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Body Armor
BODY ARMOR
Sgt. Stanley Muszynski
Eastern Michigan University,
School of Staff and Command
August 19, 2004
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Body Armor
Table of Contents
Abstract…………………………………………………………………….3
History of Body Armor…………………………………………………….4
Types of Body Armor……………………………………………………...7
Benefits of Wearing Body Armor…………………………………………..8
Body Armor Testing………………………………………………………..9
V50 Armor testing………………………………………………………….10
Body Armor Classification…………………………………………………11
Ballistic Body Armor Resistance Chart…………………………………….13
Materials used in Body Armor……………………………………………...16
Survey of Police Officers Wearing Body Armor……………………………20
References……………………………………………………………………23
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Body Armor
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Abstract
In today’s uncertain law enforcement world, there are many issues facing our Police
Officers. With police officers being shot and killed regularly by drug addicts, felons and persons
with absolutely no reason to even have a gun, we need to make sure that we offer our police
officers everything possible to insure their safety, so that they can go about their business of
protecting our communities.
Over the years people have always tried to protect themselves from their adversaries,
whether it was in the days of the caveman, the Roman warriors or in our society today, the need
to protect oneself is there, and it will not go away over time.
Through the years many products have been invented, tried and improved on. Body
armor is no exception.
In this writing I hope to be able to explain to you the history of body armor, the types of
body armor used to protect officers from the ever increasing high power ammunition threats in
our city streets, as well as to inform you of what new and improved technology exist today to
help save the lives of police officers.
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HISTORY OF BODY ARMOR
The first recorded history of body armor was the caveman’s clothing made from thick
animal hides for protection. Later on shields made of wood or metal were used to protect one’s
body. During the middle ages, Roman soldiers wore a system of segments which were assembled
with metal straps. This was called “Lorica” which is Latin for armor. (Legionxxiv.org/loricapage
[L], May22 2003)
Around 1500 with the advent of firearms, that type of protective clothing was no longer a
viable option. Soft armor, which was made from silk, came into use by the Japanese. In the late
19th century, the military explored the possibility of using soft armor. This type of garment was
effective against low-velocity bullets, but did not offer protection against the new generation of
weapons.
The first recorded use of body armor for police officers was demonstrated in 1931, but it
did not prove to be very effective. (U.S.Dept.of Justice [USDJ, 3-6)
During World War II, the “flak jacket” was developed for military use. They were heavy
very cumbersome and ineffective, but in the late 1960’s new fibers were developed that made
concealable body armor possible. (USDJ,)
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In the 1960’s the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice began
research to develop light weight body armor that police officers could wear on duty.
The investigation was able to identify new materials that could be woven together, that
were light weight and had ballistic resistant that was excellent. After conducting the research, the
agency believed the possibility of producing body armor that could be worn full time by officers
on patrol was something that could be accomplished.
The National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice worked together with
the Bureau of Standards, to come up with some type of performance standard that would define
ballistic resistant requirements for the body armor that police officers would wear.
The greatest achievement made in the 1970’s from all of the products that were tested
and evaluated, was the manufacturing of vest for use by police that were made from Kevlar® by
DuPont. Kevlar was originally produced to replace the steel belting in tires (USDJ, 4)
Between 1971 and 1976 the National Institute of Justice put more than 3 million dollars
into the development of body armor. This process was a four phase program that spanned several
years. (USDJ, 4)
The first phase was to test the Kevlar to determine whether or not it would stop bullets. The
second phase was to see how many layers of Kevlar it would take to stop penetration of bullets
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of varying caliber’s and speeds. And to design a sample vest that could protect officers from the
common bullet threats like .38specials and .22 long rifle ammunition.
By 1973 a vest made with seven layers of Kevlar had been designed for testing by
officers in the streets. The third phase of the program involved medical testing, to see what level
of body armor would be needed to save officers lives. It was evident from the study that even if
the bullet was stopped by the Kevlar, the impact trauma from the bullet would leave a serious
bruise at least, to a fatality in the worst case scenario do to damage done to critical organs.
