Bulletproof Vests Research Articles

Beyond the Bullet Proof Vest: Untold Stories of Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP SAF) Commandos

The ever-changing demographics of society, the rise in terrorism and its complexity, as well as agitations, violent protests, a variety of political activities, left-wing terrorism, insurgency, and militancy, as well as the enforcement of economic and social laws, have all contributed to the difficulty of achieving the peaceful society that we all desire. This study explored the lived experiences of Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) Commandos in Negros Island, Philippines through a qualitative research method. The participants of this study were the selected ten (10) PNP-SAF commandos. Four (4) participants were subjected to individual in-depth interviews, while the other six (6) participants were subjected to a focus group discussion. The findings of this study are described in emergent themes. Six (6) emergent themes described the positive and negative experiences of the participants in the implementation of counterterrorism programs. For the positive experiences, three (3) emergent themes were developed, namely: Personal Satisfaction and Job Fulfillment, Recognition from the Community, and Influence on Community Peace and Order. For the negative experiences, three (3) emergent themes were also developed, namely: Financial Constraints and Limited Resources, Familial Longings while on Mission, and Infiltration in Hotspot Areas. Meanwhile, two (2) emergent themes were formulated to explain how the participants address the challenges encountered in the implementation of counterterrorism programs, namely Coordination and Collaboration with Other Agencies and Community Engagement and Trust-Building Programs. Finally, two (2) emergent themes were created to express the aspirations of the participants to improve the implementation of counterterrorism programs, namely Continuous Training and Skills Development and Adequate Financial and Logistical Support. Based on the emergent themes identified, it is recommended that the PNP-SAF commandos be exposed to continuous training and ongoing collaboration between agencies and partners to ensure an efficient response to counterterrorism and counterinsurgency incidents. By allocating an appropriate budget and implementing the requisite enhancement training and programs, the SAF commandos may be able to increase their effectiveness in implementing these initiatives.

Composites in Ballistic Applications Focused on Ballistic Vests—A Review

The development of ballistic materials has improved very rapidly in the last few years. Body armor plays an important role in protecting individuals during military threats. Body armor can be divided into hard and soft variants depending on the trade-offs between protection levels and wearer agility. Current research aims to optimize strength-to-weight ratios by using different combinations of synthetic or natural fibers or their combinations to achieve increasingly demanding requirements for ballistic materials. Moreover, it examines the various types of fibers utilized in the construction of body armor, ranging from traditional materials like metal and ceramic to synthetic and natural fibers. This paper discusses ongoing research efforts aimed at further enhancing the performance of these materials, such as the incorporation of modified natural fibers into advanced composite systems. The review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the materials utilized in ballistic protection.

Potential injuries to police officers shot in the chest while wearing a level III ballistic vest

Potential injuries to police officers shot in the chest while wearing a level III ballistic vest

Toughening Mechanism in Nanotwinned Boron Carbide: A Molecular Dynamics Study.

Boron carbide ceramics are potentially ideal candidates for lightweight bulletproof armor, but their use is currently limited by their low fracture toughness. Recent experimental results have shown that sintered samples with high twin densities exhibit high fracture toughness, but the toughening mechanism and associated crack propagation process of nanotwinned boron carbide at the atomic scale remain a mystery. Reported here are molecular dynamics simulations with a reactive force field potential to investigate how nanoscale twins affect the fracture toughness of boron carbide ceramics. The results show that the strength disparity on either side of a twin boundary is the fundamental reason for the toughening effect; the twin boundary impedes crack propagation only when the crack moves to a region of higher fracture strength. The fracture toughness of nanotwinned boron carbide is greatly affected by the angle between the twin boundary and the prefabricated crack. At an angle of 120°, the twin boundary provides the maximum toughening effect, enhancing the toughness by 32.72%. Moreover, phase boundaries-another common structure in boron carbide ceramics-have no toughening effect. This study provides new insights into the design of boron carbide ceramics with high fracture toughness.

