this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2024
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The extra plate stops rifle rounds up to caliber .308 / 7.62mm (which carry more force than the assault rifles used by most infantry now), at least in the American Level III/IV vests.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_body_armor_performance_standards#NIJ_armor_standard_(United_States)
Funnily enough, the European standard goes up to armor ratings that would protect against 3 point blank shots from 14.5×114mm rounds (what this thing shoots), but I couldn't find a picture of any armor with that rating, and it would likely break every bone in your torso even if the bullet doesn't penetrate.
This is what Level III/IV full body armor looks like:
How is that something a person could wear? Those bullets penetrate light vehicle armor.
I'm guessing they just defined the standard for any round fired by a human-portable rifle, without worrying about whether it's possible to meet the standard.
That would make sense, bulletproofing your standard before the bulletproofing technology catches up.
Even Master Chief's Mjolnir armor from Halo wouldn't pass. (It would stop one bullet but not three in a row without time to recharge the shield.)
The 14.5mm KPV heavy machine gun is human portable in the same way that an 80/81mm mortar is. As in, if you bring a couple of friends and don't want to use it much, it's not completely impossible.
There are also anti-materiel rifles (generally bolt-action) which use that ammunition.
I think it's more like they tested the plate and at best the plate could take three shots when optimally dispersed, in a way that there's would still be a tiny chance that the wearer wouldn't instantly die.
It's more "improve your odds" than "be bullet-proof".
Probably weren't direct shots, but like, at an angle.
"Hans, the bullet didn't penetrate your armor!"
Hans: [is soup]
When I was in the army, we tried an insert like that in our shrapnel vests. The cost to mobility was pretty severe compared to the area the plate covered. Most troops wouldn't have the inserts, and just have the std shrapnel vest.
https://reservilainen.fi/maenpaan-vinkit-nain-kaytat-suojaliivia-oikein/
Here's what the Finnish one looks like with the inserts. Although this is a newer model than the one I had while serving.
Oh ok, my bad.