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| (Almost) Bullet-proof shorts for GIs |
| 2005-04-01 |
| The U.S. Department of Defense has developed Kevlar shorts for the troops, to provide protection from one the more common fatal wounds, a severed femoral artery. When this blood vessel is cut, large quantities of blood are lost quickly, and it is difficult to stop the bleeding. The femoral artery is deep in the thigh, making a tourniquet difficult to apply. The new shorts, weighing eight pounds, also protect the genital area from shell or bomb fragments. The new shorts are not bullet proof (but will stop some pistol bullets and ricochets), has 28 layers of Kevlar material, weighs eight pounds and are bulky. The infantry won't use them because of the weight and movement restrictions. But for troops escorting convoys, they are a welcome bit of additional protection against roadside bomb fragments. The new Kevlar shorts have not been issued yet, and are still being field tested. Funny how we get closer and closer to fielding knights in suits of armor again. I wonder if we'll ever come up with another weapon that will defeat all modern armor and begin the cycle anew? |
| Posted by:Dar |
| #8 I've seen concept videos of body armor that can switch between being flexible at joints and being locked up for serious protection ... think nanotech and lots of computer smarts built in. 2015 or so for deployment, maybe. |
| Posted by: too true 2005-04-01 5:03:56 PM |
| #7 It's like sitting on your helmet so your balls don't get blown off, only you can still wear your helmet. |
| Posted by: RJ Schwarz 2005-04-01 4:24:08 PM |
| #6 RC, I read that as Heineken's Mobile Infantry. Why am I so thirsty? |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-04-01 3:18:29 PM |
| #5 My dad said that the Marines tried a version of these during the Korean War. Fifteen pounds of steel plate. They gave them the option of wearing them on patrols. Very few guys did. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-04-01 2:54:16 PM |
| #4 weighing in at 8 lbs , do they come with a zipper :)) |
| Posted by: MacNails 2005-04-01 2:49:56 PM |
| #3 The new shorts, weighing eight pounds Can anyone imagine wearing underwear that weighs eight pounds? also protect the genital area from shell or bomb fragments OK, for that, I will. Funny how we get closer and closer to fielding knights in suits of armor again. I wonder if we’ll ever come up with another weapon that will defeat all modern armor and begin the cycle anew? Of course we will. That's been the course of weapons technology for centuries. Better defense -> better offense -> better defense -> better offense... I suspect we'll see something like Heinlein's Mobile Infantry in ten or twenty years. I can think of at least three trends supporting their development -- information technology on the battlefield, armor requirements and limitations, and the need for forces that can make precise but massively destructive strikes at short notice. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-04-01 2:24:58 PM |
| #2 Sharks with "lazer" beam eyes. ;) |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-04-01 2:11:30 PM |
| #1 Carbon fibre club. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-04-01 1:57:59 PM |