Experimental and numerical study on CuO/ZnO-modified aramid fabric for ballistic and UV radiation protection

Aramid fabrics are widely used in bulletproof armor because of their excellent mechanical properties. Previous studies have shown that ultraviolet radiation has a negative effect on the mechanical properties of aramid yarn, so improving the mechanical properties and impact resistance of aramid fabrics under ultraviolet radiation has become a research focus. In this work, aramid fabric was modified with CuO and ZnO particles to improve its ballistic performance under ultraviolet radiation. The ballistic impact resistance response and microscopic failure mechanisms of aramid fabrics under ultraviolet radiation were analyzed in detail. Under ultraviolet radiation, the ballistic limit velocity (vbl) of the CuO/ZnO-modified aramid fabric was 185.1 % greater than that of a neat fabric with a similar areal density. The vbl of the single-layer modified fabric was 45.6 % greater than that of the two-layer neat fabrics. The decrease in the ballistic performance of the aramid fabric under ultraviolet radiation was attributed to surface damage caused by the fracture of the chemical structure of the fibers, which weakened the mechanical properties of the fabric. The numerical simulation results were highly consistent with the ballistic impact test results, and the error between the numerical simulation and experimental results was within 10 %. The effects of changes in the mechanical parameters of the fabrics on the protection mechanism and energy absorption structure during ballistic impact were investigated. The energy dissipation of the modified fabric was at least 147.7 % greater than that of the neat fabric, further explaining the significant improvement in the ballistic performance of CuO/ZnO-modified fabrics under ultraviolet radiation.

Structural design of two types of composites with high resistance to atomic oxygen attack based on polyimide matrices: a molecular dynamics simulation study

Because of their exceptional properties, polyimide (PI) polymers are widely used in various types of spacecraft. However, in low Earth orbit, spacecraft using these polymers are susceptible to atomic oxygen (AO) erosion, which will cause them to lose their original performance. Covering the PI surface with a protective coating and adding fillers to the PI matrix are two traditional methods to improve the AO erosion resistance of PI. However, a single protective method does not provide a good protective effect and does not necessarily balance the relationship between the AO resistance of the composites and other properties, such as mechanical properties. The structural design of composites can perfectly solve such problems. Therefore, two kinds of AO-resistant materials based on the PI matrix are designed in this paper, one is a hybrid-filled composite with nano-silica filler and graphene filler, and the other is a double-layer coated composite based on the structural design of a traditional bulletproof vest. And the AO incidence simulation of these two types of materials was carried out using ReaxFF-based MD simulation. The results show that the mixed filling of graphene and nano-silica not only greatly improves the AO resistance of the PI matrix, but also greatly improves the tensile mechanical properties of the matrix by adjusting the appropriate mixing ratio. The structure of PI-Gr-SiO2 (The structures are PI, Gr and SiO2 from bottom up, respectively. SiO2 will be the first to take the impact of AO.) possesses excellent resistance to AO erosion, and at the end of 64 ps of AO erosion, the PI matrix did not suffer any damage. This paper provides a new idea of material structure design using the MD method, which provides a new approach to improve the AO erosion resistance of PI and is expected to design new composites adapted to a variety of extreme environments in the future.

Assessing the feasibility of cardiopulmonary resuscitation over bulletproof vests: Implications for rapid response by police officers

AbstractIntroductionThe aim was to evaluate the feasibility and quality of chest compressions (CCs) performed by police officers on a victim wearing a bulletproof vest as well as analyze the time taken to remove the vest.MethodsTen officers conducted two 5‐min cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) trials. Trial 1: on a dummy wearing bulletproof vest (CPR‐VEST)/Trial 2: bare‐torso dummy (CPR‐NO).ResultsCC's quality and the timed vest removal. Results show that CC's quality was a median of 90% in CPR‐VEST and 99% in CPR‐NO (p = 0.08). There were significantly poorer results in CPR‐VEST in CC with correct recoil (CPR‐VEST: 12%, CPR‐NO: 10%, and p = 0.04) and rate (CPR‐VEST: 82%, CPR‐NO: 97%, and p = 0.01). The bulletproof vest removal time was 9.45 ± 1.33 s.ConclusionThe removal of the vest is prioritized to facilitate CPR. CC over the vest is performed with similar quality levels to standard CPR, supporting the immediate initiation of CPR in special circumstances where the vest cannot be removed.

Development of Ballistic Protection Soft Panels According to Regulatory Documents

