A brief history of the appearance of body armor. History of the emergence and development of body armor Features of protective equipment
The history of military operations that have been and are taking place today has given impetus to the development of personal protective equipment for each soldier or other people. According to statistics, the most effective means of preserving life during combat operations is army body armor. This allows you to keep the human body unharmed when exposed to bullets of different calibers, fragments from grenades and shells, as well as knife blows.
In many countries, almost simultaneously, the production of body armor began, which was mainly used for law enforcement agencies and army units. The technologies that are used to obtain a more reliable protection system are constantly being improved, and a large amount of money is spent on this.
Main characteristics of body armor
To have high protective properties, protection must have exceptional characteristics of resistance to impact from a bullet or other objects. They also have other important features that allow them to be used without harm to health.
The best body armor have a certain set of characteristics:
- The required level of protection according to the class in which it was manufactured.
- Convenient operation.
- Camouflage appearance.
- Practical to use.
- High-strength fabric shell.
- Manufacturability during modernization.
- Convenient weight indicators.
- Test certificate of conformity.
A bulletproof vest, the price of which is quite high, must meet almost all of the listed characteristics. If the main ones are not met, then such products should be discarded and not allowed for sale.
Protection classes
Since human protection in different conditions should involve different degrees, then, accordingly, all body armor should be divided into protection classes. There are seven of them in total. The simplest and most ineffective is the first class of body armor. The higher the class, the more reliable the protection.
1 class
This is the initial level at which the human body can protect itself from minor threats. A body armor of class 1 protection is capable of protecting the body from light blows from a knife and dagger, as well as providing protection from small-caliber bullets. It will also withstand being hit by a 9mm pistol bullet from a long distance. The total weight of such a bulletproof vest does not exceed 2.5 kg. This type can be used for protection against air guns and other small caliber pistols. Since this means of protection does not use metal plates, it can only protect against a not very strong blow with a knife.
2nd grade
A body armor of class 2 protection is capable of protecting against bullets from small-caliber pistols and pneumatic weapons. It also withstands a steel-jacketed bullet. The protective layer consists of 7 layers of fabric, which are a rigid plexus. The second class can also protect against shotgun pellets. If you use this body armor against knife threats, it will be more effective, but still, in the event of a strong blow, it will not be able to protect a person. The advantage of this body armor is its low weight of 3 kg and the ability to use it under clothing due to its compact size.
3rd grade
The body armor of the 3rd protection class has steel plates and more than 25 layers of durable fabric in its design. There are also special softening pads that, when hit, neutralize the impact force. This body armor is capable of resisting a reinforced bullet from a pistol, as well as a blow from a knife. It will also protect against bullets from smoothbore rifles. This class of body armor must guarantee protection against AK-47 bullets. Its weight is no more than 9 kg. It is usually worn over army uniforms or other tough clothing.
4th grade
The design of the 4th protection class body armor is similar to the previous one, but it has greater protection in the chest, back and abdomen. This class reliably protects against both pistols and the SVD sniper rifle. It can withstand 5.45 and 7.62 caliber bullets, which have a soft core. This means of protection is mainly used in law enforcement agencies as a basic body armor.
5th grade
Body armor of class 5 protection is one of the most reliable. It can withstand hits from 5.45 and 7.62 calibers. When protecting against such bullets, the following situations are possible: ordinary bullets penetrate from a distance of 5 meters, armor-piercing bullets - from 10 meters, a pistol bullet is held at point-blank range. The weight of a bulletproof vest can vary from 11 to 20 kilograms, depending on the modification and materials used.
6th grade
Body armor of protection class 6 is capable of withstanding direct hits from all types of sniper rifle bullets. It will also eliminate the impact of a bullet with a heat-reinforced steel core. The weight of such a bulletproof vest can be more than 20 kilograms.
7th grade
Body armor of the 7th protection class is a modified version of the previous class, and it comes with reinforced armor in the form of It is installed in front and behind the body armor.
Transobstructive displacement
Body armor with protection classes of 3 or more are endowed with a unique characteristic - the so-called over-barrier armor displacement. It shows how many millimeters a sheet of armor bends when it is hit by a sustained bullet. This displacement can be more traumatic if it is large than the bullet itself. The fact is that a large indentation from a bullet can also cause damage to the body, and as a result, fractures, ruptures and other injuries are possible. It should be noted that Russian GOST very strictly regulates the maximum displacement. It should not exceed 20 millimeters. Therefore, if you need to choose body armor whose protection classes are higher than the second, you must first make sure of the magnitude of their displacement. This can be done by testing in the field.
Exploitation
In order for the body armor to protect a person from possible injuries and not hinder movements, it is made as comfortable as possible to wear. Protective parts must not interfere with movement or other activities. Therefore, protective equipment is mainly made of fabric into which metal plates are installed. The material is in most cases durable and prevents the components from sagging. In addition, the body armor usually has various pockets and fastenings that increase its functionality.
To ensure that the protective equipment is fully sized for each person, special tightening and adjustment straps are provided. They allow you to more accurately fit the body armor to the body and make it more convenient to use.
The external coloring is a design that is applied to the uniform of all soldiers. There are also separate color options adapted to specific areas in which operation will take place.
Practicality
To avoid major inconvenience during use, the body armor should be quickly put on and taken off. Basically, all models use Velcro fastening. They hold the vest well on the body and are quickly separated if necessary.
It is worth noting that body armor, the protection classes of which are the same, can be completely different in appearance. This happens at the expense of various companies that produce such protective equipment. There are also separate modifications for use by tankers, snipers or other specialized military personnel. For example, a body armor of class 6 protection, which is designed for infantry, is completely unsuitable for tank crews. There is very little space in the tank cabin, and the entry hatches are small, so they require a special body armor with reduced dimensions for convenient operation. Also, many industries that require personal protective equipment require a separate model that would be adapted to the conditions of use.
Weight indicators
If the body armor weighs too much, then its effectiveness will not be high. Therefore, special alloys are being developed and new technologies are being used to reduce the weight of protective equipment. As a rule, a weight of more than 25 kilograms is already considered large and significantly affects the maneuverability of a soldier. For maximum lightness, plates made of titanium or based on its alloys can be used.
Kevlar body armor
There are special means of protection in which the main component is not metal, but a special fiber. It is five times stronger than steel. In addition, such body armor is much lighter than its counterparts with steel plates. Since the basis is high-strength fabric, the weight characteristics of such protective equipment are the best.
The material used was initially planned to be used for car tires, but when the developers saw its exceptional characteristics, it was decided to introduce it into the military industry. This material was developed independently by different countries. Thus, an analogue of Kevlar is the domestic durable fabric TSVM DZh. It was developed specifically for use in body armor and has proven itself well.
Certificate of conformity based on tests
Body armor classes indicate the degree of protection and must be tested in a special laboratory. It creates conditions where there is a direct hit from bullets of the caliber that the bulletproof vest should theoretically withstand. This may create various situations for a rebound or other imitations. After exposure to the body armor, specialists inspect the site of damage and make a conclusion about the suitability of the material and its compliance with the declared protection class. In this case, situations may arise when the material can withstand a direct hit, but the extreme displacement is too large. In this case, it is considered that the protection did not work, since it caused a lot of harm through its secondary action.
Compliance of Russian means of protection with foreign analogues
All body armor that is manufactured in different countries must adhere to the rules prescribed in the relevant GOSTs. They regulate the main indicators of armor when exposed to firearms, fragmentation grenades, knives and other types of impacts. In this regard, almost all manufacturers produce body armor with the same protection. But at the same time, Russian GOST is more critical in terms of the magnitude of the prohibitive displacement. In other countries, larger displacements are possible than provided for by the Russian standard.
New technologies in manufacturing
Scientists from England have developed a new type of body armor that contains liquid armor. The special substance is placed between several layers of Kevlar fabric and is a mixture of very strong nanoparticles in a special liquid. This armor feels soft and light to the touch. But if a bullet hits it, the point of contact instantly hardens and does not allow it to penetrate. This development has been developed, and models of body armor of this type have already been manufactured.
One new material that is being tested is graphene. It has exceptional properties of thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and also great strength under force. However, major problems in adapting this material to protective equipment significantly delay the date of its introduction into production. According to its characteristics, it is several times stronger than Kevlar and has a very thin structure.
Additional properties of protection products
Almost all body armor that uses good protection with steel plates will prevent a person from being hit by grenade or shell fragments. In this case, it is impossible to predict how the fragment will behave, and therefore this protection is considered conditional. Also, body armor with protection classes 6 and 7 can withstand a strong blow from a professional combat knife. But this is subject to a direct hit on the protection plate.
Recently, models of body armor have begun to be produced that have additional linings that help protect the neck, shoulder and groin areas. Such protection is much more effective than others, but at the same time the mobility of the person who uses such a vest decreases. Basically, these means of protection are used for special cases when, for example, a soldier does not need great maneuverability.
Features of material for body armor
When used during combat, there are many different factors that affect body armor. This may be fire, chemical, temperature or other. In order for these conditions not to reduce the protective effect, it is necessary for the vest to withstand such influence. To achieve this, the material is made non-flammable and resistant to chemicals. Also, body armor can be used both at temperatures of +40 degrees and during frosts down to -30 degrees.
For Kevlar body armor, an additional condition is resistance to detergents and sunlight. To do this, they are treated with special impregnations made from various substances, which increase resistance to these factors.
Prices for protective equipment
The average cost of an army body armor, which is accepted as standard equipment, is about 15 thousand rubles. Also, depending on desire, various modifications can be made by adding steel or ceramic plates to the body armor. The price of the product may vary depending on the manufacturer. The degree of protection is also of great importance. As a rule, the body armor whose price is the highest is equipped with maximum protection and is very convenient to use.
Features of protective equipment
One of the features that Kevlar body armor with ceramic inserts has is the high likelihood of its characteristics changing during long-term storage. They may reduce the protective properties of the vest. At the same time, to make sure that everything is normal and there are no defects, you need to check the protective plates using x-rays. Only in this case is it possible to detect hidden defects.
Specialized body armor
For personal safety, several modifications of vests have been developed that can be worn under clothing and will not interfere. They are primarily used by bodyguards and high-ranking people. Such protective equipment is disguised as a vest, coat, or simply worn under a shirt in the form of a T-shirt. However, it is not always convenient to do business with them, since their significant weight creates certain difficulties. There are also separate developments of body armor for children. Their weight does not exceed 2 kilograms, and this is a big plus for those who use them.
Women were not spared either. Several models of body armor have also been developed for them, which can be worn concealed. They are made with anatomical compliance and are convenient to use. However, it is not possible to increase the protection class for such vests beyond the fourth.
Finally
So, classes of body armor characterize the degree of their protection from bullets and other threats to life. Depending on the need, various protection options for humans are used. The most common are classes 4 and 5 of body armor. Such products protect a person well and do not create much inconvenience when used.
Each type of protective equipment is certified by a special laboratory, which, based on the results, can issue a certificate of compliance with the protection class. It is also worth noting the wide distribution of various modifications of body armor, which are used by individuals due to their professional activities.
They do not emit a warlike roar, do not sparkle with a surface polished to a mirror shine, they are not decorated with plumes and embossed coats of arms - and are often completely disguised under jackets. But today, without this unsightly-looking armor, it is simply unthinkable to send soldiers into battle or ensure the minimum security of VIPs...
