Table of Contents

Overview
Preface
Sample Chapter

1          THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT................................................... 1

1.1               The Earliest Forms Of Protective Clothing............................................... 1

1.2               The First World War.................................................................................... 3

1.3               The Second World War............................................................................... 7

1.4               The Korean And Vietnam Wars................................................................. 9

1.5               Police Body Armour.................................................................................. 11

1.6               The Recent Past—And What Is Happening Now?................................ 19

1.7               And Finally ................................................................................................. 13

2          THE THREAT: WHY DO WE NEED PROTECTION?............. 15

2.1               Introduction................................................................................................ 15

2.2               Threat Classification.................................................................................. 17

2.3               Small-Arms Bullets.................................................................................... 20

2.4               Rifle Bullets................................................................................................ 22

2.5               Handgun Bullets......................................................................................... 23

2.6               Fragmenting Munitions............................................................................. 26

2.7               Knives.......................................................................................................... 29

2.7.1            What Happens During a Stab?.................................................................. 31

2.7.2            Principles of Stab Body Armour Design................................................. 31

2.7.3            Stab Protection Levels............................................................................... 32

3          BODY ARMOUR MATERIALS AND MECHANICS................ 35

3.1               The ‘Best’ Armour Material..................................................................... 36

3.2               Steel and Other Metals.............................................................................. 37

3.3               Flexible Armour Materials........................................................................ 38

3.4               How Do Soft Armours Work?.................................................................. 40

3.5               Fibre Composites........................................................................................ 44

3.5.1            How Do Fibre-Composite Armours Work?............................................ 45

3.6               Ceramic-Faced Armour Materials........................................................... 46

3.6.1            How Do Ceramic-Faced Armours Work?............................................... 48

3.7               Transparent Armours................................................................................. 50

4          BODY ARMOUR DESIGN: HOW DIFFICULT CAN IT BE?... 53

4.1               Basic Design Considerations.................................................................... 53

4.2               Additional Plates........................................................................................ 65

5          HEAD AND FACE PROTECTION: HOW DO WE PROVIDE IT?    69

5.1               Helmet Design............................................................................................. 70

5.2               Face Protection........................................................................................... 80

5.2.1            But What Transparent Materials Do We Use?....................................... 82

6          TEST METHODS: HOW DO WE KNOW WE ARE GETTING THE PROTECTION THAT WE EXPECT?................................................................. 87

6.1               Introduction................................................................................................ 87

6.2               Ballistic Tests for Body Armour.............................................................. 91

6.2.1            Bullets.......................................................................................................... 91

6.2.2            Fragments.................................................................................................... 96

6.3               Testing Stab-Resistant Materials........................................................... 103

6.4               Non-Ballistic Test Methods for Helmets.............................................. 105

6.5               A Warning Note........................................................................................ 106

7          SELECTING A BODY ARMOUR: HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH ARMOUR TO BUY?........................................................................................ 107

7.1               Introduction.............................................................................................. 107

7.2               Cost............................................................................................................ 109

7.3               Protection Levels..................................................................................... 110

7.4               Weight, Comfort, and Compatibility..................................................... 110

7.5               Who to Buy from...................................................................................... 111

7.6               Summing Up.............................................................................................. 112

8          ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS...................... 113

9          FOR WHOM IT MAY CONCERN........................................... 121

9.1               Introduction.............................................................................................. 121

9.2               Useful Conversion Factors..................................................................... 121

9.3               Bullets........................................................................................................ 122

9.4               Ballistic-Protection Testing Standards................................................. 123

9.5               Ballistic Limit Velocities........................................................................ 125

9.6               Armour Materials..................................................................................... 126

9.7               Body Armour Weight.............................................................................. 128

9.8               Knife Protection Standards..................................................................... 129

9.9               Drop Heights for Helmet and Knife Testing........................................ 129

9.10             Blast........................................................................................................... 130

GLOSSARY.......................................................................................... 131

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