The development of Ballistic Protection Vests (BPVs) has gained significant attention, particularly focusing on the design of Ballistic Protection Soft Panels (BPSPs), which are crucial to the overall size and configuration of these vests. Despite their critical role, there is a noticeable lack of a standardized design method for surface area patterns of BPSPs in the existing literature. The findings indicate that the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard 0101.06 Ballistic Test Templates (BTTs) are only partially applicable to the design of BPSP patterns. While the NIJ standard 0101.06 provides a useful framework, it requires adaptation to meet the specific needs of regional body types and the practicalities of BPV manufacturing. This research aims to address this gap by assessing the suitability of NIJ BTTs for the design of BPSPs and BPVs and to develop a standardized pattern design methodology along with a method for calculating the surface area of the soft amour prior to its creation. Results have to be achieved ready for the production of BPSP patterns tailored to the body types of regional soldiers while adhering to relevant standards and soldier’s physical comfort, thereby saving time and resources for manufacturers and researchers. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of the NIJ standard 0101.06 BTT for configuring these templates into the cutting patterns of BPSPs. To achieve this, patterns for BPSPs were designed and the feasibility of using NIJ BTTs for their configuration was analyzed. The research process involved a comprehensive literature review, an analysis of the dimensions of existing BPV soft panels, and a comparison with NIJ standard 0101.06 BTT. The design and scaling of the panel patterns were executed using computer-aided design (CAD) systems and evaluated through both physical fitting on mannequins and virtual fitting using the Clo3D program. The developed pattern-making methodology includes size specifications tailored to regional covers, incorporating a coefficient K identified to calculate the BPSP surface area prior to design. This approach not only ensures better fitting for the physical comfort and protection of soldiers but also saves time and resources in the manufacturing process of BPSPs. The proposed design methodology offers a significant step forward in standardizing BPSP patterns, promising enhanced protection and efficiency in BPV manufacturing.

Study on ballistic impact performance of bionic fish scale protective armor

Composite bulletproof armor used in modern battlefield environments is mostly composed of ceramic/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). In order to further improve its bulletproof performance, this study draws on the superposition of fish scales. The upper layer of the flexible protective armor consists of composite scale layers stacked on top of each other, and the lower layer consists of UHMWPE plates with grooved structures at the corresponding locations of the scales, where a single composite scale consists of an upper SiC ceramic layer and a lower UHMWPE layer. Finite element simulation is used to analyze the protective performance of the protective armor. The effects of back plate thickness, scale tilt angle, and impact location on the protection performance are investigated. The results show that the 8 mm thick back plate can effectively resist the impact of Type 53 7.62 mm armor-piercing incendiary ammunition, and the protective effect is best when the scale tilt angle is 30°. The maximum depression depth of the backplane is 12.4 mm, and the deformation of the backplane is reduced by 3 mm when the bullet hits the overlapping area of the scale compared with the central area of the target scale, accounting for 32.67% of the total deformation. The research work has guided the development of new bionic flexible protective armor.

Analysis of Ballistic Capability in Making Bulletproof Multilayers Using Woven Ramie Fiber, Hardfacing Metal with Epoxy Matrix for Bulletproof Vests

Bulletproof material in level III bulletproof vests must be created using hard and soft materials to prevent bullet penetration. Kevlar and SiC + PE are imported materials used as armor in bulletproof vests. The use of Kevlar and SiC is very dependent on foreign sources with high prices. An innovation was carried out by making bulletproof material using cheaper multilayer methods involving metal from hardfacing welding as a hard layer and ramie fiber as a soft layer with an epoxy matrix. To see the level of penetration and surface morphology structure in the specimens, 9 variations were made: 3 layers of hardfacing welding and 3 epoxy volume fractions (40%, 45%, 50%). Ballistic test using NIJ 0101.06 level III standards with AK-47 of 7.62 mm x 39 mm bullets and the morphology of bulletproof multilayer material after impact was observed using SEM. The results showed all specimens failed to withstand bullet penetration at a distance of 15 meters. Meanwhile, at 50 meters, the S2-C specimen with a 60% epoxy volume fraction was able to withstand bullet penetration with a BFS value of 25.85 mm. This value is < 44 mm; thus, it complies with the NIJ 0101.06 body armor standard. According to SEM, most of the failures occurred because the resulting adhesion force was weak. It was necessary to add reinforcing material so that the adhesion force between the metal, ramie fiber, and adhesive increases; the materials must also have very light density to prevent the effectiveness reduction of the multilayer.