History of the emergence and development of body armor
Who first came up with the idea of putting armor on a warrior to protect him from a fatal blow from the enemy is still a controversial issue.
In ancient times, hoplites (heavily armed ancient Greek infantry), like the warriors of Ancient Rome, wore bronze cuirasses, and these cuirasses had the shape of a muscular human body, which, in addition to aesthetic considerations and the psychological impact on the enemy, could also strengthen the structure, since these changes in the section play a role improvised stiffeners.
In terms of strength, bronze at that time was definitely more effective than iron, due to its viscosity, because humanity had only just begun to fully comprehend the basics of metallurgy and the properties of metals, and steel armor plates were still fragile and unreliable.
Bronze armor, including solid cuirasses, was used in the Roman army until the beginning of our era. The disadvantage of bronze was its high cost, therefore, in many respects, the Roman army owed its victories to the superiority of its infantry in terms of armor protection against an enemy who did not have effective protection against edged and throwing weapons.
The fall of Rome also led to the decline of the blacksmith's craft. In the Dark Ages, the main and almost only armor of knights was chain mail or scales. It was not as effective as a cuirass, and quite inconvenient due to its weight, but it still made it possible, to a certain extent, to reduce losses in hand-to-hand combat.
In the 13th century, the so-called “brigantine”, made of metal plates lined with cloth, began to be used to strengthen chain mail.
Brigantines were somewhat similar in design to modern body armor, but the quality of the materials available at that time and used in their manufacture did not allow effective protection from a direct, piercing blow in close combat. By the end of the 14th century, chain mail began to be replaced by more effective armor, and the brigantine became the lot of the poor warriors who made up the light infantry and archers.
For some time, knightly cavalry, well protected by steel armor, was an almost ideal means of deciding the outcome of any battle, until firearms put an end to its dominance on the battlefield.
The heavy armor of the knight turned out to be powerless against buckshot and often only aggravated bullet wounds - bullets and buckshot, having pierced the thin steel breastplate, ricocheted off the armor, inflicting additional fatal wounds.
There was only one way out of this situation - thanks to the imperfection of firearms, connected with the pace and accuracy of shooting, only the speed and maneuverability of the cavalry could save the situation, which means that the heavy armor worn by the knight was already a burden.
Therefore, only the cuirass remained the main armor of the cavalry of the 16-17th centuries, leading to the emergence of a new type of combat cavalry units - cuirassiers and hussars, whose swift attacks often turned the tide of historical battles. But with the improvement of military affairs and the modernization of firearms, this “armor” ultimately turned out to be a burden.
Cuirasses, undeservedly forgotten for several decades, returned to the Russian army only in 1812. On January 1, 1812, the highest decree was issued on the production of this safety equipment for the cavalry. By July 1812, all cuirassier regiments received a new type of cuirass, made of iron and covered with black paint.
The cuirass consisted of two halves - the chest and the back, fastened with two belts with copper tips, riveted to the back half at the shoulders and fastened on the chest with two copper buttons. For privates, these support belts had iron scales, for officers - copper.
The edges of the cuirass were lined with red cord, and the inside was lined with white canvas lined with cotton wool. Naturally, such protection did not hold a bullet, but in close combat, hand-to-hand combat or horse fighting, this type of armor protection was simply necessary. Subsequently, with a decrease in the effectiveness of this protection, the cuirass eventually remained in the army only as an element of ceremonial clothing.
The results of the Battle of Inkerman (1854), in which Russian infantry were shot as targets at a shooting range, and the stunning losses of George Edward Pickett’s (1825-1875) division in the Battle of Gettysburg (1863), literally mowed down by the fire of the northerners, forced commanders think not only about changing traditional battle tactics.
After all, the soldier’s chest was protected from deadly metal only by the thin cloth of his uniform.
As long as the battles consisted of an exchange of musket volleys followed by hand-to-hand threshing, this did not cause much concern. But with the advent of rapid-fire artillery, which covered the battlefield with shrapnel and fragmentation grenades, rapid-fire rifles, and then machine guns, the losses of the armies grew monstrously.
The generals had different attitudes towards the lives of their soldiers. Some people respected and took care of them, some considered death in battle to be honorable for a real man, for some, soldiers were simply expendable material. But they all agreed that excessive losses would not allow them to win the battle - or even lead to defeat. Particularly vulnerable were the soldiers of the infantry battalions going on the attack and the sapper companies operating on the front line - on whom the enemy concentrated his main fire. Therefore, the idea arose to find a way to protect at least them.
"Harvest of Death" One of the most famous photographs by American photographer Timothy O'Sullivan (1840-1882), taken on the day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Photo: Timothy H. O'Sullivan from the Library of Congress archives
She was the first to try to return the old reliable shield on the battlefield. In 1886, steel shields designed by Colonel Fisher, with special windows for shooting, were tested in Russia. Unfortunately, they were too thin and turned out to be ineffective - since they were easily shot through by new rifles. But the Japanese, who used British-made steel shields during the siege of Port Arthur, had another problem.
Having dimensions of 1 m by 0.5 m and sufficient thickness, these shields weighed 20 kg - so it was simply impossible to attack with them. Subsequently, the idea arose of placing similar heavy shields on wheels, which was transformed into the creation of armored boxes-carts - having climbed into which, the infantryman moved, pushing off with his feet. These were ingenious, but of little use, designs, since such a cart could only be pushed to the first obstacle.
Another project turned out to be promising - a return to the use of cuirass (shell). Fortunately, the idea was right before my eyes, since at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries it was still part of the ceremonial uniform of cuirassier regiments. It turned out that even a simple old-style cuirass (intended for protection against edged weapons) from a distance of a couple of ten meters can withstand a 7.62 mm bullet from a Nagant revolver. Accordingly, some thickening of it (to reasonable limits) could protect a person from something more powerful.
Thus began the revival of cuirass. It should be noted that Russia responded to the Japanese shields by ordering 100 thousand infantry cuirasses for its army from the French company Simone, Gesluen and Co. However, the delivered goods turned out to be unusable. Either the company cheated, or Paris was interested in the defeat of the Russians - which entailed an even greater involvement of Russia in debt bondage to French banks.
The protective equipment of the domestic design turned out to be reliable. Among their authors, the most famous is Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Chemerzin, who made cuirasses from various steel alloys developed by him. This talented man can without a doubt be called the father of Russian body armor.
“Catalogue of armor invented by Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Chemerzin” is the name of a brochure published in printing and sewn into one of the files stored in the Central State Military Historical Archive. It provides the following information: “Weight of shells: lightest 11/2 pounds (pound - 409.5 g), heaviest 8 pounds. Unnoticeable under clothes. Armor against rifle bullets, not penetrated by a 3-line military rifle, weighs 8 pounds. The shells cover: the heart, lungs, stomach, both sides, spinal column and back against the lungs and heart. The impenetrability of each shell is tested by shooting in the presence of the buyer.”
The “Catalogue” contains several test reports of shells carried out in 1905-1907. One of them reported: “In the presence of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE GOVERNMENT EMPEROR, on June 11, 1905, a machine gun company fired in the city of Oranienbaum. They fired from 8 machine guns at an alloy shell invented by Lieutenant Colonel Chemerzin from a distance of 300 steps. 36 bullets hit the shell. The shell was not broken and there were no cracks. The entire variable composition of the shooting school was present during the test.”
The shield-shell that the Sormovo Factory Society offered during the First World War.
The armor was also tested in the reserve of the Moscow Metropolitan Police, upon whose order they were manufactured. They were fired at at a distance of 15 steps. The shells, as noted in the act, “turned out to be impenetrable, and the bullets did not produce any fragments. The first batch turned out to be manufactured quite satisfactorily.”
The report of the reserve commission of the St. Petersburg Metropolitan Police stated: “The test gave the following results: when shooting at the chest and dorsal armor, covered with thin silk fabric, the first weighed 4 pounds 75 spools (spool - 4.26 g) and the second 5 pounds 18 spools , covering the chest, stomach, sides and back, bullets (Browning), having pierced the material, are deformed and make a depression on the shell, but do not pierce it, remaining between the matter and the shell, and no fragments of the bullet fly out.”
By the beginning of the First World War, cuirasses had become fashionable in Russia. The metropolitan police were equipped with them to protect them from the knives of criminals and the bullets of revolutionaries. Several thousand of them were sent to the army. Civilians who were afraid of armed robbery, despite the high prices (from 1,500 to 8,000 rubles), also became interested in cuirasses for concealed (under clothing) wear. Alas, along with the first demand for these prototypes of civilian body armor, the first crooks appeared who took advantage of them. Promising that their goods could not be shot through even by a machine gun, they sold cuirasses, which, to put it mildly, did not withstand any tests.
In the first days of 1918, the French artillery and technical department tested old cuirasses at the Fort de la Peña training ground. The soldiers, covered with a metal shell, were shot with a pistol, rifle and machine gun with quite encouraging results. With the outbreak of the First World War, cuirasses and similar means of protection were used not only by Russia, but also by other countries.
The American Army experimented with armor for its troops on the Western Front of World War I
The German army used helmets with special mounted armor. The pins of the additional protection fastenings on a standard German helmet caused only malicious judgments from the enemy about the “hornedness” of the Kaiser’s army, when the product itself, although it protected against a direct bullet hit, simply could not withstand the energy of a bullet strike in the soldier’s cervical vertebrae, making a hit fatal to anyway.
Testing other elements of armor protection in action showed their advantages and disadvantages. Of course, this was good protection for the torso - including its vital organs. However, the durability of the cuirass depended on its thickness. Too thin and light did not protect at all from standard rifle bullets and large fragments, while the thicker one weighed so much that it became impossible to fight in it.
German "body armor" 1916
However, research in the field of personal armor protection of infantry was not limited to the end of the First World War.
Creations of Italian military thought during the First World War
A relatively successful compromise was found in 1938, when the first experimental steel breastplate, CH-38 (SN-1), entered service with the Red Army. As the name implies, it protected the soldier only from the front (chest, stomach and groin). By saving on back protection, it became possible to increase the thickness of the steel sheet without overloading the fighter.
But all the weaknesses of this solution showed themselves during the Finnish company, and in 1941 the development and production of the CH-42 (CH-2) bib began. Its creators were the armor laboratory of the Institute of Metals (TsNIIM) under the leadership of M.I. Koryukov, one of the authors of the famous Soviet helmet, which is still in service today.
Steel bib CH-38 (CH-1)
CH-42 consisted of two plates three millimeters thick, upper and lower - since in a solid breastplate a soldier would not be able to help but bend or crouch. It protected well from shrapnel and from machine gun fire (at a distance of over 100 meters), although it could not withstand a shot from a rifle or machine gun. First of all, they were equipped with army special forces groups - assault engineer brigades (SHISBr). They were used in the most difficult areas: the capture of powerful fortifications, street battles. At the front they were called “armored infantry”, and also jokingly “crayfish”.
Soldiers usually put this “shell” on a padded jacket with the sleeves torn off, which served as an additional shock absorber, despite the fact that the breastplate had a special lining on the inside. But there were cases when the “shell” was worn on top of a camouflage suit, as well as on top of an overcoat.
According to reviews from front-line soldiers, the assessment of such a bib was the most controversial - from flattering reviews to complete rejection.