The fourth phase was the monitoring of the body armors wear ability and the
effectiveness. Testing was conducted in three cities to verify that the vest was wearable and
didn’t prevent normal body movement that would interfere with normal police activities. In 1975
a very in-depth study was done with 15 police department that served a population over 250,000
and that had officer assault rates that were much higher than the national average. Some of the
things that they evaluated were comfort while wearing a vest through an entire shift, as well as
how the officers adapt to the vest in extreme temperatures and the long term durability of the
vest.
The final report confirmed that the new Kevlar material was effective as bullet resistant
body armor, that was light weight and able to be worn by police officers for full time use.
(USDJ, 4-6)
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TYPES OF BODY ARMOR
There are two types of body armor used by police officers, soft body armor and hard
armor. Soft body armor is designed to stop hand gun bullets, and is the type usually worn by the
officers on the streets. Soft body armor is usually in a sleeveless carrier and is called a vest. Soft
body armor can also be manufactured into the lining of a jacket or other outer garment. It is
designed to be inconspicuous, but a person looking for it may be able to detect that the officer is
wearing body armor, it can sometimes be seen through light clothing and close up to the officer.
Hard armor is often worn over the soft body armor, by police officers on a special detail,
where they are expecting an unusual risk of stabbing or long gun fire. Hard body armor is usually
not inconspicuous and is most often quite distinctive. People who watch Police shows on
television, recognize it as the outfit worn by the S.W.A.T. officers. The police officers call it
tactical armor or flak jacket. These vests are too heavy and hot to be worn on routine patrol. The
flak jackets are made with panels that include steel or titanium, sometimes coated with ceramic.
(Office of Technology Assessment [OTA], August 1992)
Most of the bullets that kill police officers are fired by handguns. Some of the soft
concealable body armor is designed to protect officers from a full spectrum of hand gun
ammunition. The lighter and less expensive vests offer protection against the most common hand
gun ammunitions used. (OTA, August 1992, vol 1-7
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Many officers have been killed by rifles and other long guns. Soft body armor has saved
some of them, but hard body armor is normally required to stop long gun or rifle ammunition.
BENEFITS OF WEARING BODY ARMOR
The best reason to wear Body Armor is that is saves lives. Wearing body armor could
save many more lives if it was worn more often and by more officers. The wearing of body
armor saves 10 to 30 officers from fatal wounds every year. The number of officers would more
than double if all officers would wear the body armor all of the time. The wearing of body armor
also saves officers from serious injuries and death in other types of assaults and even accidents,
especially vehicle related accidents. The universal wearing of body armor would not save
officers lives if they were shot in unprotected areas of the body, or from some guns and
ammunition that is more powerful than what the vest was designed to stop. (OTA, August 1992,
vol 1-13)
The main reason more officers that have soft body armor and don’t wear it is that they
say that the vests are uncomfortable. Most of the officers that have body armor that they don’t
wear, say that it is to hot to heavy or to stiff, and that it causes chafing. Some of the problems
that the officers site regarding the weight stiffness and chafing may be caused by a vest that has a
poor fit. A vest that fits properly is very important, especially if you’re wearing it for long
periods of time. (OTA, August 1992, vol 1-14)
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Officer complaints the vest makes them feel hot, cannot be attributed to a vest that has a
poor fit. Body armor is hot. The body armor material is a thermal insulator, and it blocks the
evaporation needed by the body for normal perspirative cooling. Complaints about the weight of
the vest are very important, because unlike the chafing and being to hot, weight is directly related
to the ballistic resistance of the vest. The body armor being able to stop heavier, faster, harder
bullets makes it heavier, as does covering a larger portion of the body. This just means that
because weight lessens the comfort, there is a trade off between the amounts of comfort the
officer wants or the amount of protection the officer wants.