TYPES OF ALLUSIONS IN BOHDAN TOMENCHUK’S POETRY ABOUT THE WAR

The paper examines allusions in Bohdan Tomenchuk’s poetry collection “Embroider, Mother, a bulletproof vest.” The various types of allusions are grouped based on their functions (activation of historical memory, adherence to literary tradition, text-structuring), themes (historical, mythological), and typology (ranging from nominal and quotation-type to associative). An attempt was made to differentiate the concept of allusion from quotation and reminiscence, while also juxtaposing it with intertext and intertextuality for comparison. In the poet’s texts about the modern Russian-Ukrainian war, the references to literary works are accompanied by numerous allusions to historical reality. These are references of the nominal type (topographical or proper names connected with certain historical events in the reader's mind). The author's distinctive approach involves overlapping different types of allusions, namely those of historical and literary nature, as well as historical and mythological. Behind a direct allusion, an associative one may emerge, linking to a text from a different time period through shared words, phrases, or thematic aura. The involvement of allusion in Tomenchuk’s poetry often occurs on the basis of the allegation (the new text ‘absorbs’ the previous one, without entering into a controversy with the original text). In this case, we deal with intertext (a text within a text). When an allusion entering a new text gets engaged in a dialogue with the original text, we deal with intertextuality as a process of textual interaction. By involving an allusion, the author makes it an element of the structure that serves as an impetus for the reader to navigate within a receptive context, searching among known texts relevant for interpreting the allusion while disregarding distant ones. Intertextuality engages cognition here. Sometimes allusion is not just an element of a structure but a structural principle, and it is proper to name it a structuring allusion. Various allusions in B. Tomenchuk’s poetry make it possible to fit the widest range of emotions and thoughts in a small textual space, to integrate the new experience of war into a broad historical and literary canvas with a biblical and mythological background.

Impact Response Features and Penetration Mechanism of UHMWPE Subjected to Handgun Bullet.

Ensuring military and police personnel protection is vital for urban security. However, the impact response mechanism of the UHMWPE laminate used in ballistic helmets and vests remains unclear, making it hard to effectively protect the head, chest, and abdomen. This study utilized 3D-DIC technology to analyze UHMWPE laminate's response to 9 mm lead-core pistol bullets traveling at 334.93 m/s. Damage mode and response characteristics were revealed, and an effective numerical calculation method was established that could reveal the energy conversion process. The bullet penetrated by 1.03 mm, causing noticeable fiber traction, resulting in cross-shaped failure due to fiber compression and aggregation. Bulge transitioned from circular to square, initially increasing rapidly, then slowing. Maximum in-plane shear strain occurred at ±45°, with values of 0.0904 and -0.0928. Model accuracy was confirmed by comparing strain distributions. The investigation focused on bullet-laminate interaction and energy conversion. Bullet's kinetic energy is converted into laminate's kinetic and internal energy, with the majority of erosion energy occurring in the first four equivalent sublaminates and the primary energy change in the system occurring at 75 μs in the fourth equivalent sublayer. The results show the damage mode and energy conversion of the laminate, providing theoretical support for understanding the impact response mechanism and improving the efficiency of protective energy absorption.

E-suite for Soldiers based on Photovoltaic Cells

We are urgently attempting to power the technology that surround us with clean energy. However, It never occurs to me to make bulletproof coats intelligent. In addition to a basic Kevlar vest, soldiers who defend our nation should receive an E-Uniform that operates on sustainable energy. This study article suggests such a uniform. The attire improves a soldier's ability to withstand extremes of temperature in adverse weather situations. It has a solar panel installed that charges the battery. The necessary heating and cooling effect is provided by the mounted Peltier plate. Additionally, the soldier's clothing incorporates GPS to track their precise location and GSM to make touch with them. Additionally, it has a metal detector to locate metal objects like bombs and is naturally camouflaged. Keywords—Kevlar, Peltier plate, GPS, GSM, Metal Detector,Camouflage..

Ballistic performance and energy transfer of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene laminate

Soldier protection is crucial in contemporary localized conflicts, However, the impact response mechanism of UHMWPE laminate as the insert plate of ballistic helmet and bulletproof vest is still unclear. This study utilized 3D-DIC technology to analyze the impact response of UHMWPE laminates subjected to a 9 mm lead-core pistol bullet at a velocity of 334.93 m/s. The damage mode and response characteristics of the back surface were revealed; an effective numerical calculation method was established and could reveal the energy conversion process. The bullet penetrated the front face with 1.01 mm, resulting in a cross-shaped failure feature due to fiber bundle compression and aggregation. The numerical model confirmed its accuracy by comparing the height, width, and inplane strain distribution within the inplane of the bulge with experimental results. It further investigated the interaction between the bullet and the laminate, and energy transformation. The bullet's kinetic energy decreased by 80.64 %, in which the laminate absorbs 30.84 % of the bullet's energy as internal energy and 35.06 % as kinetic energy, meanwhile the bullet's internal energy increases by 11.77 %. The results show the damage mode and energy transformation of laminate, which provides theoretical support for revealing the impact response mechanism and improving the protective energy absorption efficiency.