But after analyzing the combat path of the “experts,” you come to the following paradox: the breastplate was valuable in the assault units that “took” large cities, and negative reviews came mainly from the units that captured field fortifications. The “shell” protected the chest from bullets and shrapnel while the soldier was walking or running, as well as in hand-to-hand combat, so it was more necessary in street fighting.
However, in field conditions, assault sappers moved more on their bellies, and then the steel breastplate became an absolutely unnecessary hindrance. In units that fought in sparsely populated areas, these breastplates migrated first to battalion and then to brigade warehouses.
In 1942, an armored shield measuring 560x450 mm, made of 4 mm steel, was tested. Usually it was worn on a belt behind the back, and in a combat situation the shooter placed it in front of him and inserted the rifle into the provided slot. Fragmentary information has been preserved about the so-called “soldier’s armor” - a 5-mm steel sheet measuring 700x1000 mm and weighing 20-25 kg with edges curved inward and, again, a hole for a rifle. These devices were used by observers and snipers.
In 1946, the CH-46, the last steel breastplate, entered service. Its thickness was increased to 5 mm, which made it possible to withstand a burst from a PPSh or MP-40 type machine gun at a distance of 25 m, and for greater convenience for the fighter, it consisted of three parts.
The steel cuirass had three drawbacks: heavy weight, inconvenience when moving, and when hit by a bullet, splinters of steel and splashes of lead wounded its owner.
It was possible to get rid of them thanks to the use of fabric made of durable synthetic fibers as a material.
The Americans were among the first to create a new means of protection. During the Korean War, they provided their soldiers with multi-layer nylon vests. There were several types of them (M-1951, M-1952, M-12, etc.), and some had the cut of a real vest - fastened in the front. They were powerless against bullets, and in general were originally intended to protect the crews of military equipment from small fragments. That is why they covered the soldiers only to the waist. Somewhat later, bulletproof vests began to be issued to those soldiers who fought on “their own two” (that is, infantry). To do this, they were lengthened and protective collars were added. In addition, to enhance protection, metal plates began to be placed inside the body armor (sewn in or placed in special pockets).
The United States entered the Vietnam War with these body armor. An analysis of the losses of the American army showed that 70-75% of wounds were fragmentation, with the majority in the torso.
To reduce them, it was decided to put all the infantry in body armor, which saved many American soldiers and officers from injury, or even death. The emergence of the especially durable synthetic material Kevlar, developed in 1965 by the American company DuPont, as well as special ceramics, allowed the United States to begin producing body armor that could somehow protect its soldiers from bullets.
The first domestic body armor was made at the All-Union Institute of Aviation Materials (VIAM). It began to be developed in 1954, and in 1957 it received the index 6B1 and was accepted for supply to the USSR Armed Forces. About one and a half thousand copies were made and stored in warehouses. It was decided to launch mass production of body armor only in the event of a threatened period.
The protective composition of the BZ was a mosaic of hexagonal plates made of aluminum alloy, behind which there were several layers of nylon fabric and a batting lining. The vest protected against bullets of the 7.62x25 cartridge fired from a submachine gun (PPSh or PPS) from a distance of 50 meters and shrapnel.
In the initial period of the war in Afghanistan, a number of these armored vehicles ended up in units of the 40th Army. Although the protective characteristics of these body armor were considered insufficient, their operation gave positive experience. In February 1979, the Central Committee of the CPSU held a meeting on equipping OKSV units in Afghanistan with Personal Armor Protection. Representatives of the Steel Research Institute present at the meeting proposed to create a vest for the army using the design solutions of the ZhZT-71M body armor vest previously developed by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The first experimental batch of such body armor was sent to Afghanistan in March 1979. In 1981, the body armor was accepted for supply to the USSR Armed Forces under the name 6B2 (Zh-81).
Its protective composition consisted of ADU-605-80 titanium armor plates with a thickness of 1.25 mm and a ballistic screen made of TSVM-Dzh aramid fabric.
With a mass of 4.8 kg, the BZ provided protection from shrapnel and pistol bullets. He could no longer resist the bullets of long-barreled small arms (bullets from the 7.62x39 cartridge pierced the protective composition already at distances of 400-600 meters).
By the way, an interesting fact. The cover of this bulletproof vest was made of nylon fabric, and it was fastened with the then newfangled “Velcro.” All this gave the product a very “foreign” look. Which gave rise to numerous rumors that these BZ were purchased abroad - either in the Czech Republic, or in the GDR, or even in some capital country...
The war going on in Afghanistan required equipping the army with more reliable means of individual armor protection, providing protection from small arms bullets at real ranges of combined arms combat.
Two types of such body armor were developed and accepted for supply: 6B3TM and 6B4. The first used titanium armor plates ADU-605T-83 with a thickness of 6.5 mm, the second used ceramic ADU 14.20.00.000, made of boron carbide. Both body armor provided all-round bulletproof protection against bullets from the 7.62x39 PS cartridge from a distance of 10 meters.
However, the experience of military operation has shown that the weight of such protection is excessive. So, 6B3TM weighed 12.2 kg, and 6B4 - 12 kg.
As a result, it was decided to make the protection differentiated: the chest section was bulletproof, and the back section was anti-fragmentation (with titanium armor panels similar to those used in the 6B2 vest. This made it possible to reduce the weight of the vests to 8.2 and 7.6 kg, respectively. In 1985, such bulletproof vests were adopted for supply under the indexes 6B3-01 (Zh-85T) and 6B4-01 (Zh-85K).
When creating these body armor, an attempt was made for the first time to combine protective functions with the ability to carry combat gear. The special pockets of the vest covers could accommodate 4 magazines for an AK or RPK, 4 hand grenades, a gas mask and a radio station.
Based on the accumulated experience, it was decided to make a unified body armor, which, having a single design, could be equipped with various types of armor elements and provide various levels of protection.
This vest was accepted for supply in 1986 under the designation 6B5 (Zh-86). It was decided to leave the remaining bulletproof vests accepted for supply in the troops until they were completely replaced (in fact, the BZ 6B3-01 managed to fight in both the first and second Chechen campaigns).
The final series of Russian vests of the first generation is the 6B5 series of body armor. This series was created by the Steel Research Institute in 1985 after conducting a series of research works to determine standardized standard means of personal armor protection.
The 6B5 series was based on vests already developed and in use and included 19 modifications, differing in the level of protection, area, and purpose. A distinctive feature of this series is the modular principle of construction of protection. those. each subsequent model in the series could be formed from unified protective units. The latter included modules based on fabric structures, titanium, ceramics and steel.
The 6B5 body armor was adopted for service in 1986 under the designation Zh-86. The new vest was a case in which soft ballistic screens made of TSVM-DZh fabric, etc. were placed. circuit boards, in the pockets of which armor plates were placed. The following types of armor panels could be used in the protective composition: ceramic ADU 14.20.00.000, titanium ADU-605T-83 and ADU-605-80 and steel ADU 14.05 with a thickness of 3.8 mm.
Early models of body armor had covers made of nylon fabric in various shades of green or gray-green. There were also batches with covers made of cotton fabric with a camouflage pattern (two-color for the KGB and Air Force units of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, three-color for the Airborne Forces and Marine Corps).
After the adoption of the general military camouflage pattern “Flora”, the 6B5 body armor was also produced with the same camouflage pattern.
The 6B5 bulletproof vest consists of a front and a back, connected in the shoulder area with a textile fastener and a belt-buckle fastening for height adjustment. The front and back consist of covers in which fabric protective pockets and blocks of pockets and armor elements are located. The protective properties are maintained after exposure to moisture when using water-repellent covers for protective pockets.
The body armor is equipped with two water-repellent covers for protective pockets, two spare armor elements and a bag. All models of body armor are equipped with a fragmentation collar. On the outside of the body armor cover there are pockets for machine gun magazines and other weapons. There are bolsters in the shoulder area that prevent the gun belt from slipping off the shoulder.
During the turbulent 90s, the development of army personal protective equipment stalled, and funding for many promising body armor projects was curtailed. But rampant crime in the country gave impetus to the development and production of personal armor protection for individuals. Demand for them in these early years greatly exceeded supply.
It is no coincidence that in Russia, companies offering these products began to appear like mushrooms after rain. After only 3 years, the number of such companies exceeded 50. The apparent simplicity of body armor brought a lot of amateur companies, and sometimes outright charlatans, into this area.
As a result, the quality of body armor that flooded the Russian market has dropped sharply. While evaluating one of these “body armor,” experts from the Steel Research Institute once discovered that it used ordinary food-grade aluminum as protective elements. Obviously, such a vest did not protect from anything other than being hit by a ladle.
Therefore, in 1995, a significant step was taken in the field of personal armor protection - the appearance of GOST R 50744-95 (link), which regulates the classification and technical requirements for body armor.
Progress did not stand still, and the army needed new body armor. The concept of BKIE (basic set of individual equipment) appeared, in which body armor played a significant role. The first project of the BKIE “Barmitsa” contained the theme “Visor” - a new army body armor to replace the body armor of the “Beehive” series.
Within the framework of the “Visor” theme, body armor vests 6B11, 6B12, 6B13 were created and put into service in 1999. Uncharacteristically for the Soviet period, these body armor were developed and produced by a significant number of organizations and differ significantly in their characteristics. Body armor 6B11, 6B12, 6B13 are produced or were produced by the Research Institute of Steel, TsVM Armokom, NPF Tekhinkom, JSC Kirasa.
In general, 6B11 is a body armor of the 2nd protection class, weighing about 5 kg. 6B12 - provides protection for the chest according to the 4th protection class, for the back - according to the second. Weight - about 8 kg. 6B13 - all-round protection of the 4th class, weighing about 11 kg.
Boron carbide, together with corundum and silicon carbide, is still used today for the manufacture of body armor in the Russian army. Unlike metals, these materials, when hit by a bullet, do not create fragments - which surgeons then have to pick out, but crumble into safe “sand” (like car glass).
In addition to several basic general-arms (infantry) models, the army and special services also have an innumerable number of specific ones: from protective kits for pilots to armored suits for sappers that look like space suits, reinforced with a special frame - which must withstand not only fragments, but also a blast wave. You can’t do without some oddities: in fact, body armor has always been “cut out” for men, but now women are joining the army en masse, whose figure, as you know, has some differences.
Meanwhile, they promise to make another revolution in the production of body armor. For example, the Dutch company Heerlen announced the development of Dyneema SB61 fabric made from polyethylene fiber, which, according to it, is 40% stronger than Kevlar.
And specialists from the University of Delaware and the US Army Research Laboratory (USA) proposed a completely original “liquid armor”. Their experimental sample is a Kevlar fabric impregnated with STF material - a mixture of microscopic quartz particles and polyethylene glycol. The point of the innovation is that quartz particles, having penetrated the fabric fibers, replace inconvenient insert armor plates.
As in the case of military cuirasses, after the appearance of body armor in the army, civilians also wanted to have them. The excitement for them arose immediately after the Korean War - soldiers returning home told many fantastic stories about “magic vests”.
As a result, a myth arose that a simple fabric bulletproof vest is completely impenetrable. Moreover, tales appeared about certain “armored shirts” - which turned out to be a common scam.
Judge for yourself: the shirt is made from just one layer of fabric, which is not enough even to protect against a miniature Browning.
To protect yourself, you should wear at least a Kevlar padded jacket.