BOBY ARMOR TESTING
Lightweight soft body armor has been in use by law enforcement officers for more than
25 years. The lives of over 2,700 officers have been saved as a result of body armor (National
institute of justice [NIJ],)
As a service to the law enforcement community as well as the body armor manufacturers,
NIJ”s body armor compliance testing program , test body armor using independent testing
laboratories to determine compliance with the requirements of the NIJ Standard-0101-03. The
models that comply with the requirements of the NIJ standard are added to is police body armor
consumer product list (CPL), which is a list that is widely distributed to law enforcement
agencies as a tool to procure their body armor.(USDJ, , pg 25)
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V50 TESTING
V50 ballistic testing is a statistical test and was developed by the U.S. Military to
evaluate hard armor of homogenous construction used to protect vehicles. Many body armor
manufacturers use a modified form of the V50 testing as a tool to develop and assess new body
armor designs. V50 testing as used by body armor manufacturers experimentally identifies a
velocity at which a specific projectile has a 50% chance of penetrating the body armor being
tested. With this type of testing, the armor is mounted on a clay backing material, and specified
bullets are fired into it to determine the velocities at which the bullets do or do not penetrate the
body armor. A number of bullets are fired at various velocities to obtain groups of five no
penetrating bullets and five penetrating bullets, with a velocity range of no more than” 38m/s
(125 ft/s)” (USDJ, pg 26) between the lowest velocity no penetrating bullet and the highest
velocity penetrating bullet.
V50 ballistic limit testing allows the manufacturers of body armor to evaluate the various
designs against each other to be able adapt their design for a particular type of body armor. The
trend is that manufacturers publish V50 test results and they also put the testing information on
the labels of some of their body armor. V50 testing as a statistical tool is both useful and
informative in evaluating some characteristics of body armor. This testing is not only valuable in
designing the body armor, but is also useful in the evaluation of the body armor degradation over
time. It does not however evaluate the amount of protection the body armor affords the officer
against blunt trauma, and is not a standard for V50 ballistic testing by all body armor
manufacturers (USDJ, pages 26-27)
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BODY ARMOR CLASSIFICATION
The NIJ Standard-0101.03 has six regular body armor classifications, and a seventh type
that is more of a special order classification. The seven classifications are listed below.
“TYPE I (.22LR .38 Special) this armor protects against .22.long rifle high velocity
bullets. Type I body armor is light. This is the minimum level of protection that every officer
should have, and the body armor should be worn at all times while the officer is on duty.” Type I
body Armor was the armor issued during the NIJ testing project in the 1970’s. Most police
agencies today use armor with higher threat levels due to the increasing threats (USDJ, pg 18).
“TYPE II-A (Lower Velocity .357 Magnum: 9mm). This armor protects against .357
Magnum jacketed soft point bullets. It also protects against threats like .45 Auto, .38Special +P,
and some other factory loads in caliber .357 Magnum and 9mm as well as all TYPE I threats.”
Type II-A body armor is well suited for the full time use for police officers, looking for
protection from lower velocity .357 Magnum and 9MM rounds. (USDJ, pg 19)
“TYPE II (Higher velocity .357 Magnum 9MM). This body armor protects against .357
Magnum jacketed soft point bullets. It also protects against most other factory loads in caliber
.357 Magnum and 9MM, along with TYPE I and TYPE II-A threats”. TYPE II armor is bulky
and heavier than both TYPE I and TYPE II-A. This type of armor is worn full time by officers
looking for protection against higher velocity .357 Magnum and 9MM rounds (USDJ, pg 19)
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“TYPE III-A (.44 Magnum Submachine Gun 9MM) this body armor protects against
.44Magnum, lead semi-wad cutter bullets”. This threat level will also provide protection against
most handgun threats, along with protecting anything that the threat levels TYPE I, TYPE II-A
and TYPY II protect against. TYPE III-A is the highest threat level available for concealable
body armor. This type can be regularly worn for daily police patrols. If you’re located in a hot or
humid climate, you may want to purchase a lighter vest, but you will be giving up the higher
threat level for a minimum amount of comfort (USDJ, pg 19)
“TYPE III High Power Rifle). This body armor in hard or semi rigid and protects against
7.62 full metal jacket bullets (U.S. Military M-80), as well as 223 Remington FMJ, 30 carbine
FMJ and 12 gauge rifled slug rounds.” It also protects against anything covered in threat levels
TYPE I through TYPE III-A. This style body armor is designed for tactical use (USDJ, pg 19)
“TYPE IV (Armor Piercing Rifle).This protects against .30-06 caliber armor piercing
bullets (U.S. Military APM2).” This will also protect against anything that is protected by threat
levels TYPY I through TYPE III. It may provide single shot protection, because the ceramic
tends to breaks up when it is struck more than one time. This style is for Tactical use when the
threat level is very high. (USDJ, pg 19 20)
SPECIAL TYPE is when the customer ordering the body armor, wants it for protection
for something other than what is covered in the other threat levels, its custom body armor.
