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List of body armor performance standards

Body armor performance standards are lists generated by a certain country, to set requirements for armor to ensure that armor will perform reliably with greater transparency as to what armor may and may not defeat. As each country has regional threats which may be unique to it, some standards may include threats that are not present in others.

VPAM armor standard (Europe)

The VPAM scale as of 2009 runs from 1 to 14, with 1-5 being soft armor, and 6-14 being hard armor.[1] Tested armor must withstand three hits, spaced 120 mm (4.7 inches) apart, of the designated test threat with no more than 25 mm (0.98 inches) of back-face deformation in order to pass. Of note is the inclusion of special regional threats such as Swiss P AP from RUAG and .357 DAG. According to VPAM's website, it is apparently used in France and Britain.

The VPAM scale is as follows:[2]

Armor Level Protection
PM 1
.22 Long Rifle
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 2.6±0.1 g (40±1.54 gr) .22 Long Rifle lead round-nose bullets at a velocity of 360±10 m/s (1181±33 ft/s)
PM 2
9×19mm Parabellum
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters, of:
  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 360±10 m/s (1181±33 ft/s)
PM 3
9×19mm Parabellum
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters, of:
  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 415±10 m/s (1361±33 ft/s)
PM 4
.357 Magnum
.44 Magnum
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters, of:
  • 10.2±0.1 g (157±1.54 gr) .357 Magnum bullets at a velocity of 430±10 m/s (1410±33 ft/s)
  • 15.6±0.1 g (240±1.54 gr) .44 Magnum bullets at a velocity of 440±10 m/s (1443±33 ft/s)
PM 5
.357 Magnum
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters, of:
  • 7.1±0.1 g (109±1.54 gr) .357 Magnum FMs (brass at nose) bullets at a velocity of 580±10 m/s (1902±33 ft/s)
PM 6
7.62×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 8.0±0.1 g (122±1.54 gr) 7.62×39mm PS mild steel-core bullets at a velocity of 720±10 m/s (2362±33 ft/s)
PM 7
5.56×45mm
7.62×51mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 4.0±0.1 g (62±1.54 gr) 5.56×45mm SS109/US: M855 FMJ bullets at a velocity of 950±10 m/s (3116±33 ft/s)
  • 9.55±0.1 g (147±1.54 gr) 7.62×51mm DM111 steel-core bullets at a velocity of 830±10 m/s (2723±33 ft/s)
PM 8
7.62×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 7.7±0.1 g (118±1.54 gr) 7.62×39mm BZ API (armor-piercing incendiary) bullets at a velocity of 740±10 m/s (2427±33 ft/s)
PM 9
7.62×51mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 9.7±0.2 g (149±3.08 gr) 7.62×51mm P80 armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 820±10 m/s (2690±33 ft/s)
PM 10
7.62×54mmR
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 10.4±0.1 g (160±1.54 gr) 7.62×54mmR B32 API bullets at a velocity of 860±10 m/s (2821±33 ft/s)
PM 11
7.62×51mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 8.4±0.1 g (129±1.54 gr) 7.62×51mm Nammo AP8/US M993 armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 930±10 m/s (3051±33 ft/s)
PM 12
7.62×51mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 12.7±0.1 g (196±1.54 gr) 7.62×51mm RUAG SWISS P AP armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 810±10 m/s (2657±33 ft/s)
PM 13
12.7×99mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from an arbitrary distance, of:
  • 43.5±0.1 g (671±7.71 gr) 12.7×99mm RUAG SWISS P penetrator bullets at a velocity of 930±10 m/s (3051±33 ft/s)
PM 14
14.5×114mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from an arbitrary distance, of:
  • 63.4±0.1 g (978±7.71 gr) 14.5×114mm B32 API bullets at a velocity of 911±10 m/s (2988±33 ft/s)

TR armor standard (Germany)

The Technische Richtlinie (TR) Ballistische Schutzwesten is a regulation guide in Germany for body armor. It is mainly issued for body armor used by the German police, but also for the German armed forces and civilian available body armor. Producers have to meet the criteria of the TR, if they want to participate in open competitive bidding made by German agencies. The TR specifies different Schutzklassen (SK), which translates to protection classes, which a body armor can have. It specifies five different classes ranging from L to 4 of ballistic protection (e.g. SK 4). It also gives specifications for additional Stichschutz (ST), protection against knives, using the same classes as the ballistic protection, but giving it the additional ST label (e.g. SK L ST). The ballistic tests to determine a class are now integrated into the VPAM guidelines, so that the tests differ just in minor details and only one test (SK 1) is significantly different as of 2008.[3]

The TR scale is as follows:[3]

Armor Level Protection
SK L
9×19mm Parabellum
This test is based on VPAM PM 2, but it tests also for point-blank shots.