Typical civilian body armor is classified as class 1-3. The first, made of several layers of fabric, protects against bullets from pistols such as PM and Nagant - but no more! In addition, it can easily be pierced by a stiletto or an awl, which passes through the Kevlar fabric, pushing its fibers apart (like through the links of chain mail).
The second class includes fairly thick, dense vests, reinforced in the most vital places with thin inserts (usually metal). They are designed for TT pistol bullets and pistol models chambered for 9 mm.
The third class consists of less comfortable body armor equipped with armor plates. They are designed to protect against shots from light machine guns - there is not an automatic Kalashnikov assault carbine, but submachine guns such as PPSh, Uzi, Kochler-Koch, etc. All three classes are concealed body armor that is worn under a shirt, sweater, or jacket. If you wish and have additional funds, they will be made to order for you, in any style and color.
Quite often, customers ask for them to be made in the form of a regular suit vest or women’s corset, sometimes to be disguised as a jacket or jacket. This is necessary mainly for aesthetic reasons, so as not to shock others - if its owner is a public figure.
It should be noted that body armor has a wider range of owners than it seems at first glance. For example, in Israel they are sometimes ordered for children - for obvious reasons. And in the UK they want to put body armor on police dogs.
The fourth and fifth classes of body armor are already classified as professional, combat - and they are intended for the army, police, and special services. These thick and rather heavy “shells” that are worn over the suit promise that your body armor will protect not only from fragments of a grenade exploding nearby, but will also withstand a bullet from a Kalashnikov assault rifle, M-16, and even a sniper rifle. But not at point-blank range, but from a distance of several hundred meters, and a simple one, and not with an armor-piercing core - which passes through the Kevlar threads just like an awl and pierces the plates.
Theoretically, a plate can be inserted into a bulletproof vest that can withstand even a bullet from a heavy machine gun. But this will not save the soldier in any way. And that's why.
Armor, be it steel, Kevlar or composite, only delays a bullet or fragment: only part of its kinetic energy is converted into heat during inelastic deformations of the vest and the bullet itself. However, the momentum remains. And when a pistol bullet hits a bulletproof vest, it causes a blow that can be compared to a good hook from a professional boxer. A bullet from a machine gun will hit the armor plate with the force of a sledgehammer - breaking ribs and knocking out the insides. That is why, even under steel cuirasses and breastplates, soldiers put padded jackets or homemade pillows under their steel cuirasses and breastplates - to at least somehow soften the blow. Now shock-absorbing pads made of porous spring materials are used for this. But they help only partially.
It’s not hard to imagine what will happen when hit by a 12.7 mm bullet. It is unlikely that even the most experienced surgeon can mend a poor fellow with minced lungs and a crumbling spine. That is why increasing the bullet resistance of a bulletproof vest is only advisable up to a certain point - beyond which it is simply better not to tempt fate.
Today we are looking at Russian body armor, classes, design and history.
An armored vest is a personal protective equipment, the purpose of which is to protect the torso from injury from bullets, grenade fragments and environmental elements during explosions.
Today it is not known for certain who came up with the idea of protecting a warrior’s body with armor. However, many peoples used various protective clothing in ancient times.
Thus, the soldiers of Ancient Greece (hoplites) and the legionnaires of Rome wore cuirasses made of bronze (quite an expensive material for that time), which were made in the form of a muscular athlete’s body. It should be noted that the relief of muscles was used not only for the aesthetic beauty of protection, but also for practical purposes. The fact is that all transitions in the structure of the torso (chest muscles, abs) were stiffening ribs, which strengthened the structure.
Antique armor - cuirass
After the fall of the Roman Empire, many crafts fell into decline, including blacksmithing. Therefore, for a long time, warriors used less effective and relatively heavy chain mail for protection, coupled with restraining iron armor. In the 13th century, protection was invented in the form of metal plates lined with cloth. The shape of this protection resembled a modern body armor. The brigantine was worn under chain mail mainly by poor warriors who could not afford to purchase protective armor.
And although knightly armor allowed troops to successfully win battles, it turned out to be powerless against the emerging firearms. But the imperfection of guns could only be overcome by speed of movement. To do this, the warriors had to abandon heavy armor and return to cuirasses in the form of a shell (two oval plates for the back and stomach, tightened with leather belts). Cuirasses were used by almost all European countries, including Russian soldiers in the War of 1812.
The design of a modern body armor
Modern Russian body armor differs from ancient prototypes in its ergonomics and high resistance to certain influences. However, in their design they are similar to cuirasses and brigantines, as they include sections to protect the back and chest. They are also connected by shoulder and side straps (Velcro, zippers, buttons).
The body armor consists of ergonomic elements based on UHMWPE materials, titanium, steel and metal-ceramic plates, an anti-ricochet layer and damping pads.
The anti-ricochet layer is a rubberized layer 5-10 mm thick, which is designed to protect the fighter’s body in the event of a bullet or fragment tearing out the outer layer of a body armor (protective plate or part of a weapon), which could cause injury.
UHMWPE material, armid fibers and Rusar fabric are superior in all respects to analogues such as Tvaron (Europe) and Kevlar (USA). Domestic materials are not only better, but also ahead of foreign ones in many physical and chemical properties.
“The UHMWPE material is an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, characterized by buoyancy and high resistance to ballistic shocks. The material’s strength exceeds Kevlar and Tvaron, which are popular abroad, by 40%, and is 10 times stronger than steel.”
Most of the vests produced today in Russia are designed on a modular basis, which allows you to increase or decrease the protection area depending on the situation. They may also differ in the appearance of the cover, which is designed to distribute the armored plates. In some cases, it can be used as an unloading vest for carrying grenades, magazines with cartridges and other things. However, the fabric for all types of body armor is made from heat-resistant and waterproof fabric. The covers also differ in cut depending on the type of wear - hidden with cut shoulders, open with uncut shoulders.
Body armor is divided into classes that differ in level of protection. Thus, they can be equipped with additional shock-absorbing inserts (anti-shock), shoulder pads, sections for protecting the groin, neck area and screens to protect the sides of the torso. In addition, body armor is equipped with a special ventilation system on the inside of the vest, which consists of polyethylene foam strips.
Russian body armor: protection classes
Body armor belonging to the first class consists only of fabric layers (from 5 to 10) and is intended for protection against pistols of the PM or “” type. The weight of the vest varies from 1.5 to 3 kg. The main disadvantage is that such protection is easily pierced by a sharp object such as a stiletto or an awl due to the movement of the fabric fibers.
1 protection class
The second class includes fabric vests reinforced with metal plates, which are located in the most significant places to preserve life. Weight – from 3 to 5 kg. This protection can withstand 9 mm bullets from TT pistols.
Protection class 2 The third class of body armor is characterized by reduced comfort characteristics due to an increase in the number of fabric layers to 25 and reinforcement of the structure with armor plates over the entire area, as well as a damping pad. Weight – from 9 to 11 kg. The inconveniences of the vest are compensated by the protection from Uzi-type submachine guns, PPSh and other light small arms.
Protection class 3 Russian body armor of classes 1, 2 and 3 are available to civilians and are intended for concealed wear under clothing. They are often used by public figures, private and government security services.
The fourth and fifth classes of vests are intended for use by police, army units and special forces. A distinctive feature of this type of vest is the ability to quickly remove the vest in case of operational need. These are professional products that cannot boast of comfortable movement. But, despite the rather heavy weight of armor-piercing protection, vests of these classes can withstand shots from a Kalashnikov assault rifle, as well as a grenade explosion in the immediate vicinity of a fighter. In addition, body armor of these classes are equipped with additional protection for the groin area and a “collar” (neck protection).
Protection class 4
The modern market offers various body armor made in the USA, Germany or Israel. And although they differ in appearance, they are produced almost everywhere according to the same principle and from materials that are similar in functionality and strength. But, as already mentioned, Russian products are significantly superior to their world counterparts. It should be understood that body armor does not provide complete protection. Often, the injury received from a bullet hitting the defense is much more serious than the injury.
We looked at Russian body armor, now you will learn a little more about them.
They do not emit a warlike roar, they do not sparkle with a polished surface, they are not decorated with embossed coats of arms and plumes - and quite often they are generally hidden under jackets. However, today, without this armor, unsightly in appearance, it is simply unthinkable to send soldiers into battle or ensure the safety of VIPs. Body armor is clothing that prevents a bullet from penetrating the body and, therefore, protects a person from shots. It is made from materials that dissipate the bullet's energy and break it up, such as ceramic or metal plates and Kevlar.
In a confrontation between destructive elements and NIB (personal armor protection), the advantage will always remain with the former. After all, if the design of the projectile and the energy transferred to it can be changed and increased to achieve greater efficiency and power, then the armor, which is also being improved, continues to be worn by a vulnerable person, who, unfortunately, cannot be upgraded.
Revival of the cuirass.
The spread of firearms, its use in warfare and the sharply increased power of destructive elements became the reason that armor and armor fell out of use, since they ceased to be an obstacle for bullets and only burdened their owners. However, the results of the Battle of Inkerman in 1854, in which Russian infantry were shot as targets in a shooting range, caused the commanders to think not only about changing the traditional tactics of military operations, but also about protecting the soldiers. After all, the soldier was protected from the deadly metal only by the thin cloth of his uniform. This situation did not cause concern as long as the battles consisted of an exchange of musket volleys and subsequent hand-to-hand combat. However, the advent of rapid-fire artillery, which covered the battlefields with fragmentation grenades and shrapnel, rapid-fire rifles, and later machine guns, led to the fact that the losses of the armies increased monstrously.
The generals treated the lives of soldiers differently. Some respected and cherished them, some believed that death in battle for a real man was honorable, and for some, soldiers were simply expendable. However, despite their different attitudes, they all agreed that huge losses would not allow the battle to be won or would lead to defeat. The most vulnerable were the soldiers of the infantry battalions, who went into the attack first, and the sapper companies, also operating on the front line, since it was on them that the enemy concentrated the main fire. In this regard, the idea arose to find protection for these fighters.
She was the first to try to return the shield on the battlefield. In Russia in 1886, steel shields designed by Colonel Fisher were tested. They had special windows for firing. However, they turned out to be ineffective due to their small thickness - a bullet fired from a new rifle could easily shoot through the shield.
Another project turned out to be more promising - cuirasses (shells) began to return to the battlefield. Fortunately, this idea was before our eyes, since at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The cuirass was part of the ceremonial uniform of soldiers of cuirassier regiments. It turned out that a simple old-style cuirass, the main purpose of which was protection against edged weapons, could withstand a 7.62-mm bullet fired from a Nagant from a distance of several tens of meters. Accordingly, a slight thickening of the cuirass (naturally to reasonable limits) would protect the fighter from shots from more powerful weapons.
This was the beginning of the revival of cuirasses. In February 1905, Russia ordered 100 thousand infantry cuirasses for its army from the company Simone, Gesluen and Co. (France). However, the purchased product turned out to be unusable. Domestic means of protection turned out to be reliable. Among their authors, the most famous is Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Chemerzin, who made cuirasses from various steel alloys of his own design. This talented man can undoubtedly be called the father of Russian body armor.