Using 3D design technology and a combination of carbon fiber and 16% HGM epoxy resin, female troops are wearing bulletproof vests

Women are becoming more active in the defense industry. Since the morphology of the female body differs from that of the male during military activities, it is required to modify personal protection equipment to accommodate the female body shape. According to a literature review, a survey of a sample of female soldiers from different nations revealed that they felt the impacts of breast soreness when running, as well as a sense of "distorted breasts" and breathing difficulties. The woman's petite frame and the bulky, hefty bulletproof jacket both draw criticism for their respective dimensions. Using 3D design technology, a female mannequin with a 95B breast size was scanned in order to create a bullet-proof vest that is tailored to the contour of a woman's body. Changes in the breast's contour, which affect changes in the surface point parameters, result in adaptive breasts. Utilizing a combination of carbon fiber and 16% HGM epoxy, bullet-proof vests can be modified to provide lightweight dimensions and have the benefit of good ballistic resistance. This results in a material that is 20 mm for thick, 1,348 kg in weight, and capable of absorbing 348.27 Joules of energy from bullets. The results of this research are not optimal, so developments are needed in further research.

Multistrand Twisted Triboelectric Kevlar Yarns for Harvesting High Impact Energy, Body Injury Location and Levels Evaluation.

Developing ultrahigh-strength fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerators for harvesting high-impact energy and sensing biomechanical signals is still a great challenge. Here, the constraints are addressed by design of a multistrand twisted triboelectric Kevlar (MTTK) yarn using conductive and non-conductive Kevlar fibers. Manufactured using a multistrand twisting process, the MTTK yarn offers superior tensile strength (372MPa), compared to current triboelectric yarns. In addition, a self-powered impact sensing fabric patch (SP-ISFP) comprising signal acquisition, processing, communication circuit, and MTTK yarns is integrated. The SP-ISFP features withstanding impact (4GPa) and a sensitivity and response time under the high impact condition (59.68VGPa-1; 0.4s). Furthermore, a multi-channel smart bulletproof vest is developed by the array of 36 SP-ISFPs, enabling the reconstruction of impact mapping and assessment of body injury location and levels by real-time data acquisition. Their potential to reduce body injuries, professional security, and construct a multi-point personal vital signs dynamic monitoring platform holds great promise.

����������-������� ������������ ������������ ����������������� ������ ���������Ҳ� � ���������� � �����̲ ��� �������

The actual state of use by law enforcement officers of such means of individual armor protection as bulletproof vests and plate carriers , as well as additional equipment systems used by police officers under the legal regime of martial law, is considered. Aspects of the legal definition and regulation of the operation of bulletproof vests, plate carriers, as well as additional equipment were studied. An analysis of individual models of personal protective equipment was carried out. The results of the study confirmed the importance of optimized placement of equipment to ensure comfort and functionality. Based on the research, recommendations for improving the legal framework were formulated and areas for further research were determined.

Smokers' “bulletproof vest”: The formation mechanism and interventions of self-exempting beliefs

Smokers' “bulletproof vest”: The formation mechanism and interventions of self-exempting beliefs

Innovative Methods of Terahertz Diagnostics in Selected Key Military and Security Applications

The article presents the main research directions of the project implemented by the consortium under the National Defence and Security Program: "Development of modern, breakthrough technologies for state security and defence", codename "SZAFIR". During the implementation of the project, the possibilities of using terahertz radiation will be examined for diagnostic tests of components crucial for defence and security, such as solid rocket fuels, aramid fibre-based composites (bulletproof vests, helmets, pyrotechnic suits), and polymer composites reinforced with glass and carbon fibres (aircraft elements). As a result of research, the interaction of tetheric radiation with materials of these components will be analysed, followed by the development of a methodology for determining their defects. This will result in creating innovative dedicated stations for non-destructive testing of these components. Neural network-based advanced signal processing and artificial intelligence algorithms will be used for automatic diagnostics of key components, improve the process of their control and therefore increase the safety of people and military equipment.

A review of polymer composite materials in bulletproof vest to defense sector

Personal protection, especially in the context of military protection and security, became a major focus in the development of bulletproof vests. Polymer composite materials offer a wide range of advantages in terms of strength, density, and ability to reduce the kinetic energy of projectiles, making them an attractive choice for such protection applications. This study examines the different types of polymers and composite technologies used in the manufacture of bulletproof vests. This study examines the use of polymer composite materials in the manufacture of bulletproof vests used in the defense sector. We evaluate the mechanical, thermal, and ballistic properties of these materials and investigate the design approaches applied to improve the performance of these protectors. The research proved that the composite was efficient enough to be used as a bulletproof vest material because it was light, flexible and strong.