This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters, as well as point-black shots, of:

  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 360±10 m/s (1181±33 ft/s)
SK 1
9×19mm Parabellum
This test is based on VPAM PM 3, but it adds two police special rounds, with the following modifications:

This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters in an angle of 25°, as well as 3 shots at point-blank, of:

  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 415±10 m/s
  • 6.0±0.1 g 9×19mm Parabellum QD-PEP II/S police special round bullets at a velocity of 460±10 m/s
  • 6.1±0.1 g 9×19mm Parabellum Action 4 police special round bullets at a velocity of 460±10 m/s
SK 2 (PM 5)
.357 Magnum
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5±0.5 meters, of:
  • 7.1±0.1 g (109±1.54 gr) .357 Magnum FMs (brass at nose) bullets at a velocity of 580±10 m/s (1902±33 ft/s)
SK 3 (PM 7)
5.56×45mm
7.62×51mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 4.0±0.1 g (62±1.54 gr) 5.56×45mm SS109/US: M855 FMJ bullets at a velocity of 950±10 m/s (3116±33 ft/s)
  • 9.55±0.1 g (147±1.54 gr) 7.62×51mm DM111 steel-core bullets at a velocity of 830±10 m/s (2723±33 ft/s)
SK 4 (PM 9)
7.62×51mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.5 meters, of:
  • 9.7±0.2 g (149±3.08 gr) 7.62×51mm P80 armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 820±10 m/s (2690±33 ft/s)

The German TR are generally comparable to the American NIJ, but the German TR usually tests more threat scenarios, as there are no point-blank shots as well as no police special rounds. In contrast the NIJ tests for bigger calibers and higher man stopping power. And while the German TR tests smaller calibers and lighter bullets, it also tests more aggressive rounds, as the first test already uses steel FMJ bullets, while the NIJ uses normal FMJ rounds. In addition SK 4, the highest protection class, is specified to withstand three hits, while Level IV needs only to withstand one hit - although by a bigger caliber (7.62×63mm).[4]

HOSDB armor standard (United Kingdom)

The Home Office Scientific Development Branch is governing standards and testing protocols for police body armor.

Armor Level Protection
HG1/A This armor would protect against six (three for S-sized panel) hits, fired from 5 meters, of:
  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM11 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 365±10 m/s
  • 10.2±0.1 g (158±1.54 gr) .357 Magnum R375M3 JSP bullets at a velocity of 390±10 m/s
HG1 This armor would protect against six (three for S-sized panel) hits, fired from 5 meters, of:
  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM11 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 365±10 m/s
  • 10.2±0.1 g (158±1.54 gr) .357 Magnum R375M3 JSP bullets at a velocity of 390±10 m/s
HG2 This armor would protect against six (three for S-sized panel) hits, fired from 5 meters, of:
  • 8.0±0.1 g (123±1.54 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum DM11 FMJ round-nose lead-core bullets at a velocity of 390±10 m/s
  • 10.2±0.1 g (158±1.54 gr) .357 Magnum R375M3 JSP bullets at a velocity of 430±10 m/s
HG3 This armor would protect against six (three for S-sized panel) hits, fired from 10 meters, of:
  • 4.0±0.1 g (62±1.54 gr) 5.56×45mm LE223T3 bullets at a velocity of 750±15 m/s (3116±33 ft/s)
RF1 This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10 meters, of:
  • 9.3±0.1 g (144±1.54 gr) 7.62×51mm L2A2 FMJ bullets at a velocity of 830±15 m/s (2723±33 ft/s)
RF2 This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10 meters, of:
  • 9.7±0.1 g (150±1.54 gr) 7.62×51mm L40A2 steel-core bullets at a velocity of 850±15 m/s (2723±33 ft/s)
SG3 This armor would protect against 1 hit, fired from 10 meters, of:
  • 28.4±0.1 g (437±1.54 gr) 12 gauge rifled lead slug at a velocity of 435±25 m/s

BFD to be measured after each shot, maximum allowed BFD for HG1/A class is 44mm, and 25mm for the rest.

