Flak jackets: protection classes. Kevlar bulletproof vest (photo)

The history of military operations that have been and are being conducted now has given impetus to the development of individual means of protection for every soldier or other people. According to statistics, the most effective means for preserving life during military operations is the army bulletproof vest. This type of armor allows you to keep unharmed the human body when exposed to bullets of different caliber, fragments from grenades and shells, as well as knife strikes.

In many countries, practically at the same time, the production of bulletproof vests began, which were mainly used for power structures and army units. Technologies that are used to obtain a more reliable protection system are constantly being improved, and a large amount of money is spent for this.

Basic characteristics of body armor

To have high protective properties, individual protective equipment must have exceptional characteristics in terms of resistance against bullet impact or other objects. They also have other important features that allow you to use them without harm to your health.

The best flak jackets have a certain set of characteristics:

• The required level of protection according to the class by which it was manufactured.
• Convenient operation.
• Masking appearance.
• Practicality in use.
• Fabric shell of increased strength.
• Technological for modernization.
• Convenient weight indicators.
• Certificate of conformity for tests.

Bulletproof vest, the price of which is high enough, should correspond to almost all listed characteristics. If the main ones are not met, then such products should be discarded and not allowed for sale.

Protection classes

Since the protection of a person under different conditions must assume different degrees, then, respectively, all bulletproof vests should be divided into protection classes. There are seven in total. The simplest and least effective is the first class of bulletproof vests. The higher the class, the more reliable the protection.

1 class

This is the initial level at which the human body can be protected from minor threats. A body armor of the 1st class of protection is able to protect the body from light blows with a knife and dagger, and also to ensure safety from bullets of small caliber. Also, it will withstand a bullet hit from a 9 mm caliber pistol from a long distance. The total weight of such bulletproof vest does not exceed 2.5 kg. This kind can be used to protect against pneumatic weapons and other small-caliber pistols. Since metal plates are not used in such a means of protection, it can only be protected if the knife is not very strong .

Grade 2

The body armor of the 2nd class of protection is able to protect small-caliber pistol and pneumatic weapon from bullets. He also withstands a bullet in a steel shell. The protective layer consists of 7 layers of tissue, which represent a rigid plexus. The second class can also protect against hitting a hunting rifle. If you use this bulletproof vest from knife threats, then it will be more effective, but still with a strong blow it can not save a person. The advantage of this bulletproof vest is a light weight of 3 kg and the possibility of using it under clothes due to compact dimensions.

Grade 3

The bulletproof vest of the 3rd class of protection has in its design steel plates and more than 25 layers of strong fabric. Also there are special softening pads, which, if hit, will neutralize the impact force. This bulletproof vest is able to keep hit of a reinforced bullet from the pistol, as well as a blow from the knife. He also protects against the bullets of smooth-bore rifles. This class of bulletproof vests must guarantee protection from the bullets of the AK-47. Its weight is not more than 9 kg. Usually it is worn on an army uniform or other tough clothing.

4th grade

The bulletproof vest of the 4th class of protection is similar in construction to the previous one, but it has a big protection in the chest, back and abdomen. This class reliably protects both from pistols, and from a sniper rifle SVD. He can withstand the hit of bullets 5,45 and 7,62 caliber, which have a soft core. This means of protection is mainly used in power structures as a basic bulletproof vest.

Grade 5

A fifth-grade body armor is one of the most reliable. He can withstand the hit of armor-piercing bullets caliber 5.45 and 7.62. When protecting from such bullets, the following situations are possible: conventional bullets penetrate from a distance of 5 meters, armor-piercing - from 10 meters, a pistol bullet is held at point-blank range. The weight of the bulletproof vest can vary from 11 to 20 kilograms, depending on the modification and materials used.

6th grade

The bullet-proof vest of the 6th class of protection is capable of withstanding a direct hit from all kinds of bullets of a sniper rifle. Also, he will eliminate the impact from the bullet with a steel heat-strengthened core. The weight of such bulletproof vest can be more than 20 kilograms.

7th grade

The 7th grade security bulletproof vest is a modified version of the previous class, and there is reinforced armor in the form of a ceramic plate. It is installed in front and behind the bulletproof vest.

Inhibit displacement

Bulletproof vests, protection classes of 3 or more, are endowed with a unique characteristic - the so-called disallowed armor shift. It shows how many millimeters the armor plate croches when a bullet that has been sustained falls into it. This bias may be more traumatic if it is larger than the bullet itself. The fact is that a large hole from the bullet can also cause damage to the body, and as a result, fractures, ruptures and other injuries are possible. It should be noted that the Russian GOST strictly regulates the maximum displacement. It should not exceed 20 millimeters. Therefore, if you want to choose flak jackets, the protection classes of which are higher than the second one, you must first ascertain the magnitude of their banned displacement. For this, it is possible to carry out field tests.

Exploitation

In order to protect the body armor from possible injuries and not to restrain movements, it is made as comfortable as possible to wear. Protective parts must not interfere with the movement or performance of any other action. Therefore, in general, the means of protection are made of a fabric in which metal plates are placed. The material is in most cases durable and prevents the sagging of the components. In addition, the body armor, as a rule, are various pockets and attachments, which increase its functionality.

To ensure that the protective equipment is fully fit for each person, special tightening and adjusting straps are provided. They allow you to more accurately fit body armor to the body and make it more convenient to use it.

The outer coloring is a drawing that is printed on the uniform of all soldiers. Also there are separate variants of colors, adapted for specific terrain in which the operation will take place.

Practicality

To ensure that no major inconvenience occurs during use, the bulletproof vest must be quickly put on and removed. Basically all models use fastening due to Velcro. They well hold a waistcoat on the body and quickly disconnect when necessary.

