Modern Body Armour and Helmets

The first coverings worn by humans were to protect against the elements and injury. While that requirement still exists , very specialised garments have been developed to protect against the effects of bullets, bombs, knives and other weapons. This book is about these forms of protective clothing - body armour and helmets. The protection of personnel against the effects of weapons has become an important not only to those in the military or in law enforcement but also to others such as journalists and medical staff who might be at risk in the course of their duties. This introduction to the modern body armour and helmets is written in non-technical language, mainly for the reader who has little or no previous knowledge of materials technology, design, or ballistics. They The book describes anti-personnel weapons and ammunition and the materials which are used to stop these threats. The book also explains how body armour and helmets are designed, how both the basic materials and the finished clothing and headwear are tested and how to select appropriate armours and helmets. After briefly discussing the development of body armour and helmets in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 looks at classification of threats, including small-arms, rifle and handgun bullets; fragmenting munitions, and knives. Based on the protection required, Chapter 3 discusses the armour materials including steel and other metals, flexible armour materials, fibre composites, ceramic-faced armours, and transparent armours. Chapter 4 discusses basic armour design considerations and Chapter 5 looks at helmet design and face protection. Chapter 6 discusses testing. Chapter 7 addresses the issues of cost, protection levels, weight, comfort, and compatibility. Chapter 8 looks briefly at alternative materials and systems. Finally, Chapter 9 provides technical data and information.