(USDJ, pg 20)
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BALLISTIC BODY ARMOR RESISTANCE CHART
The National Institute of Justice has established a voluntary national standard for police
body armor. This standard has been changed several times over the years, to incorporate the
ongoing changes in the ballistic technology and the increased threats to police officers. (National
Institute of Justice [NIJ], 1973, pg 1)
LEGEND FOR BELOW LISTED CHART
RN – ROUND NOSE
HP – HALLOW POINT
SWC – SEMI WAD CUTTER
GC – GAS CHECK
FMJ – FULL METAL JACKET
AP – ARMOR PIERCING
JSP – JACKETED SOFT POINT
SJHP – SEMI JACKETED HALLOW POINT
Body Armor
CALIBER
PROJECTILE
WEIGHT
VELOCITY
VELOCITY
GRAINS
FEET PER
METERS PER
SECOND
SECOND
14
N.I.J. LEVEL
38 SPECIAL
RN LEAD
158
850
260
I
38 SPEC +P
SWC LEAD
158
950
290
I
22 LRHV
LEAD
40
1050
320
I
9MM
FMJ
124
1090
335
II-A
.357 MAG.
JSP
158
1250
381
II-A
.357 MAG.
JSP
158
1300
395
II-A
.22LRHV®
COPPER PLATED
1450
440
II-A
40
LEAD
9MM
FMJ
124
1175
358
II
.357 MAG.
JSP
158
1395
425
II
.357 MAG
SJHP
125
1450
440
II
12 GAUGE
00 BUCKSHOT
9 PEL
1350
410
II
.14 MAG
LEAD
210
1300
397
II
.44MAG
SJSP
240
1180
360
II
9MM
FMC
123
1200
366
III-A
FMJ
116
1150
351
III-A
123
1200
366
III-A
116
1250
381
III-A
LAPUA
9MM
NORMA
9MM GECO
9MM
FMJ
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CANADIAN
9MM
LEAD SWC GC
240
1400
425
III-A
9MM CAVIN
FMJ
124
1400
425
III-A
.44 MAG
LEAD SWC –GC
240
1400
425
III-A
9MM
FMJ
124
1400
425
III-A
9MM SMG
SILVER TIP HP
115
1400
425
III-A
7.62MM
USM BALL M80
150
2750
838
III
USM BALL M855
62
3050
925
III
USM BALL M193
55
3050
925
III
USM APM-2 ARMOR
166
2850
868
IV
ISRAEL
NATO ®
5.56MM
NATO ®
5.56MM
NATO ®
30.6
PIERCING
(NIJ, 1973, NIJ 0101.03 STD)
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MATERIALS USED IN BODY ARMOR
Many manufacturers have been involved in the development of body armor. Dupont has
been involved in developing products for the protection of law enforcement officers for over 25
years.
Dupont developed what’s known as Kevlar® a brand fiber, which was developed in
1965, and was the first type of material that was used in concealable body armor. Kevlar is a
manmade fiber, with a combination of properties that allow for high strength and low weight,
high chemical resistance, and also high cut resistance. Kevlar is also flame resistant will not melt
soften or flow, and it is not affected even when submerged in water. (USDJ,, pg-15)
Kevlar 29 was a product that was introduced by Dupont in the 1970’s, and was the first
generation of bullet resistant fibers that Dupont used to produce concealable body armor that was
practical for law enforcement use for the first time.
The second generation of Kevlar material which offered increased ballistic protection
against ammunition rounds like 9mmFMJ was called Kevlar 129 and was introduced in 1988.