GOST armor standard (Russia)

GOST R 50744-95 is the Russian Federation standard for body armor. Prior to the 2017 revision, the threat levels ran from 1 to 6. Noticeably, it included threats with the suffix A, which denote heightened ratings as opposed to lowered ratings in the NIJ standard.[5]

The old (pre-2017) standards are as follows:

Armor Level Protection
Class 1
9×18mm Makarov
7.62×38mmR
This armor would protect against five hits, fired from 5 meters, of:
  • 5.9 g (91 gr) 9×18mm Makarov 57-N-181S steel-core bullets at a velocity of 305–325 m/s (1000–1066 ft/s)
  • 6.8 g (105 gr) 7.62×38mmR 57-N-122 lead core bullets at a velocity of 275–295 m/s (902–968 ft/s).
Class 2
5.45×18mm
7.62×25mm Tokarev
This armor would protect against five hits, fired from 5 meters, of:
  • 2.5 g (38.6 gr) 5.45×18mm steel-core MPC 7N7 bullets at a velocity of 310–335 m/s (1017–1099 ft/s)
  • 5.5 g (84.8 gr) 7.62×25mm Tokarev steel-core bullets at a velocity of 415–445 m/s (1361–1460 ft/s)
Class 2A
12 gauge
This armor would protect against five hits, fired from 5 meters, of:
  • 35 g (540 gr) 12 gauge lead-core "Hunter" shotshells at a velocity of 390–410 m/s (1279–1345 ft/s)
Class 3
5.45×39mm
7.62×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5.10 meters, of:
  • 3.4 g (52 gr) 5.45×39mm 7N6 (PS) hardened steel-core bullets at a velocity of 890–910 m/s (2920–2985 ft/s)
  • 7.9 g (122 gr) 7.62×39mm 57-N-231 (PS) hardened steel-core bullets at a velocity of 710–740 m/s (2329–2427 ft/s)
Class 4
5.45×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5.10 meters, of:
  • 3.4 g (52 gr) 5.45×39mm 7N10 (PP) hardened steel-core bullets at a velocity of 890–910 m/s (2920–2985 ft/s)
Class 5
7.62×54mmR
7.62×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5.10 meters, of:
  • 9.6 g (148 gr) 7.62×54mmR 57-N-323S steel-core bullets at a velocity of 820–840 m/s (2690–2756 ft/s)
  • 7.9 g (122 gr) 7.62×39mm 57-N-231 (PS) hardened steel-core bullets at a velocity of 710–740 m/s (2329–2427 ft/s)
Class 5A
7.62×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5.10 meters, of:
  • 7.4 g (114 gr) 7.62×39mm 57-BZ-231 (BZ API) armor-piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 720–750 m/s (2362–2460 ft/s).
Class 6
7.62×54mmR
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5.10 meters, of:
  • 9.6 g (148 gr) 7.62×54mmR ST-M2 hardened steel-core bullets at a velocity of 820–840 m/s (2690–2756 ft/s)
Class 6A
7.62×54mmR
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 5.10 meters, of:
  • 10.4 g (160 gr) 7.62×54mmR 7-BZ-3 (B32 API) armor-piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 800–835 m/s (2624–2739 ft/s)

With the 2017 revision, the standards have changed significantly. Threat classes now range from BR1 to BR6. 'A'-suffixed classes have been eliminated, and their test threats have been either merged into the new categories, such as Classes 6 and 6A being moved into Class BR5, or removed entirely, as in the case of Class 2A. Additionally, several of the threat levels have been increased in difficulty with the introduction of new test threats; most notably is the introduction of Class BR6, which requires the tested armor to survive three hits of 12.7×108mm B32 API. In spite of the more difficult test threats, the 16mm back-face deformation limit remains unchanged.[6]

