War has accompanied humanity since ancient times, and the search for the best offensive weapons has always gone hand in hand with the development of protection against these weapons. For example, medieval armor evolved into bulletproof vests with the advent of firearms, and over time, they transformed from relatively simple and bulky designs into true masterpieces of technological and engineering art. Observing their evolution, we see how ideas grew into real innovations: from simple designs made of natural materials to the use of modern high-strength fabrics and composite materials.
Bulletproof vests are a necessity for the protection of both military and civilians, so let’s start by figuring out what a modern bulletproof vest consists of and what types are available.
What does a bulletproof vest consist of?
As a rule, a bulletproof vest has two main components: a cover for protective elements and the protective elements themselves. Everything is simple with the cover; it must be as wear-resistant as possible to withstand all possible adversities that it may encounter along with its user. Covers are usually made of fabrics such as Cordura® with a density of 500 or 1000 D. If we talk about protective elements, there is much more variety here. Let’s start with the fact that there are two types of protective elements: soft ballistic packages or armor plates.
Soft ballistic panels are made from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) – for example, Dyneema® – or from aramid fabrics such as Twaron® or Kevlar®. Each material has its own advantages and drawbacks: for example, Kevlar has a higher ignition/heat-resistance temperature but is less tolerant of prolonged contact with water. The main advantage driving manufacturers toward UHMWPE is its lower weight for the same level of ballistic protection. Ballistic panels provide protection against fragments and pistol rounds, which generally have lower kinetic energy compared with rifle ammunition.
As for armor plates, they are made of special types of steel, titanium, or ceramics in combination with other components. The advantage of armor plates is their ability to protect against ballistic threats with higher kinetic energy, such as armor-piercing bullets, but the price to pay for this is the greater weight of the protective element. Therefore, armor plates protect specific critical areas, while the rest of the body armor is covered by lighter ballistic packages that provide protection from shrapnel.
Among the elements that can provide additional convenience, it is worth highlighting the quick-release fastener. In military operations, there are situations that require quickly removing the body armor, and in such cases, the speed and convenience of performing such an operation can cost lives, so this is a highly desirable element in a bulletproof vest.
As for other components, it is very convenient to have an adjustment system that reliably adapts the vest to your size. Another element that provides comfort in modern bulletproof vests is the presence of a 3D mesh for ventilation, which significantly reduces the effect of overheating when wearing a bulletproof vest.
Types of bulletproof vests
Depending on their purpose, bulletproof vests can be military, civilian, or for special tasks, such as aprons for demining.
If we talk about military bulletproof vests, the simplest representative of this class is a plate carrier. As the name implies, it is primarily designed to carry armor plates and has little or no additional protection against shrapnel.
“Due to the extensive use of artillery during the Russian aggression against Ukraine, most military and civilian injuries are caused by shrapnel, so a plate carrier can only be considered a compromise option. A bulletproof vest with a large area of effective protection would be a more optimal choice.”
Plastoon XM kit 7 modular bulletproof vest, mm14, pixel
Full-fledged bulletproof vests provide approximately twice as much anti-fragmentation protection as conventional plate carriers, and are therefore a more reliable option for ensuring personal safety. However, numerous artillery attacks by the Russians have led to the spread of another type of protection – the modular bulletproof vest. This type of body armor, when fully equipped, protects an area five times larger than a plate carrier, including modules such as neck, abdomen, groin, thigh, and shoulder protection. Thus, a modular bulletproof vest is best suited to the conditions of modern warfare, allowing certain elements of protection to be removed or added depending on the complexity and requirements of combat missions.
There are two other types of bulletproof vests worth mentioning. The first is a concealed bulletproof vest. It is designed for those who want protection that is invisible to the outside eye. Therefore, such body armor is made of light, thin, and flexible materials that are invisible to the outside eye. The second type is a bulletproof vest that protects against cold weapons. They are better than conventional body armor at protecting against blows from sharp objects and can withstand blows with a force of 40 joules.
Body armor protection standards
DSTU 8782:2018
The main Ukrainian standard used to assign protection classes to body armor is DSTU 8782. According to this standard, the first and second classes of ballistic protection are assigned to body armor capable of withstanding various types of pistol bullets. A DSTU class 4 bulletproof vest is considered a military standard because it can withstand most of the standard bullets encountered by soldiers on the front lines. For threats with greater kinetic energy, a DSTU class 6 bulletproof vest is designed to withstand armor-piercing bullets fired from SVDs.
It should also be noted that a soft ballistic package can provide DSTU protection classes 1 to 3, while metal plates can typically provide up to DSTU class 5. Only ceramic plates can provide DSTU class 6 while remaining relatively comfortable to wear. It is worth mentioning another important point here: when we say that a bulletproof vest has DSTU protection class 4 or 6, we mean armor plates, since the ballistic packages in it will be of the first or second class.
NIJ
If we compare DSTU with the American standard, which is also quite common in Ukraine – NIJ, we can state that they cannot be 100 percent synchronized, since other types of bullets are more common in the US. However, in general, if we make a rough comparison, Ukrainian DSTU class 4 corresponds to NIJ class III, and DSTU class 6 corresponds to NIJ class IV. If you want to understand this issue in more detail, you should familiarize yourself with this table.
Stanag 2920
Stanag 2920 is an international standard that determines the level of anti-fragmentation protection. Testing is conducted using Fragment Simulating Projectiles (FSPs) – standardized steel fragments that imitate shrapnel from exploding munitions. The test is conducted by firing at armor at different ballistic velocities until the velocity at which the fragments penetrate the armor and the velocity at which the fragments do not penetrate the armor are obtained. V50 is the average velocity of six shots (3 at the lowest and 3 at the highest velocities at which the fragments penetrate the armor). According to the standard, F1 is the minimum acceptable V50 value of 400 m/s, F2 is V50 of 450 m/s, F3 – V50 – 500 m/s, F4 – V50 – 550 m/s, F5 – V50 – 600 m/s, F6 – V50 – 650 m/s. There are restrictions on the minimum acceptable indicators for some PPE (personal protective equipment). For example, for an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) bomb suit, the minimum V50 under STANAG 2920 is 450 m/s.
Tips for choosing and caring for a bulletproof vest
When choosing a bulletproof vest, consider the conditions in which you will be using it. While assault troops will need to use armor plates because they often find themselves in crossfire situations, for most other military personnel or humanitarian mission representatives, the greatest threat will come primarily from shrapnel, and therefore greater protection area should be ensured.
The weight of the body armor should also be taken into account, as wearing body armor weighing more than 12 kg for long periods of time can have health consequences. Therefore, the level of protection and weight of the body armor should be carefully calculated. Currently, the most common way to reduce the weight of body armor while maintaining its protective properties is to replace metal armor plates with ceramic ones. Two plates of the same class can save 2 kg in weight, which is a significant difference.
When washing the bulletproof vest cover, all protective elements should be removed from it beforehand, and only then proceed with cleaning.