In 1995 Dupont added Kevlar correctional which was able to provide puncture resistant
technology to both police and correctional personnel. In 1996 Dupont introduced another product
called Protera, which is a high performance fabric that is lighter, more flexible and provides
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better ballistic protection. The vest is lighter and more flexible because of the molecular structure
of the fiber. Its strength and ability to absorb energy have been increased by developing a new
spinning process. (USDJ, , pg-15)
Spectra® a product that is manufactured by Allied Signal is an ultra high strength
polyethylene fiber the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene is dissolved in a solvent and then
spun through a series of small openings called spinnerets. The solution is then made solid by
cooling, and the cooled fiber has a gel like look. This spectra fiber is then used to make what
they call Spectra Shield.” This product has two unidirectional layers of the fiber that cross each
other at 0 and 90 degree angles that are held in place by a flexible resin. The resin and fiber
layers are then sealed between two thin sheets of polyethylene film.” Allied Signal says that the
resulting no woven fabric is very strong and light weight with excellent ballistic protection.
Spectra Shield is made in several styles, and in both hard armor and concealable armor styles.
(USDJ, , pg-15)
Allied Signal also manufacturers a product called Gold Shield. This product is made by
using aramid fibers instead of the Spectra fibers. Gold Shield is made in three types Gold Shield
LCR and Gold Flex and all of them are used in the concealable body armor. Allied Signal also
manufacturer’s Gold Shield PCR. This product is used to make hard armor plates and
helmets.(USDJ, , pg-15)
A product called TWARON® was developed by Akzo Nobel. This product uses more
than a 1000 single filaments spun finely. The filaments act like a sponge by absorbing the impact
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of the bullet. Because they use more filaments the impact from the bullet gets dispersed faster.
Akzo Nobel says that TWARON® reduces the weight of the body armor, which makes their vest
more comfortable for the officers wearing them. (USDJ, , pg-15)
DYNEEMA® is also a fiber used in the production of body armor. DYNEEMA® has a
very high strength to weight ratio, and is light enough to float on water. ”A 1mm diameter rope
of Dyneema can hold up to a 240 kg load, and it also has a high energy absorption rate.” This
fiber was developed in the Netherlands (USDJ, pg-16)
ZYLON® currently a very controversial product, and is used by several of the body
armor manufacturers. ZYLON ® is manufactured in Japan by Toyobo, and has only been sold
for commercial use in body armor since 1998. Zylon is used in over 100 models of bullet
resistant vest. (L, May22, 2003, pg-1)
“Zylon is a synthetic fiber that has a high tensile strength and thermal stability, and is
flame resistant compared to organic fibers.” Zylon is used in body armor as well as protective
gloves, flame retardant suits, high tension rope and aerospace components.(Armor Holdings co.
[AH], 2003, pg-1)
The controversial thing with ZYLON® is that the U. S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
has ordered a Department of Justice investigation into Second Chance vest manufactured with
Zylon. Ashcroft was asked that Second Chance armor be studied specifically, and that their vest
should be recalled, and the purchasers be reimbursed. This investigation was asked for by two
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United States Senators who stated that 8,344 vest manufactured by Second Chance Body Armor
Co. contained Zylon and that these vest were purchased under a Justice Department matching
grant program which cost the government, officers and Police agencies over 7.3 million dollars.
This request came after the company had tested 200 hundred vests and found that the Zylon
fabric deteriorates and wears out faster than expected. The test conducted by Second Chance Co.
came after a series of warnings to them by the manufacturer of Zylon. Second Chance has
stopped selling the vest, and has a credit discount upgrade policy that was put in place to protect
the police officers using the Zylon body armor, as well as ensure the survival of Second Chance
body Armor Company.