The updated standards from the 2017 revision are as follows:

Armor Level Protection
BR1
9×18mm Makarov
This armor would protect against five hits, fired from 5±0.1, meters of:
BR2
9×21mm Gyurza
This armor would protect against five hits, fired from 5±0.1 meters, of:
BR3
9×19mm Parabellum
This armor would protect against five hits, fired from 5±0.1 meters, of:
BR4
5.45×39mm
7.62×39mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.1 meters, of:
  • 3.4 g (52 gr) 5.45×39mm 7N10 (PP) hardened steel-core bullets from an AK-74 at a velocity of 895±15 m/s (2936±49 ft/s)
  • 7.9 g (122 gr) 7.62×39mm 57-N-231 (PS) hardened steel-core bullets from an AKM at a velocity of 720±15 m/s (2362±49 ft/s)
BR5
7.62×54mmR
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 10±0.1 meters, of:
  • 9.4 g (148 gr) 7.62×54mmR 7N13 (PP) hardened steel-core bullets from a SVD sniper rifle at a velocity of 830±15 m/s (2723±49 ft/s)
  • 7.9 g (122 gr) 7.62×54mmR 7BZ3 API (armor-piercing incendiary) bullets from a SVD sniper rifle at a velocity of 810±15 m/s (2657±49 ft/s)
BR6
12.7×108mm
This armor would protect against three hits, fired from 50±0.5 meters, of:
  • 48.2 g (743.8 gr) 12.7×108mm 57-BZ-542 API (armor-piercing incendiary) bullets from an OSV-96 sniper rifle at a velocity of 830±20 m/s (2723±65 ft/s).

NIJ armor standard (United States)

NIJ Standard-0101.06 has specific performance standards for bullet resistant vests used by law enforcement. This rates vests on the following scale against penetration and also blunt trauma protection (deformation):[7] In the first half of 2018, NIJ is expected to introduce the new NIJ Standard-0101.07.[8] This new standard will completely replace the NIJ Standard-0101.06. The current system of using Roman numerals (II, IIIA, III, and IV) to indicate the level of threat will disappear and be replaced by a naming convention similar to the standard developed by UK Home Office Scientific Development Branch. HG is for soft armor and RF is for hard armor. Another important change is that the test-round velocity for conditioned armor will be the same as that for new armor during testing. For example, for NIJ Standard-0101.06 Level IIIA the .44 Magnum round is currently shot at 408 m/s for conditioned armor and at 436 m/s for new armor. For the NIJ Standard-0101.07, the velocity for both conditioned and new armor will be the same.

Armor Level Protection
Type I
.22 LR
.380 ACP
This armor would protect against
  • 2.6 g (40 gr) .22 Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets at a velocity of 329 m/s (1080 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 6.2 g (95 gr) .380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets at a velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

It is no longer part of the standard.

Type IIA
9×19mm
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
New armor protects against:
  • 8 g (124 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets at a velocity of 373 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1225 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 11.7 g (180 gr) .40 S&W Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 352 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1155 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 14.9 g (230 gr) .45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 275 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (900 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

Conditioned armor protects against

  • 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 355 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 11.7 g (180 gr) .40 S&W FMJ bullets at a velocity of 325 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 14.9 g (230 gr) .45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 259 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (850 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Type I].

Type II
9mm +P
.357 Magnum
New armor protects against
  • 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 398 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1305 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 10.2 g (158 gr) .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 436 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

Conditioned armor protects against

  • 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 379 m/s ±9.1 m/s (1245 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 10.2 g (158 gr) .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 408 m/s ±9.1 m/s (1340 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I and IIA].

Type IIIA
.357 SIG
.44 Magnum
New armor protects against
  • 8.1 g (125 gr) .357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose (FN) bullets at a velocity of 448 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1470 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 15.6 g (240 gr) .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets at a velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

Conditioned armor protects against

  • 8.1 g (125 gr) .357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose (FN) bullets at a velocity of 430 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1410 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)
  • 15.6 g (240 gr) .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets at a velocity of 408 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1340 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

It also provides protection against most handgun threats, as well as the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, and II].