The Central State Military Historical Archive contains a printed brochure sewn into one of the files entitled “Catalog of armor invented by Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Chemerzin.” It provides the following information: "Weight of shells: 11/2 pounds (1 pound - 409.5 grams) - the lightest, 8 pounds - the heaviest. Invisible under clothing. Shells are designed against rifle bullets. Shells weighing 8 pounds are not pierced by a 3-line military rifle. The shells cover: the heart, stomach, lungs, both sides, back and spinal column against the heart and lungs. The impenetrability of each shell is checked by shooting in the presence of the buyer."
The "Catalog" contains several reports of tests of protective shells, which were carried out in 1905-1907. One of the acts stated: “In the city of Oranienbaum on June 11, 1905, in the presence of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE GOVERNMENT EMPEROR, a machine gun company was firing. The shell, made of an alloy invented by Lieutenant Colonel Chemerzin, was fired from 8 machine guns from a distance of 300 steps. 36 bullets hit the shell. It was not pierced, and there were no cracks in it either. During the tests, a variable composition of the shooting school was present."
In addition, the shells were also tested in the reserve of the Moscow police, and they were manufactured according to their order. They were fired at from a distance of 15 steps. The act noted that the shells “proved to be impenetrable, and the bullets did not produce fragments. The first batch produced turned out to be satisfactory.”
The report of the reserve commission of the St. Petersburg Metropolitan Police contains the following entry: “During the tests, the following results were obtained: during shooting at the chest armor weighing 4 pounds, 75 spools (the spool is equal to 4.26 g) and the dorsal armor weighing 5 pounds, 18 spools, which were covered with thin silk material, covering the chest, sides, stomach and back, the bullets, having pierced the material, are deformed and create depressions on the shell, but do not pierce it, remaining between the shell and the material, and no bullet fragments fly out."
The shield-shell that the Sormovo Factory Society offered during the First World War.
In Russia, cuirasses gained great popularity at the beginning of the First World War. The metropolitan police were provided with them - to protect them from the bullets of revolutionaries and the knives of criminals. Several thousand were sent to the army. Cuirasses for concealed wear (under clothing), despite their high cost (1.5 - 8 thousand rubles), also interested civilians, those who were afraid of armed robberies. Alas, the first demand for these prototypes of civilian body armor caused the appearance of the first crooks who took advantage of this demand. Promising that the product they offered could not be shot through even by a machine gun, they sold cuirasses that did not withstand the tests.
Soviet infantry armored shield. Found near Leningrad. Such shields were made in Russia during the First World War in 1916.
In the First World War, along with cuirasses, armored shields became widespread, which showed little effectiveness during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, which, after modification, received improved bullet resistance. On land, combat operations acquired a positional character, and the war itself became a “fortress” everywhere. The shield of the simplest design received the greatest practical use - a steel rectangular sheet 7 millimeters thick with a stand and loophole for a rifle (outwardly such a shield resembled the armored shield of a Maxim machine gun). First of all, the shield of this design was intended for conducting combat operations in defense: it was installed permanently on the parapet of the trench for an observer (sentinel). The extent to which these shields became widespread is indicated by the fact that the use of shields after the war was enshrined in military regulations. Thus, the “Manual on Military Engineering for the Red Army Infantry,” which was put into effect in September 1939, defined the use of a portable shield in defense and illustrated the method of its use - in the illustration to the text, a rectangular shield measuring 45 by 40 centimeters is depicted embedded in the parapet to the rifle loophole. The combat experience of 1914-1918 turned out to be so successful that portable shields were used during the Finnish-Soviet War of 1939-1940 and the initial period of the Second World War.
During the First World War, cuirasses and similar means of protection were used not only by Russia, but also by other countries. Practical testing has shown both the advantages and disadvantages of these types of protection. Of course, it protected the torso and vital organs well. But the durability of the cuirass directly depended on the thickness. The light and thin one did not protect at all from large fragments and bullets, and the thicker one, due to its weight, did not allow fighting.
Steel bib CH-38
A relatively successful compromise was found in 1938, when the Red Army received the first experimental steel breastplate, CH-38 (SN-1), into service. This bib protected only the chest, stomach and groin of the fighter. Thanks to savings on back protection, it became possible to increase the thickness of the steel sheet without overloading the fighter. However, all the weaknesses of this solution were identified during the Finnish Company, and therefore in 1941 the development of the CH-42 (CH-2) bib began. The creators of this bib were the armor laboratory of the Institute of Metals under the leadership of Koryukov.
Steel bib CH-42
The steel breastplate consisted of two 3-mm plates - upper and lower. This solution was applied because the soldier was unable to bend or squat while wearing a one-piece breastplate. Soldiers, as a rule, wore such a “shell” over a sleeveless padded jacket, which served as an additional shock absorber. The soldiers used padded jackets even though the breastplate had a special lining on the inside. However, there were cases when the bib was worn on top of a camouflage coat or even on top of an overcoat. The CH-42 protected against shrapnel and machine gun fire (at a distance of more than 100 meters), but could not withstand shots from a machine gun or rifle. First of all, the ShISBr RVGK (assault engineering brigade of the Supreme High Command reserve) was equipped with steel breastplates. This protection was used in the most difficult areas: during street battles or the capture of powerful fortifications.
However, the assessment of the effectiveness of such a bib by front-line soldiers was the most controversial - from flattering to complete rejection. However, after analyzing the combat path of these “experts”, the following paradox emerges: the breastplate was valued in the assault units that “took” large cities, but in the units that captured field fortifications they received negative reviews. The “shell” protected the chest from shrapnel and bullets while the soldier was running or walking, as well as during hand-to-hand combat, so it was necessary in battles on city streets. At the same time, in the field, attack sappers, as a rule, moved on their bellies. In this case, the steel breastplate was an unnecessary hindrance. In units that fought in sparsely populated areas, breastplates first migrated to battalion warehouses, and later to brigade warehouses.
From the memoirs of front-line soldiers: “Senior Sergeant Lazarev, rushing forward, ran to the German dugout. A fascist officer jumped out to meet him, unloading the entire clip of his pistol point-blank into the chest of an attack aircraft, but the daredevil’s bullets did not take. Lazarev hit the officer in the head with the butt. He reloaded the machine gun and entered the dugout. There he killed several fascists, who were simply distraught by what they saw: the officer shot at the Russian at point-blank range, but he remained unharmed." There were many similar cases during the battles, and the Germans who were captured many times asked to explain the reason for the “indestructibility of the Russian soldier.” I had to show the shield.
The CH-46 entered service in 1946 and was the last steel breastplate. The thickness of the CH-46 was increased to 5 mm, this made it possible to withstand a burst from an MP-40 or PPSh at a distance of 25 meters. For greater convenience, this model consisted of three parts.
Almost all breastplates were put into warehouses after the war. Only a small part of them was transferred to the newly formed units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR.
The first domestic body armor.
But world practice has shown that it is necessary to create effective armor protection for ordinary soldiers and protect them on the battlefield from shrapnel and bullets. The first classic body armor appeared among the American Marines during the Korean War and consisted of armor plates sewn into a special vest. The first domestic body armor was created at VIAM (All-Union Institute of Aviation Materials). The development of this protective equipment began in 1954, and in 1957 it was accepted for supply to the USSR Armed Forces under the designation 6B1. Then they made about one and a half thousand copies and stored them in warehouses. It was decided that mass production of body armor would be launched only in the event of a threatened period.
Body armor 6B1
The protective composition of the body armor consisted of hexagonal plates that were made of aluminum alloy and arranged in a mosaic. Behind them were layers of nylon fabric, as well as a batting lining. These vests were protected from fragments and bullets of the 7.62 cartridge, which were fired from 50 meters from a submachine gun (PPS or PPSh).
At the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, several such body armor were supplied to units of the 40th Army.
But the complex design of the protection, which consists of a large number of hexagonal elements with special chamfers that ensured their overlap, significant weight and low level of protection buried this attempt for a long time, as well as the idea of creating individual armor in the USSR.
In the 50s - 60s, VIAM created two bullet-resistant body armor weighing 8 - 12 kilograms: a steel body armor vest and a two-layer body armor vest made of aluminum alloys (the front layer was made of V96Ts1 alloy and the back layer was made of AMg6). About 1,000 mass-produced body armor were sent to six military districts. In addition, by special order from the KGB, two bulletproof vests were produced for N.S. Khrushchev, First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, before his visit to Indonesia.
Body armor was remembered in our country 10 years later. The initiator was the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, which faced a dilemma - try to create domestic vests or purchase imported ones. Problems with foreign currency in the country became the reason for choosing to start our own developments. With a request to develop a bulletproof vest similar to the police vest of the TIG company (Switzerland), the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs turned to the Steel Research Institute. The ministry also presented a sample of a bulletproof vest.
Body armor ZhZT-71M
A year later, the Steel Research Institute created and produced the first police bulletproof vest, called ZhZT-71. Due to the use of high-strength titanium alloy in its design, the level of protection significantly exceeded the level specified by the customer. On the basis of this body armor, several modifications were created, including the ZhZT-71M, as well as the ZhZL-74 body armor designed against edged weapons.
Body armor ZhZL-74
At that time, the ZhZT-71M body armor was unique, as it protected against pistol and rifle bullets. At the same time, the kinetic energy of rifle bullets exceeded the energy of a bullet fired from a TT pistol by almost 6 times.
For this body armor we had to develop special technology. rolling of titanium, which provided the combination of toughness and high strength necessary to realize the protective qualities of titanium armor. Also, this body armor uses a fairly powerful shock absorber (about 20 mm thick). This shock absorber was designed to reduce the level of so-called extra-barrier injuries, that is, injuries due to failure to penetrate the armor. These vests used the so-called “scaly” or “tiled” arrangement of armor elements. The disadvantages of this scheme include the presence of a large number of overlap joints, which increase the likelihood of a bullet “diving” or knife penetration. To reduce this probability, in ZhZT-71M the armor elements in a row were riveted to each other semi-movably, and their upper edges had special. trap protrusions that prevented a knife or bullet from penetrating between the rows. In ZhZL-74, this goal was achieved due to the fact that the elements, made from an aluminum alloy specially designed for body armor, were arranged in two layers. In this case, the “scales” in the layers were oriented in different directions. Thanks to this, high reliability of protection against any type of bladed weapon was ensured. Today, the design of data protection vests may seem imperfect and complex. However, this was due not only to the lack of extensive experience among the developers of body armor and the lack of protective materials used today, but also to significantly increased requirements for protection against edged weapons, as well as the required protection area.
By the mid-70s, many units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were equipped with these body armor. Until the mid-80s, they remained virtually the only means of police protection.
Since the mid-70s, the Steel Research Institute was entrusted with a large cycle of work on equipping the KGB special forces, which later became known as the Alpha group. We can say that none of the other customers of body armor contributed as much value to the emerging appearance of body armor as the employees of this closed department. There was no such word as “trifle” in the vocabulary of these units. At a critical moment, any little thing could become fatal, so the care with which new personal armor protection products were jointly developed still commands respect to this day. The most complex ergonomic and medical tests, a scrupulous assessment of operating parameters in various unexpected situations, a huge number of tests of the protective qualities of various armor options were the norm here.
The first generation of army body armor.
As for army vests, work here did not leave the exploratory stage until the end of the seventies. The main reasons for this were the lack of light armored materials and the strict requirements of the military. All previous models of domestic and imported body armor used ballistic nylon or high-strength nylon as a base. Alas, these materials, at best, provided an average level of anti-fragmentation resistance, and were not capable of providing high protection.