It should be noted that body armor, the protection classes of which are the same, can be quite different in appearance. This is due to the various firms that are engaged in the production of such protective equipment. Also there are separate modifications for use by tankmen, snipers or other specialized military. For example, tankers are not at all suitable bulletproof vest of the 6th grade of protection, which is designed for infantry. In the tank cab there is very little space, and the entrance hatches are small, so they need a special bulletproof vest with reduced overall dimensions for convenient operation. Also, many industries, where individual means of protection are needed, require a separate model that is adapted to the conditions of use.

Weights

If bulletproof vests weigh too much, then its effectiveness will not be high. Therefore, special alloys are developed and new technologies used to reduce the weight of protection measures. As a rule, the weight of more than 25 kilograms is already considered large and significantly affects the maneuverability of the soldier. For maximum ease of use, 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 a metal, but a special fiber. It is five times stronger than steel. In addition, such bulletproof vests are much lighter than those with steel plates. Since the basis is a fabric of great strength, the weight characteristics of such a means of protection are the best.

The material used was originally intended for automotive 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, the analogue of Kevlar is the domestic strong fabric TSVM J. It was designed specifically for use in bulletproof vests and has proven itself well.

Certificate of conformity based on tests

The classes of flak jackets show the degree of protection and should be checked in a special laboratory. It creates the conditions when there is a direct hit by bullets of the caliber that the bulletproof vest must theoretically sustain. This can create different situations for bounce or other imitations. After the impact on the bulletproof vest, the specialists examine the damage site and make a conclusion about the suitability of the material and its compliance with the claimed protection class. In this case, there may be situations where the material withstands a direct hit, but the over-limit displacement is too large. In this case, it is considered that the protection did not work, as it caused a lot of damage by its secondary action.

Correspondence of Russian remedies to foreign counterparts

All flak jackets, which are 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 blows. In this regard, almost all manufacturers produce flak jackets with the same protection. But at the same time, the Russian GOST is more critical in the magnitude of the out-of-bound displacement. In other countries, large bias is possible than provided for by the Russian standard.

New technologies in manufacturing

Scientists from England have developed a new type of body armor, which has a liquid armor. A special substance is placed between several layers of Kevlar fabric and is a mixture of very strong nanoparticles in a special liquid. To the touch, such armor is soft and light. But if a bullet strikes it, the place of contact instantly strengthens and does not allow it to penetrate it. This development has developed, and models of bulletproof vests of this type have already been manufactured.

One of the new materials that is being tested is graphene. It has exceptional properties of thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and also greater strength under force. However, the big problems in adapting this material to the means of protection essentially remove the date of its introduction into production. According to the characteristics, it is several times stronger than Kevlar and has a very fine structure.

Additional protection features

Virtually all bulletproof vests that use a good protection with steel plates, prevent the person from hitting grenades or shells. It is impossible to predict how the splinter will behave, and therefore this protection is considered conditional. Also bulletproof vests, the protection classes of which are 6 and 7, are able to withstand a strong blow from a professional combat knife. But this is subject to a direct hit in the protection plate.

Recently, models of flak jackets have started to be manufactured, which have additional pads to protect the neck, shoulders and groin. Such protection is much more effective than others, but at the same time the mobility of a person who uses such a waistcoat decreases. Basically, these protections are used for special cases, when, for example, a soldier does not need much maneuverability.

Features of material for body armor

When used during the conduct of hostilities, there are many different factors that affect the bulletproof vest. It can be fire, chemical, temperature or other. To ensure that these conditions do not reduce the protective effect, it is necessary to maintain a vest of such influence. For this, the material makes it non-combustible and impervious to chemicals. Also bulletproof vests can be operated both at a temperature of +40 degrees, and during a frost to -30 degrees.

For kevlar bulletproof vests, an additional condition is the resistance to detergents and exposure to sunlight. For this, special impregnations from different substances are applied to them, which increase the resistance to these factors.

Prices of protective equipment

The average cost of army bulletproof vest, which is accepted for standard equipment, is about 15 thousand rubles. Also, depending on the desire, various modifications can be made by adding plates of steel or ceramics to the bulletproof vest. The price of the product may vary depending on the manufacturer. Also of great importance is the degree of protection. As a rule, body armor, the price of which is the highest, is equipped with maximum protection and is very convenient to operate.

Features of protective equipment

One of the features that a Kevlar bulletproof vest with ceramic inserts has is a high probability of changing its characteristics during long-term storage. They can 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 with the help of an X-ray. Only in this case it is possible to detect hidden defects.

Special Body Armor

For personal safety of a person, several modifications of vests that can be worn under clothing have been developed and they will not interfere with this at the same time. First of all, they are used by bodyguards and high-ranking people. Such protective equipment is disguised as a vest, coat or just put on a shirt in the form of a shirt. However, it is not always convenient to do business with them, since significant weight creates certain difficulties. Also there are separate development of bulletproof vests for children. Their weight does not exceed 2 kilograms, and this is a big plus for those who use them.

Do not ignore the women. For them, too, developed several models of body armor, which can be hidden. They are made with anatomical matching and are convenient for operation. However, it is impossible to raise the protection class for such vests more than the fourth.

Finally

So, the body armor classes characterize the degree of their protection against bullets and other threats to life. Depending on the need, different protection options are used for the person. The most common are 4 and 5 classes of flak jackets. Such a means protects a person well and does not create great inconveniences in use.

Each type of protective equipment is certified by a special laboratory, which by results can issue a certificate of compliance with the protection class. It is also worth noting the wide distribution of various modifications of flak jackets that are used by individuals because of their professional activities.