Type III
Rifles
7.62×51mm NATO
Conditioned armor protects against

It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, and IIIA].

Type IV
Armor Piercing Rifle
Conditioned armor protects against
  • 10.8 g (166 gr) .30-06 Springfield M2 armor-piercing (AP) bullets at a velocity of 878 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s).

It also provides at least single hit protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, IIIA, and III].

NIJ standards are used for law enforcement armors. The US and NATO military armor designs are tested using a standard set of test methods under ARMY MIL-STD-662F and STANAG 2920 Ed2.[9] This approach defines the test process under the 662F/2920 standard. Each armor program can select a unique series of projectiles and velocities as required. The DOD and MOD armor programs-of-record (MTV for example) procure armor using these test standards. In addition, special requirements can be defined under this process for armors for flexible rifle protection, fragment protection for the extremities, etc. These military procurement requirements do not relate to NIJ, HOSDB or ISO law enforcement armor standards, test methods, garment size, projectiles or velocities.

In addition to the NIJ and HOSDB law enforcement armor standards, other important standards include German Police TR-Technische Richtlinie, Draft ISO prEN ISO 14876, and Underwriters Laboratories (UL Standard 752).

Textile armor is tested for both penetration resistance by bullets and for the impact energy transmitted to the wearer. The "backface signature", or transmitted impact energy, is measured by shooting armor mounted in front of a backing material, typically oil-based modeling clay. The clay is used at a controlled temperature and verified for impact flow before testing. After the armor is impacted with the test bullet, the vest is removed from the clay and the depth of the indentation in the clay is measured.[7]

The backface signature allowed by different test standards can be difficult to compare. Both the clay materials and the bullets used for the test are not common. In general the British, German and other European standards allow 20–25 mm of backface signature, while the US-NIJ standards allow for 44 mm, which can potentially cause internal injury.[10] The allowable backface signature for body armor has been controversial from its introduction in the first NIJ test standard and the debate as to the relative importance of penetration-resistance vs. backface signature continues in the medical and testing communities.

In general a vest's textile material temporarily degrades when wet. Neutral water at room temp does not affect para-aramid or UHMWPE[11] but acidic, basic and some other solutions can permanently reduce para-aramid fiber tensile strength.[12] (As a result of this, the major test standards call for wet testing of textile armor.[13]) Mechanisms for this wet loss of performance are not known. Vests that will be tested after ISO type water immersion tend to have heat sealed enclosures and those that are tested under NIJ type water spray methods tend to have water resistant enclosures.

From 2003 to 2005, a large study of the environmental degradation of Zylon armor was undertaken by the US-NIJ. This concluded that water, long-term use, and temperature exposure significantly affect tensile strength and the ballistic performance of PBO or Zylon fiber. This NIJ study on vests returned from the field demonstrated that environmental effects on Zylon resulted in ballistic failures under standard test conditions.[14]

"Special Threats" are ratings of armour which provide protection against specific projectiles. For example, the NIJ guidelines do not have any specification for armor that can stop M855 armor piercing ammunition. As a result, some manufacturers have designated specific armours as "Level III+" (a designation not recognized by the NIJ) to specify armour which has up to level III protection and can protect against special threats like the M855, but does not provide level IV protection.[15][16]

US military armor standards

Although the US military requirements for body armor mirror the NIJ's on a surface level, the two are very different systems. The two systems share a 44mm limit on back-face deformation, but SAPI-series plates increase linearly in protection (with each plate tested against the preceding plate's threats), and require a soft armor backer in order to reach their stated level of protection.