In 1979, a limited contingent of Soviet troops was introduced into Afghanistan. Events of that time showed that troops needed to provide assistance to civilians and fight armed rebels. The first series of new 6B2 body armor was quickly sent to Afghanistan. This body armor was created in 1978 at the Steel Research Institute together with the TsNIISHP (Central Institute of the Garment Industry). It used design solutions for the ZhZT-71M body armor vest, which was developed by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 1981, the body armor was accepted for supply to the USSR Armed Forces under the name Zh-81 (GRAU index - 6B2). The protective composition of the body armor consisted of ADU-605-80 titanium plates with a thickness of 1.25 millimeters (19 on the chest, including in the heart area, 3 plates in 2 layers, two rows) and a ballistic thirty-layer screen made of TSVM-D aramid fabric. Weighing 4.8 kg, the body armor provided protection against pistol bullets and shrapnel. He could not resist bullets fired from long-barreled weapons (bullets from the 7.62x39 cartridge pierced the protective composition already at a distance of 400-600 m). By the way, an interesting fact. The cover of this bulletproof vest was made of nylon fabric, and Velcro, fashionable at that time, was used for fastenings. This gave the bulletproof vest a “foreign” look and gave rise to rumors that these bulletproof vests were purchased abroad - either in the GDR, or in the Czech Republic, or even in a capitalist country.
Body armor Zh-81 (6B2)
During military operations, it became clear that the Zh-81 body armor could not provide optimal protection for manpower. In this regard, the 6B3TM body armor began to be supplied to the troops. The protective package of these body armor consisted of 25 plates (13 on the chest, 12 on the back) ADU-605T-83 made of titanium alloy VT-23 (thickness 6.5 millimeters) and 30-layer fabric bags from TVSM-J. Since the weight of the body armor was 12 kilograms, it was replaced with 6B3TM-01 body armor, which has differentiated protection (chest - from small arms, back - from pistol bullets and shrapnel). The design of the 6B3TM-01 body armor used 13 ADU-605T-83 plates (VT-23 alloy, 6.5 mm thick) in the front, as well as 12 ADU-605-80 plates (VT-14 alloy, 1.25 mm thick) in the rear ; 30-layer fabric bags made of TVSM-J on both sides. The weight of such a bulletproof vest was about 8 kilograms.
The body armor consisted of a front and back, which were connected by a textile fastener in the shoulder area and a belt-buckle fastening designed for height adjustment. The sides of the product consist of covers with fabric protective pockets located in them and blocks of pockets with armor elements. There are pockets on the outside of the covers: in front - a chest pocket and pockets for four magazines, on the back - for a raincoat and 4 hand grenades.
Body armor 6B3TM-01
An interesting feature of the 6B3TM (6B3TM-01) body armor is that titanium armor, which has a hardness differentiated by thickness, was used in its manufacture. The variation in hardness in the alloy was achieved using a unique titanium processing technology using high-frequency frequencies.
Body armor 6B4-01
In 1985, these body armor vests were adopted under the designation Zh-85T (6B3TM) and Zh-85T-01 (6B3TM-01).
In 1984, the 6B4 body armor vest was launched into mass production. In 1985, the body armor was adopted for service under the designation Zh-85K. The 6B4 body armor, unlike the 6B3, had ceramic rather than titanium plates. Thanks to the use of ceramic protective elements, the 6B4 body armor provides protection against armor-piercing incendiary bullets and bullets with a heat-strengthened core.
The 6B4 body armor provided all-round protection from shrapnel and bullets, but its weight, depending on the modification, ranged from 10 to 15 kg. In this regard, following the path of the 6B3 body armor, they created a lightweight version of the body armor - 6B4-01 (Zh-85K-01) with differentiated protection (chest - from fragments and small arms bullets, back - from fragments and pistol bullets).
The 6B4 series of body armor included several modifications that differed in the number of protective plates: 6B4-O - 16 on both sides, weight 10.5 kg; 6B4-P – 20 on both sides, weight 12.2 kg; 6B4-S – 30 front and 26 rear, weight 15.6 kg; 6B4-01-O and 6B4-01-P - 12 plates at the rear, weight 7.6 kg and 8.7 kg, respectively. Protective elements - 30 layers of TVSM fabric and ceramic plates ADU 14.20.00.000. The 6B4-01 vests use ADU-605-80 plates (VT-14 titanium alloy) 1.25 mm thick on the back.
The 6B4 body armor consists of two parts connected by a textile fastener in the shoulder area and is equipped with a belt-buckle fastening that allows you to adjust the size according to height.
The front and back of the body armor consist of covers that contain a fabric protective pocket (back), a pocket (front) and blocks of pockets with armor elements. This body armor is equipped with two spare armor protection elements. Unlike 6B3TM, the case of the 6B4 product does not have a chest pocket and has an elongated chest section, which provides protection for the lower abdomen. Later models have a splinter collar.
The final one in the series of first-generation vests of domestic production is the 6B5 series, which was created by the Steel Research Institute in 1985. To this end, the institute conducted a series of research projects to determine standardized standard means of personal armor protection. The 6B5 series of body armor was based on previously developed and in service products. It included 19 modifications that differed in purpose, level and area of protection. A distinctive feature of this series is the modular principle of constructing protection. That is, each subsequent model could be formed using unified protective units. Modules based on fabric structures, ceramics, steel and titanium were used as protective units.
Body armor 6B5-19
The 6B5 body armor vest was put into service in 1986 under the designation Zh-86. 6B5 was a case in which soft ballistic screens (TSVM-DZ fabric) and so-called mounting plates were placed to accommodate armor plates. The following types of armor panels were used in the protective composition: titanium ADU-605-80 and ADU-605T-83, steel ADU 14.05 and ceramic ADU 14.20.00.000.
The covers of early models of body armor were made of nylon fabric and had various shades of gray-green or green. There were also batches with covers made of cotton fabric with a camouflage pattern (two-color for units of the Internal Troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB, three-color for the Marine Corps and Airborne Forces). The 6B5 body armor vest was produced with the “Flora” camouflage pattern after the adoption of this general-arms color scheme.
Body armor 6B5 in "Flora" coloring
Body armor vests of the 6B5 series consist of a front and a back, which are connected by a textile fastener in the shoulder area and have a belt-buckle fastening for adjusting the size according to height. Both parts of the product consist of covers with fabric protective pockets, pocket blocks and armor elements located in them. When using water-repellent covers for protective pockets, the protective properties are maintained after exposure to moisture. The 6B5 body armor vest includes two water-repellent covers for protective pockets, two spare armor elements and a bag. All models in the series are equipped with an anti-fragmentation collar. The body armor case has pockets on the outside for weapons and machine gun magazines. There are bolsters in the shoulder area that prevent the gun belt from slipping.
Main modifications of the 6B5 series:
6B5 and 6B5-11 – provides protection for the back and chest from bullets from APS, PM pistols and shrapnel. Protective package - 30 layers of TSVM-J fabric. Weight - 2.7 and 3.0 kilograms, respectively.
6B5-1 and 6B5-12 – provides protection for the back and chest from bullets from APS, TT, PM, PSM pistols and shrapnel, and has enhanced anti-fragmentation resistance. Protective package - 30 layers of TSVM-DZh and titanium plates ADU-605-80 (thickness - 1.25 mm). Weight - 4.7 and 5.0 kilograms, respectively.
6B5-4 and 6B5-15 – provides protection for the back and chest from small arms bullets and shrapnel. Protective package - ceramic plates ADU 14.20.00.000 (22 in front and 15 in back) and a 30-layer fabric package made of TSVM-J. Weight - 11.8 and 12.2 kilograms, respectively.
6B5-5 and 6B5-16 – provides protection: chest - from fragments and small arms bullets; backs - from pistol bullets and shrapnel. Protective package: chest - 8 titanium elements ADU-605T-83 (thickness 6.5 mm), from 3 to 5 titanium elements ADU-605-80 (thickness 1.25 mm) and a 30-layer fabric package made of TSVM-DZh; back - 7 titanium elements ADU-605-80 (thickness 1.25 mm) and a 30-layer fabric bag made of TSVM-J. Weight - 6.7 and 7.5 kilograms, respectively.
6B5-6 and 6B5-17 – provides protection: chest - from fragments and small arms bullets; backs - from pistol bullets and shrapnel. Protective package: chest - 8 steel elements ADU 14.05. (thickness 3.8 (4.3) mm), from 3 to 5 titanium elements ADU-605-80 (thickness 1.25 mm) and a 30-layer fabric bag made of TSVM-DZh; back - 7 titanium elements ADU-605-80 (thickness 1.25 mm) and a 30-layer fabric bag made of TSVM-J. Weight - 6.7 and 7.5 kilograms, respectively.
6B5-7 and 6B5-18 – provides protection: chest - from fragments and small arms bullets; backs - from pistol bullets and shrapnel. Protective package: chest - titanium plates ADU-605T-83 (thickness 6.5 mm) and a 30-layer fabric package made of TSVM-DZh; back - 30-layer fabric bag made of TSVM-J. Weight - 6.8 and 7.7 kilograms, respectively.
6B5-8 and 6B5-19 – provides protection: chest - from fragments and small arms bullets (third class of protection of the Russian Defense Ministry); backs - from bullets from APS, PM pistols and shrapnel. Protective package: chest - 6 plates made of steel ADU 14.05 (thickness 3.8 (4.3) mm) and from 5 to 7 titanium plates ADU-605-80 (thickness 1.25 mm) and a 30-layer fabric package made of TSVM -J; back - 30-layer fabric bag made of TSVM-J. Weight - 5.7 and 5.9 kilograms, respectively.
Body armor 6B5-11 and 6B5-12 provided anti-fragmentation protection. These body armor were intended for crews of missile systems, artillery pieces, self-propelled artillery units, support units, headquarters personnel, etc.
Bulletproof vests 6B5-13, 6B5-14, 6B5-15 provided all-round protection from bullets and were intended for personnel of units that performed short-term special duties. tasks (assault and the like).
Body armor 6B5-16, 6B5-17, 6B5-18, 6B5-19 provided differentiated protection and was intended for personnel of combat units of the Airborne Forces, Ground Forces and Navy Marines.
After the 6B5 series body armor was accepted for supply, it was decided to leave the remaining body armor vests previously accepted for supply with the troops until they were completely replaced. However, the 6B3TM-01 body armor remained in the army in the 90s, and was actively used in local conflicts and wars throughout the former USSR. The 6B5 series was produced until 1998, and was withdrawn from supply only in 2000, but remained in service until it was completely replaced with modern body armor. Bulletproof vests of the "Hive" series in various modifications are still in parts.
New country - new body armor.
In the early 90s, the development of personal protective equipment for the armed forces stalled, and funding for a large number of promising projects was curtailed. However, rampant crime became the impetus for the development and production of personal armor protection for private individuals. During these years, the demand for them significantly exceeded the supply, so companies offering these products began to appear in Russia. The number of such companies exceeded 50 after 3 years. The apparent simplicity of the bulletproof vest became the reason that a lot of amateurs, and sometimes outright charlatans, got into this area. At the same time, the quality of body armor dropped sharply. Experts from the Steel Research Institute, having assessed one of these “body armor”, found out that simple food-grade aluminum was used as a protective element.
