice Assistance
Body Armor Works
"We have had a
tremendous response and enthusiasm from soldiers on the Interceptor Body
Armor" - The Association of the US Army
NLECTC Body Armor Database
This database provides a
comprehensive listing of all models that have been tested by NLECTC and found
to comply with NIJ Standard-0101.03, Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor,
NIJ Standard-0101.04, Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Armor, and NIJ
Standard-0115.00, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor.
A History of Body Armor - Bullet Proof Vests
Lightweight body armor or
bullet proof vests have been widely available for use by law enforcement
personnel for more than 20 years. Humans throughout recorded history have used
various types of materials as body armor to protect themselves from injury in
combat and other dangerous situations. At first, protective clothing and
shields were made from animal skins. As civilizations became more advanced,
wooden shields and then metal shields came into use. Eventually, metal was also
used as body armor, what we now refer to as the suit of armor associated with
the knights of the Middle Ages. However, with the advent of firearms (c.1500),
most of the traditional body armor were no longer effective. In fact, the only
real protection available against firearms were man-made barriers, such as
stone or masonry walls, or natural barriers, such as rocks, trees, and ditches.
How Does Body Armor Work? Methods of Construction
Materials Used
When a handgun bullet
strikes body armor, it is caught in a "web" of very strong fibers.
These fibers absorb and disperse the impact energy that is transmitted to the
vest from the bullet, causing the bullet to deform or "mushroom."
Additional energy is absorbed by each successive layer of material in the vest,
until such time as the bullet has been stopped.
How Body Armor Works
In this edition of HowStuffWorks,
we'll look at soft body armor and other modern body armor technologies to see
how they can stop bullets. We'll also find out about the range of body armor
options available and see how the government tests and rates body armor.
New fibers could lighten body armor
Two new fibers are vying
to one day replace the respected but heavier Kevlar, the staple of body armor
for decades, as the Army strives to enhance mobility by reducing the soldier
load
25 Questions and Answers About Personal Body Armor
Body armor FAQ from
JustNet
Making a Body Armor Standard
From Museum.NIST.gov
Police Body Armor Standards and Testing
Every year, about 60
sworn police officers are shot to death in the line of duty. At the same time,
about 20 are saved by wearing body armor. Had all the officers shot in recent
years been wearing body armor when shot, another 15 per year would likely have
been saved from fatal gunshot wounds, roughly doubling the present number
saved, and more than 15 others would likely have been saved from death by other
causes.
Surviving a Shooting: Your Guide to Personal Body Armor
Streaming video (Windows
Media Player)
Simula Receives Patent for Body Armor Technology
Simula announced that it
has received a U.S. patent for its latest body armor design. The unique design
enables fabrication of the industry's lightest-weight body armor, protecting
the wearer against handgun threats.
The Effects of Frangible Ammunition Against Ballistic-Resistant
Armor
Frangible bullets, which
are composites of hybrid materials either pressed together at high pressure or
glued together with adhesives, are primarily used in training exercises to
reduce lead hazards on firing ranges. Frangible bullets are designed to break
up into smaller pieces upon contact with harder objects or surfaces. These
small fragments quickly lose energy and significantly reduce the possibility of
injury from ricochet, making them ideal for use in training exercises.
Weapons
and Protective Systems
National Institute of
Standards; Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory; Office of Law
Enforcement Standards: Weapons and Protective Systems: This project area
provides ongoing technical support and research for the National Institute of
Justice (NIJ) standard for ballistic-resistant body armor (bullet-resistant
vests), which OLES first developed for NIJ in 1972. The body armor program is
part of NIJ's successful Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing
Program, through which companies may have their products voluntarily certified
as compliant with the standard. Ballistic-resistant body armor has been
credited with saving more than 2500 lives, and the program's evaluations of new
materials and ballistic threats and its revisions of the standard help ensure
the continued effectiveness of this technology. This project area also develops
and supports other equipment performance standards vital to the safety of law
enforcement and corrections personnel, including stab-resistant body armor;
ballistic helmets; riot helmets and face shields; bomb suits; metallic
handcuffs; and firearms.