Armor Type: Protection:[17]
Soft Armor
Fragmentation
9×19mm FMJ
US Army soft armor inserts adhere to standards specified under FQ/PD 07–05.[18] They are required to stop the following ballistic and fragmentation threats:
  • 2-grain (0.13 g) RCC (Right Circular Cylinder) at a velocity (V50) of 2,710-foot-per-second (830 m/s) when dry and 2,575-foot-per-second (785 m/s) when wet.
  • 4-grain (0.26 g) RCC at a velocity of 2,400-foot-per-second (730 m/s) (V50) when dry and 2,300-foot-per-second (700 m/s) (V50) when wet.
  • 16-grain (1.0 g) RCC at a velocity of 2,050-foot-per-second (620 m/s) (V50) when dry and 1,920-foot-per-second (590 m/s) (V50) when wet.
  • 64-grain (4.1 g) RCC at a velocity of 1,660-foot-per-second (510 m/s) (V50) when dry and 1,610-foot-per-second (490 m/s) (V50) when wet.
  • 16-grain (1.0 g) RCC at a velocity of 2,000-foot-per-second (610 m/s) (V50) after hot and cold temperature exposure and accelerated aging.
  • 16-grain (1.0 g) RCC at a velocity of 1,900-foot-per-second (580 m/s) (V50) after contamination with motor oil and JP-8.
  • 17-grain (1.1 g) Fragment Simulating Projectile (FSP) at a velocity of 1,850-foot-per-second (560 m/s) (V50) when dry.
  • 124-grain (8.0 g) 9×19mm Remington FMJ at a velocity of 1,400-foot-per-second (430 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0) and 1,525-foot-per-second (465 m/s) (V50).
SAPI
7.62×51mm
7.62×54mmR
5.56×45mm
SAPI plates were the first ballistic plates to see mass issue in the US military. They have a black fabric cover with white text. These plates adhere to CO/PD 00-03[19] and are rated to stop the following threats:
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×54mmR LPS steel-core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2,300-foot-per-second (700 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 62-grain (4.0 g) 5.56×45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3,250-foot-per-second (990 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
ISAPI
7.62×51mm
7.62×54mmR
5.56×45mm
7.62×39mm API
ISAPI (Improved SAPI) plates were designed as an upgrade to SAPI in the face of API threats in Iraq. They were superseded by ESAPI plates before they could be widely issued. These plates are rated to stop the following threats:[20]
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×54mmR LPS steel-core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2,300-foot-per-second (700 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 62-grain (4.0 g) 5.56×45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3,250-foot-per-second (990 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 114-grain (7.4 g) 7.62×39mm 57-BZ-231 (BZ API) armor-piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 2,400-foot-per-second (730 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
ESAPI (Revs. A-E)
7.62×51mm
7.62×54mmR
5.56×45mm
.30-06 Springfield AP
ESAPI plates were developed in response to increased threats posed by 7.62x54mmR AP threats in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have a green fabric cover with white text. Original ESAPI plates, as well as those from Revisions B through D have the text "7.62mm APM2 Protection" on the back; Rev. E plates have the text "ESAPI - REV. E". The early-model plates are ratedto stop the following threats:[21]
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×54mmR LPS steel-core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 62-grain (4.0 g) 5.56×45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3,250-foot-per-second (990 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 2 shots of 166-grain (10.8 g) .30-06 M2 AP armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 2,850-foot-per-second (870 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
ESAPI (Rev. G)
7.62×51mm
7.62×54mmR
5.56×45mm
.30-06 Springfield AP
7.62×54mmR Sniper
5.56×45mm AP
With the issuance of CO/PD 04-19H[22] on 4 March 2013, the ESAPI protection standards improved significantly. These plates are indicated by the text "ESAPI - REV. G" on the back and are rated to stop the following threats:
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0) and 2,850-foot-per-second (870 m/s) (V50 - combined).
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×54mmR LPS steel-core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0) and 2,850-foot-per-second (870 m/s) (V50 - combined).
  • 3 shots of 62-grain (4.0 g) 5.56×45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3,250-foot-per-second (990 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0) and 3,350-foot-per-second (1,020 m/s) (V50 - combined).
  • 3 shots of 166-grain (10.8 g) .30-06 M2 AP armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 2,850-foot-per-second (870 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 151-grain (9.8 g) 7.62×54mmR 7N1 "Sniper" steel-core bullets at a velocity of 2,700-foot-per-second (820 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 55-grain (3.6 g) 5.56×45mm M995 AP bullets at a velocity of 3,350-foot-per-second (1,020 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
ESAPI (Rev. J)
7.62×54mmR
.30-06 Springfield AP
7.62×54mmR Sniper
5.56×45mm AP
With the issuance of CO/PD 04-19REV J[23] on 1 October 2018, the ESAPI protection standards were changed again. The protection requirements from 7.62×51mm NATO M80 ball and 5.56×45mm M855 were removed, and a high first-shot V50 requirement was added for the .30-06 M2 AP projectile. These plates are indicated by the text "ESAPI - REV. J" on the back and are rated to stop the following threats:
  • 3 shots of 147-grain (9.5 g) 7.62×54mmR LPS steel-core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0) and 2,850-foot-per-second (870 m/s) (V50 - combined).
  • 3 shots of 166-grain (10.8 g) .30-06 M2 AP armor-piercing bullets at a velocity of 2,850-foot-per-second (870 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0) and 3,000-foot-per-second (910 m/s) (V50 - first shot only).
  • 3 shots of 151-grain (9.8 g) 7.62×54mmR 7N1 "Sniper" steel-core bullets at a velocity of 2,700-foot-per-second (820 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
  • 3 shots of 55-grain (3.6 g) 5.56×45mm M995 AP bullets at a velocity of 3,350-foot-per-second (1,020 m/s)+50-foot-per-second (15 m/s) (V0).
XSAPI
7.62×51mm
7.62×54mmR
7.62×39mm API
.30-06 Springfield AP
7.62×54mmR Sniper
7.62×51mm AP
5.56×45mm AP
XSAPI plates were developed in response to a perceived threat of AP projectiles in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over 120,000 inserts were procured;[24] however, the AP threats they were meant to stop never materialized, and the plates were put into storage. XSAPI plates have a tan fabric cover with black text. Early plates have the text "7.62 mm AP/WC Protection"[25] inscribed on the back; on newer variants, this text instead reads "XSAPI - REV. B" or "XSAPI - REV. C". These plates adhere to FQ/PD 07-03 and are rated to stop between three and six shots at velocities between 2,750-foot-per-second (840 m/s) and 3,350-foot-per-second (1,020 m/s) (V0) depending on threat type.[26][27]