This investigation into Second Chance Body Armor was started because of an injury
suffered by a Pennsylvania police officer who was shot and critically wounded, when a .40
caliber bullet passed through his Second Chance Zylon vest. This officer had a vest
manufactured in December 2002 that was issued to the officer in January 2003. The injury to the
officer occurred in June 2003. The vests have a 5 year recommended life span according to
Second Chance the company that manufactured the vest. (Echlin, 2003, pages 1 & 2)
A Second officer wearing Second Chance Zylon vest was killed when his vest failed to
stop a 9mm round that his vest was rated to stop. The vest he was wearing was only seven
months old at the time of his death. (Sommers, 2004)
The new and latest addition to body armor materials is a totally new product being tested
by the U. S. Army called liquid body armor. Liquid armor for Kevlar vest is one of the newest
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technologies currently being developed by the U. S. Army research laboratory at Aberdeen
Maryland. This is a light flexible type of armor that allows soldiers to be more mobile, and
doesn’t interfere with the soldier running or aiming his or her weapon. The main component of
this product is shear thickening fluid. STF is a product made up of hard particles that are
suspended in a liquid. The liquid is polyethylene glycol, is a non toxic, and can withstand a wide
range of temperatures. Hard nano particles of silica are the other components of STF. This
combination of flowable and hard components results in a material with unusual properties. STF
is very deformable and flow like a liquid during normal handling, but once the bullet hits the vest
it transforms into a very rigid material, which prevents the bullet from penetrating the officer’s
body. To make this liquid armor, all the Kevlar is soaked in STF and the Kevlar fabric holds the
STF in place and also helps to stop the bullet. “The saturated fabric can be soaked, draped, and
sewn just like any other fabric”. The object of this is to create a new material that is light weight
and low cost that has more flexibility with less thickness and can stop ammunitions that are in
use today. The military will benefit from this new product, as well as police and correction
officers. Liquid armor is much more stab resistant than regular Kevlar armor, which will be very
important to prison guards. (Johnson, pg-1)
SURVEY OF POLICE OFFICERS REGARDING BODY ARMOR
In the process of conducting research to write this paper, I had the opportunity to
interview officers, both patrol and command officers from 40 different police agencies in
Michigan regards to body armor that they wear.
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I asked them what brand of body armor they use and the threat level they currently have.
I also asked them if their agency mandates what body armor they wear. I was surprised to learn
that 49% of the officers surveyed stated that they wear Second Chance body armor with 35% of
them using II-A threat level and 51% not knowing what threat level they have. The results also
showed that 49% of the officers surveyed indicated that their agency specifies the brand and the
threat level that they wear.
The officers were asked if their agency has a written body armor policy that they use, and
if the policy requires them to wear only the body armor that is in the policy. The survey said that
86% of the departments have a written policy in effect regarding the brand and threat level they
must wear. 98% issue the officers the body armor that is required and 75% of those surveyed say
that they must wear a vest while working in uniform.
The biggest complaint that I heard from officers while conducting the survey, was that
even with all of the progress over the years in the new light weight materials being used in body
armor, the officers still believe that the vest are to hot.
In the 20 plus years that I have been a police officer working in uniform, I still wear the
body armor religiously when I have that uniform on. I believe that the slight amount of
discomfort from the vest being to hot, far out weighs the discomfort of being shot while not
wearing a vest. It only makes sense that we purchase and wear body armor regularly since the
technology to help protect the police officers is available to any officers that want to wear them.
Body Armor
(Thompson 2004)
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References
Armor Holdings co. (2003, September19, 2003). Faqs about Zylon materials in body armor.
Retrieved June 16, 2004, www.americanbodyarmor.com
Echlin, B. (2003, November 19, 2003). Central Lake Vest Maker in the Crosshairs. Retrieved
June 29, 2004, www.record-eagle.com
Johnson, T. (2004, April26, 2004). Liquid Body Armor. Retrieved July 1, 2004,
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/armyweapons/a/liquidarmor.htm
Legionxxiv.org/loricapage (May 22 2003). . Retrieved 7/13/04, http://www.legionxxiv.org
Masakazu, S. (March 18, 2004). Letter to valued Customers. Retrieved June 16, 2004,
www.toyoba.cojpe/seihen
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2004, www.bodysafe.com
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armor Safety initiative Testing and activities. , , 1-3.
Office of Technology Assessment (August 1992). Police Body Armor Testing and Standards. ,
OTA-ISC-534, 2.
Sommers, K. (2004, February 2004). Zylon Based Vest Failed For 2 Officers. The F.O.P.
JOURNAL, (fEBRUARY 2004), .
Thompson, M. (2004, August 2004). . Detroit Free Press, , .
U.S Department of Justice Selection and application guide to police body armor (October 1998).
U.S.Dept.of Justice (, October 1998). . Selection and Application Guide to Police Body Armor, ,
3-6. Retrieved June 23,2004,