In this regard, in 1995, a significant step was taken in the field of personal armor protection - GOST R 50744-95 appeared, which regulated the classification and technical requirements. requirements for body armor.
Even in these difficult years for the country, progress did not stand still, and the army needed new body armor. A concept arose as a basic set of individual equipment (BKIE), in which a significant role was assigned to body armor. The first BKIE "Barmitsa" included the "Vaslo" project - a new army body armor that replaced the "Beehive" series.
Body armor 6B13
As part of the Zabralo project, body armor vests 6B11, 6B12, 6B13 were created, which were put into service in 1999. These body armor, unlike the times of the USSR, were developed and produced by a large number of organizations. In addition, they differ significantly in characteristics. Body armor was or is being produced by the Steel Research Institute, Kirasa JSC, NPF Tekhinkom, and TsVM Armokom.
Upgraded 6B13 body armor with the ability to attach pouches of the UMTBS or MOLLE system.
6B11 is a body armor of the 2nd protection class with a weight of 5 kg. 6B12 – 4th class of protection for the chest, 2nd – for the back. Body armor weight 8 kg. 6B13 provides all-round protection of the 4th class, with a weight of 11 kg.
The body armor of the "Vasor" series consists of chest and back sections, which are connected in the shoulder area with pile fasteners and in the waist area with a belt-buckle connection. Fasteners allow you to adjust the size of the body armor according to your height. The sections in the waist area are connected using a pile fastener and a belt with a hook and a carabiner. Sections of body armor consist of outer covers. Inside them there are fabric protective screens with external pockets in which armored elements are placed (one on the back section and two on the chest). The chest section is equipped with a folding apron that provides groin protection. The reverse side of both sections is equipped with dampers that reduce concussion effects. The damper is designed in such a way that natural ventilation of the vestibular space is ensured. The bulletproof vest is equipped with a collar consisting of two parts. The collar provides neck protection from splinters. The parts of the collar are connected by pile fasteners, which allow you to adjust their position. The adjustment units of the "Vasor" series body armor vests are compatible with similar units of the 6Sh92-4 transport vest, which is designed to accommodate elements of equipment included in the wearable part of the ammunition kits of individual equipment for the specialties of the Marine Corps of the Navy, Airborne Forces, Ground Forces, etc.
Depending on the modification, the body armor is equipped with quickly replaceable fabric, steel or organic-ceramic panels "Granit-4". The protective package has a design that eliminates ricocheting at a bullet approach angle of 30 to 40 degrees. Body armor also provides protection to the soldier's neck and shoulders. The top of the bulletproof vest is water-repellent, has a protective camouflage coloring, and is flame retardant. All materials used in the manufacture of body armor are resistant to aggressive liquids; explosion-proof, non-flammable, non-toxic; do not irritate the skin upon direct contact. Body armor in this series can be used in all climatic zones. Retain their protective properties in the temperature range from - 50°C to + 50°C, and when exposed to moisture.
Russian body armor of the 21st century.
At the beginning of the century, a new stage in the development of basic sets of individual equipment began - the Barmitsa-2 project. In 2004, within the framework of this project, the Permyachka-O combat protection kit (combat protective kit) was accepted for supply under the designations 6B21, 6B22. This kit is designed to protect against damage to military personnel by small arms, all-round protection from shell fragments, grenades, mines, protects against local armored concussion injuries, atmospheric exposure, thermal factors, and mechanical damage. In addition, Permyachka-O provides camouflage, placement and further transportation of ammunition, weapons and other elements necessary for combat operations. The Permyachka-O combat protective kit includes:
- jacket and trousers or protective overalls;
- body armor;
-protective helmet;
- protective mask;
-protective glasses;
- universal transport vest 6Sh92;
-ventilated underwear;
- safety boots;
-raid backpack 6Ш106, as well as other items of equipment;
- the kit additionally includes summer and winter camouflage suits.
BZK "Permyachka-O" with vest 6Sh92
Depending on the design, the basis of the suit consists of protective trousers and a jacket or overalls. These elements protect against small fragments (fragment weight 1 gram, at a speed of 140 meters per second) as well as open flame (for at least 10 seconds). The helmet and body armor are made according to the first level of protection. Capable of protecting against bladed weapons, as well as fragments weighing 1 gram at a speed of 540 meters per second. To protect vital organs (vital organs) from bullet damage, the body armor is reinforced with a ceramic or steel armor panel of the third (modifications 6B21-1, 6B22-1) or fourth level of protection (modifications 6B21-2, 6B22-2).
The armor panels of the fourth level of protection used in "Kirasa-4A" and "Kirasa-4K" are composite structures of ergonomic shape. They are made on the basis of aramid fabric, a polymer binder and aluminum oxide or silicon carbide (“Kirasa-4A” or “Kirasa-4K”, respectively).
The protective properties of the combat protective kit do not change at temperatures from -40 to +40 C and are also preserved after prolonged exposure to moisture (wet snow, rain, etc.). The outer fabric of the UPC elements and the raid backpack are water-repellent.
The Permyachka-O UPC is produced in six main modifications: 6B21, 6B21-1, 6B21-2; 6B22, 6B22-1, 6B22-2.
The kit has a significant mass, but it should be remembered that it consists of 20 elements. The weight of the anti-fragmentation kit (modifications 6B21, 6B22) is 8.5 kilograms, the UPC reinforced with a third-level armored unit is 11 kilograms; BZK fourth level - 11 kilograms.
On the basis of the UPC, a sniper protective and camouflage kit is manufactured, which includes additional camouflage elements - a camouflage mask, a set of camouflage capes, camouflage tape for a rifle, etc.
The Permyachka-O UPC was tested in the North Caucasus during hostilities. There he showed a generally positive result. Minor shortcomings mainly concerned the ergonomics of individual elements of the kit.
Body armor 6B23
In 2003, NPP KLASS developed a general-purpose body armor vest, which was accepted for supply in 2004 under the designation 6B23.
The body armor consists of two sections (chest and back). They are connected to each other using connectors in the shoulder area and the outer part of the waist fastening and a folding flap on the belt. Between the layers of protective screens there are pockets in which fabric, steel or ceramic panels can be placed. The bulletproof vest has a collar to protect the neck. The belt fastenings on the side have protective screens that provide side protection. The inner part of the sections has a ventilation and shock-absorbing system in the form of polyethylene foam vertical strips that provide a reduction in concussion (extra-obstructive) effects as well as ventilation of the vestibular space. This body armor can be combined with a 6Sh104 or 6Sh92 transport vest.
The body armor can be equipped with armor panels of various levels of protection. Chest - 2nd level of protection (fabric), 3rd level of protection (steel), 4th level of protection (ceramic). Dorsal - steel or fabric.
Depending on the type of armor panels used, the weight of the body armor varies. A bulletproof vest with class 2 chest and back protection weighs 3.6 kg, with class 3 chest protection and class 2 back protection - about 7.4 kg, with class 4 chest protection and class 2 back protection - 6.5 kg, with class 4 chest protection and back class 3 - 10.2 kg.
The 6B23 body armor vest had such a successful design that the Ministry of Defense adopted it as the main means of individual body armor for personnel of combat units of the Marine Corps of the Navy, Airborne Forces, Airborne Forces, etc. However, the rearmament of the Russian army, as always, is slow and troops receive new body armor in limited quantities. As before, special forces, marines, and airborne forces have priority in supplies.
The next stage of development is the development and implementation of a basic set of individual equipment “Ratnik”, which is 8-10 times more effective than “Barmitsa”.
Special body armor.
However, not everyone can use general body armor. For example, a 6B23 body armor will cause inconvenience to the crew of a combat vehicle, since it makes it difficult to leave a tank or infantry fighting vehicle through hatches, while in the vehicle itself it restricts movement. But the crew of such vehicles also requires protection. First of all, from damaging elements that arise when an ATGM, shells, grenades hit, as well as from thermal effects.
Protective kit 6B15 "Cowboy"
In 2003, the Cowboy protective kit (6B15) was accepted for supply for armored vehicle crews.
Currently, the Cowboy protective kit is produced by two organizations: ARMOKOM and the Steel Research Institute.
The kit includes:
- anti-fragmentation vest (first class of protection);
-fire-retardant suit (Scientific Research Institute of Steel) or overalls (ARMOKOM);
- anti-fragmentation pad for a tank headset (ARMOKOM) or a tank headset TSh-5 (Steel Research Institute).
The weight of the entire set is 6 kilograms (Steel Research Institute) or 6.5 kilograms (ARMOKOM).
The body armor consists of detachable sections (chest and back) and a turn-down collar. On the body armor cover there is an evacuation device and patch pockets designed to accommodate standard equipment.
The set provides protection for the groin area, shoulders and neck. It can accommodate and transport standard weapons and other items that are included in the equipment of military personnel of this type of military. "Cowboy" ensures that a crew member of an armored vehicle performs functional duties for two days.
Armor-protective elements are made of ballistic fabric for which high-strength domestic fiber Armos with oil- and water-repellent treatment is used as the basis. The outer covers of the body armor, overalls and pads are made of fire-resistant fabric and have a camouflage color. Resistance to open flame is 10-15 seconds. The protective properties of the kit are preserved during precipitation, after 4-fold decontamination, disinfection, degassing, and after exposure to special liquids and fuels and lubricants used in the operation of armored vehicles. Temperature range - from minus 50°С to plus 50°С.
"Cowboy" has a camouflage coloring, and also does not increase the unmasking features of the equipment of armored vehicle crews outside of military equipment.
Protective kit 6B25
Later, ARMOKOM presented a further development of the 6B15 kit - the 6B25 kit for crews of armored vehicles of artillery and missile forces. In general, this set is the same as 6B15, but it includes a transport vest, as well as winter trousers and a jacket made of fire-retardant fabric.
The kit also includes an electric foot heating device, which is in the form of shoe insoles, providing a surface temperature of 40-45°C.
Command personnel are the next category of military personnel who are not required to wear heavy general-arms body armor. Bulletproof vests 6B17, 6B18 were put into service in 1999, and "Strawberry-O" (6B24) in 2001.
The 6B17 body armor is a non-standard item and is designed to protect against shrapnel and pistol bullets for military personnel who perform work in the process of protecting facilities such as headquarters, commandant's offices, performing patrol duty, as well as escorting special-purpose cargo in urban environments. 6B17 has general protection of the first level and fabric armor panels of the second level. Body armor weight 4 kg.
The 6B18 concealed body armor vest was intended to be worn by junior officers. In terms of weight and level of protection, it repeats the 6B17.
Armored kit 6B24 "Strawberry-O"
The Zemlyanika-O armored kit (6B24) is intended to be worn by senior command personnel. The set is available in summer and winter versions: summer - trousers and a jacket with short sleeves (4.5 kg), winter - body armor, winter trousers with removable insulation and a jacket (5 kg). Protective properties are achieved by using ballistic fabrics, which are used for hemming trousers and jackets. There are protective armor panels on the back and chest.
In 2008, the bulletproof vests described above were involved in a high-profile scandal. The head of the supply department of the GRAU (Main Missile and Artillery Directorate) of the Russian Ministry of Defense purchased about 14 thousand protective kits worth 203 million rubles for the department from Artess CJSC. It subsequently turned out that the body armor of the second class of protection was pierced by pistol bullets and shrapnel. As a result, the entire batch of body armor supplied by Artess to the Ministry of Defense was declared unusable. By decision of the investigation, they began to be confiscated from warehouses. This incident became the reason for initiating a criminal case against the general and the management of the Artess company.