New fibers could lighten body armor
Two new fibers, Zylon and
M5, are vying to one day replace the respected but heavier Kevlar, the staple
of body armor for decades, as the Army strives to enhance mobility by reducing
the soldier load.
The Comfort of Protection
Prevention is the best
medicine. But if prevention fails then protection is the next line of defense. Body
armor is the last line of defense a soldier has on the battlefield. Technology
is making it better.
Body Armor Patents
6,961,957: Energy absorbing device for ballistic
body armor
6,922,847: Multipurpose thin and lightweight stab
and ballistic resistant body armor and method
6,892,392: Personal body armor
D504,980: Body armor leg protector
6,845,513: Ballistic body armor employing
combination of desiccant and ballistic material
6,793,291: Vehicle body armor support system
(V-Bass)
6,766,529: Body armor carrier compression shirt
6,748,601: Articulating body protective device
6,745,394: Ballistic resistant body covering
6,705,197: Lightweight fabric based body armor
6,698,024: Modular front opening body armor
6,681,400: Dual use body armor
6,651,543: Lightweight soft body-armor product
6,627,562: Blunt trauma reduction fabric for body
armor
6,605,334: Tactical body armor
6,588,019: Impact structure for the absorption of
impact forces to the body
D476,793: Garment combining body armour and outer
shell
D476,138: Garment combining body armour and outer
shell
6,453,791: Concealable body armor briefs
6,370,690: Lightweight fragmentation resistant
body armor configuration
6,363,527: Thermal control apparatus for body
armor
6,263,511: Breathable garment to be worn to
improve the comfort of the human body
6,103,641: Blunt trauma reduction fabric for body
armor
D429,384: Protective body suit
6,026,510: Bullet deflection, fighting position
body armor
6,012,162: High impact absorbing body armor with
self actuating mode
5,996,115: Flexible body armor
5,970,513: Multi-piece integrated body armor
system (MIBAS)
5,804,757: Flexible, lightweight, compound body
armor
5,774,891: Body garment including an outer
protecting portion and an inner breathable portion
5,697,098: Layered composite body armor
5,495,621: Body armor vest anchoring system and
method
5,495,620: Body armor vest and method of
manufacture
5,471,906: Body armor cover and method for making
the same
5,423,087: Body protective device
5,410,756: Body armor with thermoformable shock dispersing
means
5,353,437: Combination helmet and body protection
device
5,331,683: Protective body armor garment shell
5,325,538: Body armor vest for unobtrusive wear
over a shirt
5,306,557: Composite tactical hard body armor
5,179,244: Reinforced soft and hard body armor
5,168,576: Body protective device
5,157,792: Body armor vest and method of
manufacture
5,073,985: Protective body armor garment shell
5,072,453: Body protection system
5,044,011: Articulated body armor
5,020,157: Ballistic protective insert for use
with soft body armor by female personnel
4,951,689: Armoring system for protective body
covers
4,783,853: Protective body suit
4,680,812: Armor for protecting body regions
4,660,223: Protective body armor
4,578,821: Body armor for women
4,522,871: Ballistic material for flexible body
armor and the like
4,302,847: Body protective clothing
4,183,097: Body armor for women
4,181,768: Body armor laminate
Body Armor Standards Chart
Types of Ballistic Resistance
for Body Armor Defined by NIJ Standard 0101.03 |
|||
Type |
Bullet caliber and type |
Bullet mass (grains) |
Impact velocity (ft/s) |
I |
.22 long rifle high
velocity |
40 |
1,050 |
II-A |
.357 jacketed soft
point |
158 |
1,250 |
II |
.357 jacketed soft
point |
158 |
1,395 |
III-A |
.44 magnum lead semi
wadcutter gas checked |
240 |
1,400 |
III |
7.62 mm full metal
jacket |
150 |
2,750 |
IV |
.30-06 armor piercing |
166 |
2,850 |
Special |
Custom |
custom |
custom |