GA141 armor standard (China)

The Chinese Ministry of Public Security has maintained GA141, a standard document for describing the ballistic resistance of police armor, since 1996. As of 2023, the latest revision is GA141-2010. The standard defines the following grades using domestic weapons:[28]: 4 

Armor Level Protection
GA 1
7.62×17mm
Copper-jacketed bullet of 4.87 g mass at 320±10 m/s, as shot from a type 64 or type 77 pistol.
GA 2
7.62×25mm Tokarev (Pistol)
Copper-jacketed bullet of 5.6 g mass at 445±10 m/s, as shot from a type 54 pistol.
GA 3
7.62×25mm Tokarev (SMG)
Same bullet as above, but with a velocity of 515±10 m/s, as shot from a type 79 submachine gun.
GA 4
7.62×25mm Tokarev AP (SMG)
Steel-cored bullet of 5.68 g mass at 515±10 m/s, as shot from a type 79 submachine gun.
GA 5
7.62×39mm
Steel-core bullet, 8.05 g mass at 725±10 m/s, as shot from a type 56 or type 81 assault rifle.
GA 6
7.62×54mmR
Steel-core bullet, 9.6 g mass at 830±10 m/s, as shot from a type 79 or type 85 sniper rifle.

Levels higher than 6 are marked "special".[28]: 4  Levels 1 through 5 are to be tested with 6 shots. Level 6 is to be tested with 2 shots.[28]: 8 

Annex A describes the use of GA grades against other "common" threats. 9×18mm Makarov is assigned to GA 1, 9×19mm to GA 2, 9×19mm AP (steel) and 5.8×21mm DAP92 AP to GA 4, 5.8×42mm DBP87 to GA 6, and "type 53" 7.62×54mmR API to "special grade".[28]: 11 

Ballistic testing V50 and V0

Measuring the ballistic performance of armor is based on determining the kinetic energy of a bullet at impact (Ek = 12 mv2). Because the energy of a bullet is a key factor in its penetrating capacity, velocity is used as the primary independent variable in ballistic testing. For most users the key measurement is the velocity at which no bullets will penetrate the armor. Measuring this zero penetration velocity (v0) must take into account variability in armor performance and test variability. Ballistic testing has a number of sources of variability: the armor, test backing materials, bullet, casing, powder, primer and the gun barrel, to name a few.