"NPO Special Materials" presented at the state in 2002. testing two body armor for military sailors. In 2003, they were accepted for supply under the designations 6B19 and 6B20.
Body armor 6B19
The 6B19 body armor is intended for marines and watchmen at external combat posts of ships. During the first tests, the sailors immediately appreciated the quality of the vests, their improved ergonomics, the strength of the armor plates (the plates could not be penetrated by an LPS bullet from an SVD rifle at a distance of 50 meters) and covers. The Marines were also pleased with the results of the trial operation of the 6B19 body armor. Even though they had to “sweat” in them on marching missions, it was still harder for the Marines dressed in standard body armor. A special feature of the 6B19 design is a special rescue system, thanks to which an unconscious soldier who falls into the water will not drown. The system automatically inflates two chambers and ensures that the person turns face up. The NSZH consists of two chambers, automatic gas filling systems, and has a reserve of positive buoyancy of 25 kg.
Body armor 6B20
The 6B20 body armor was developed for naval combat swimmers. 6B20 consists of two main systems (protective system and buoyancy compensation system) as well as several subsystems.
The protective system provides protection to vital organs from damage from cold steel, bullets from underwater small arms and from mechanical damage that is possible when performing diving work. The protective system of the body armor is made in the form of a chest panel placed in a case. The design of the suspension system allows it to be used separately from the protective module.
The buoyancy compensation system allows you to adjust the diver's buoyancy at different depths and maintain the diver on the surface of the water. The system consists of a buoyancy chamber with pressure relief valves, an air supply control system, a rigid mounting back, an outer cover, a cargo release system and a suspension system. Depending on the breathing apparatus used, the buoyancy chambers are filled from an autonomous air cylinder or from the cylinders of the breathing apparatus through an inflator (buoyancy control device).
The body armor does not melt when exposed to an open flame for 2 seconds and does not support combustion. The materials used in manufacturing are resistant to sea water and oil products.
The design of the body armor ensures the reliability of its fixation on the body of swimmers when jumping into the water from a height of 5 meters with weapons in various types of diving and special equipment. In addition, it does not prevent a swimmer from independently lifting into an inflatable boat, platform or life raft that rises up to 30 centimeters above the water. The maximum average time required for combat swimmers to overcome a distance of 1 mile in an underwater position in fins with body armor does not exceed the standard time for overcoming this distance without body armor.
The 30-year confrontation between the developers of protective equipment and weapons of destruction has led to some balance. However, as life shows, it is unlikely to be long. Objective laws of development force weapons developers to look for ways to increase the destructive power of weapons, and these paths have begun to take on clear outlines.
However, the defense is not resting on its laurels. Today, the largest manufacturers and developers of body armor, such as NPO Tekhnika (NIIST Ministry of Internal Affairs), Research Institute of Steel, NPO Spetsmaterialy, Cuirass Armocom, are searching for new protective materials, new protective structures, and exploring new principles of individual armor protection. There is every reason to think that the expected increase in destruction power will not take defense developers by surprise.
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Since ancient times, man has tried to protect himself from arrows, swords, and darts. Armor has come and gone many times, with various versions of cuirasses, shells, chain mail and armor replacing one another. Firearms greatly undermined the armor's position. Carrying a piece of iron on yourself has become almost pointless. However, the inventors were in no hurry to give up. One of the prototypes of the modern vest was invented by the Koreans. Myeonje Baegab (면제 배갑, 绵制背甲), the first soft body armor. After the invasion of French forces in 1866, the people of the Joseon Kingdom discovered that Western rifles were superior to anything they currently had. The ruler of the state ordered something to be done urgently. By 1871, at the beginning of the US military intervention, the Koreans had the first body armor. It consisted of multi-layered cotton fabric (there were from 13 to 30 layers), it was extremely uncomfortable, and it was hot to fight in it. But perhaps the biggest problem was the lack of fire resistance - a shot from a cannon set several Korean soldiers on fire, who were hit by shrapnel. One of the copies of Myeonje Baegab was captured by the Americans and taken to the Smithsonian Institution, where it is still on display in the local museum. Myeonje Baegab 
People did not give up trying to protect themselves from gunfire. One of the most interesting prototypes of body armor was the armor of Ned Kelly, an Australian bandit. In 1880, the British Crown offered 8,000 pounds for the leader of the gang - the equivalent of $2 million today. Ned and his brothers were dressed in personally forged armor. She weighed 44 kg. The bullets literally bounced off her. One small minus - the arms and legs were not protected. He was the one who let Kelly's gang down. 
Meanwhile, in the early 1880s, in Arizona, Dr. George Emery Goodfellow, one of the pioneers of modern forensic medicine, discovered during an autopsy that a bullet that had struck a folded silk handkerchief had become lodged in the fabric and in the body. didn't come in. He described this case, and, subsequently, the doctor’s notes were used by the man who can rightfully be considered the inventor of modern body armor - Casimir Zeglen. George Emery Goodfellow 
Kazimir had a strange profession for the inventor of a bulletproof vest. He was neither a merchant, nor an ordinary inventor, nor a military man. Zeglen was a Catholic priest. The inventor of the vest was born in Poland. In 1890, Kazimir, at the age of 21, left for America. He ended up in Chicago, where he headed a parish that had about 4,000 parishioners - mostly Poles. In 1893, the mayor of Chicago, Carter Harrison, was shot by a classic “disappointed” killer - Patrick Eugene Prendergast (he expected to get a good post after another victory for the mayor and was extremely upset by the refusal. Casimir had previously asked the question - how can you save a person from a bullet? After killing the mayor, he resumed his youthful attempts to create cloth armor.Kazimir Zeglen 
For several years the priest experimented with various materials: metal shavings, horsehair, moss and much more were rejected, until finally he came across the notes of an Arizona doctor. They revealed to him the magnificent properties of silk. The material has been found. All that remains is to find a way to weave the desired vest. He visited factories in Germany and Austria, famous for their progressive technologies, and finally the required method was found. 
The multi-layer silk of Zeglen's design could stretch and absorb the energy of a bullet. Newspapers of the time noted that Zeglen's bulletproof vests and coverings successfully resisted ordinary lead bullets at close range, and steel and dum-dum bullets from afar. To dispel all doubts, Zeglen arranged a public demonstration. In 1901, his Polish friend Borzikovsky shot his servant at point-blank range with a pistol. Then Zeglen himself demonstrated his invention to the public. They shot at him from a distance of eight steps, and not a single bullet reached him. Photo taken of Zeglen's bulletproof vest testing in 1901. 
Today, ballistic fabrics based on aramid fibers are the basic material for civilian and military body armor. Ballistic fabrics are produced in many countries of the world and differ significantly not only in names, but in characteristics. 
Abroad, these are Kevlar (USA) and Tvaron (Europe), and in Russia - a whole series of aramid fibers, noticeably different from American and European ones in their chemical properties. What is aramid fiber? Aramid looks like thin yellow spider web fibers (other colors are very rarely used). 
Aramid threads are woven from these fibers, and ballistic fabric is subsequently made from the threads. Aramid fiber has very high mechanical strength. 
In its modern form, body armor appeared in the early 50s; they were invented by the Americans and first used during the Korean War. They calculated that most injuries occur due to the impact of shell and mine fragments, which do not have too much kinetic energy. To protect against these factors, a body armor was created from several layers of high-strength fabrics - nylon or nylon. The first mass-produced body armor, the M1951, was produced in quantities of 31 thousand pieces; it was made of nylon and could be reinforced with aluminum inserts. The weight of the bulletproof vest was 3.51 kg. Its creators did not set themselves the task of holding bullets, but it did a good job of protecting the fighter from shrapnel. Marine wearing M1951 body armor. 
Mass distribution of body armor in the US Army began during the Vietnam War. The standard American army body armor of that time was the M-1969 (3.85 kg), made of nylon threads. Bulletproof vest M-1969 
In the USSR, the first 6B1 body armor was accepted for supply in 1957, but it was never put into mass production. It was planned to launch its mass production only in the event of a major war. After the outbreak of hostilities in Afghanistan, the entire 6B1 stock was immediately transferred to the active army. However, this body armor turned out to be too heavy for the harsh mountain conditions. It was decided to develop a new means of protection that would be lighter. This work was carried out by specialists from the Moscow Steel Research Institute. In the shortest possible time, they created the first generation Soviet body armor 6B2, which survived the entire Afghan war. Body armor 6B1 
Body armor 6B2 The main protective element of the 6B2 was small titanium plates placed in special pockets. The bulletproof vest reliably protected against shrapnel, but an AK-47 bullet penetrated it at a distance of 400-600 meters. Over the course of several years of the Afghan war, several body armor were developed. The main direction of their improvement was to increase the protective characteristics. 
In the West, the development of body armor followed a slightly different path. The war in Vietnam can be called traditional (unlike Afghanistan) and the number of shrapnel wounds significantly exceeded losses from small arms. Therefore, the Americans were in no hurry to develop bulletproof vests. In addition, in the mid-70s, a new promising material for soft body armor, Kevlar, began to be produced on an industrial scale. In the early 80s, a new soft Kevlar body armor - PASGT - was supplied to the American army. This body armor remained the main one for the American army until 2006. However, after the start of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Americans faced the same problem as the Soviet troops faced in the 80s. For counterinsurgency operations, a bulletproof vest was needed that provided protection against small arms fire. PASGT 
The first such body armor was the RBA, adopted by the US Army in the early 90s. Its main protective elements were small ceramic tiles placed in a vest made of nylon fabric. The weight of the bulletproof vest was 7.3 kg. 
In 1999, the US Army received the OTV bulletproof vest, which protects against shrapnel. When installing additional protective panels, this body armor can also withstand machine gun bullets. 
In 2007, MTV bulletproof vests with anti-fragmentation protection were accepted for supply to the US Army. 
In 1983, the first Soviet bulletproof vest 6B3T appeared, in 1985 6B5 “Beehive” - a universal bulletproof vest that, depending on the configuration, could provide different levels of protection. 6B3T 
6B5 "Beehive" 
Now in the USA various types of body armor are used, such as IMTV or CIRAS, but we now have the 6B43 “Vazor” model. 
The American IMTV body armor is a modification of the MTV body armor, in which the developers tried to take into account some of the claims and wishes of the Marines. As a result, the changes affected only some minor design details that increase wearing comfort, the quality of fit to the figure (especially height), and make it easier to put on and take off. At the same time, the overall weight of the body armor decreased extremely insignificantly. As for the area and quality of IMTV protection, it remained at the MTV level. 6B43 "Visor" 
The “Visor” project replaced the “Beehive” series in the 90s and has dozens of basic and special modifications. The 6B43 “Vasor” series was put into service in 2010 and became a kind of response to American developers of body armor, who created diversity in the American armor “market”. Russian developers from the St. Petersburg NPF "Techinkom" have significantly improved the tactical and technical characteristics. The fully modified 6B43 body armor consists of 4 sections that provide complete protection to the military body: a chest plate, a back plate and two side plates. The plates are attached with adjustable connections with fastex fasteners in the shoulders, at waist level, which allows you to customize the model according to height and build.