Variability reduces the predictive power of a determination of V0. If for example, the v0 of an armor design is measured to be 1,600 ft/s (490 m/s) with a 9 mm FMJ bullet based on 30 shots, the test is only an estimate of the real v0 of this armor. The problem is variability. If the v0 is tested again with a second group of 30 shots on the same vest design, the result will not be identical.

Only a single low velocity penetrating shot is required to reduce the v0 value. The more shots made the lower the v0 will go. In terms of statistics, the zero penetration velocity is the tail end of the distribution curve. If the variability is known and the standard deviation can be calculated, one can rigorously set the V0 at a confidence interval. Test Standards now define how many shots must be used to estimate a v0 for the armor certification. This procedure defines a confidence interval of an estimate of v0. (See "NIJ and HOSDB test methods".)

v0 is difficult to measure, so a second concept has been developed in ballistic testing called the ballistic limit (v50). This is the velocity at which 50 percent of the shots go through and 50 percent are stopped by the armor. US military standard MIL-STD-662F V50 Ballistic Test define a commonly used procedure for this measurement. The goal is to get three shots that penetrate that are slower than a second faster group of three shots that are stopped by the armor. These three high stops and three low penetrations can then be used to calculate a v50 velocity.

In practice this measurement of v50 requires 1–2 vest panels and 10–20 shots. A very useful concept in armor testing is the offset velocity between the v0 and v50. If this offset has been measured for an armor design, then v50 data can be used to measure and estimate changes in v0. For vest manufacturing, field evaluation and life testing both v0 and v50 are used. However, as a result of the simplicity of making v50 measurements, this method is more important for control of armor after certification.

Military testing: fragment ballistics

After the Vietnam War, military planners developed a concept of "Casualty Reduction".[29] The large body of casualty data made clear that in a combat situation, fragments, not bullets, were the most important threat to soldiers. After WWII, vests were being developed and fragment testing was in its early stages.[30] Artillery shells, mortar shells, aerial bombs, grenades, and antipersonnel mines are all fragmentation devices. They all contain a steel casing that is designed to burst into small steel fragments or shrapnel, when their explosive core detonates. After considerable effort measuring fragment size distribution from various NATO and Soviet bloc munitions, a fragment test was developed. Fragment simulators were designed, and the most common shape is a right circular cylinder or RCC simulator. This shape has a length equal to its diameter. These RCC Fragment Simulation Projectiles (FSPs) are tested as a group. The test series most often includes 2 grain (0.13 g), 4 grain (0.263 g), 16 grain (1.0 g), and 64 grain (4.2 g) mass RCC FSP testing. The 2-4-16-64 series is based on the measured fragment size distributions.

 
German policemen in bulletproof vests on guard duty at a military hospital

The second part of "Casualty Reduction" strategy is a study of velocity distributions of fragments from munitions.[31] Warhead explosives have blast speeds of 20,000 ft/s (6,100 m/s) to 30,000 ft/s (9,100 m/s). As a result, they are capable of ejecting fragments at very high speeds of over 3,300 ft/s (1,000 m/s), implying very high energy (where the energy of a fragment is 12 mass × velocity2, neglecting rotational energy). The military engineering data showed that, like the fragment size, the fragment velocities had characteristic distributions. It is possible to segment the fragment output from a warhead into velocity groups. For example, 95% of all fragments from a bomb blast under 4 grains (0.26 g) have a velocity of 3,000 ft/s (910 m/s) or less. This established a set of goals for military ballistic vest design.

The random nature of fragmentation required the military vest specification to trade off mass vs. ballistic-benefit. Hard vehicle armor is capable of stopping all fragments, but military personnel can only carry a limited amount of gear and equipment, so the weight of the vest is a limiting factor in vest fragment protection. The 2-4-16-64 grain series at limited velocity can be stopped by an all-textile vest of approximately 5.4 kg/m2 (1.1 lb/ft2). In contrast to the design of vest for deformable lead bullets, fragments do not change shape; they are steel and can not be deformed by textile materials. The 2-grain (0.13 g) FSP (the smallest fragment projectile commonly used in testing) is about the size of a grain of rice; such small fast moving fragments can potentially slip through the vest, moving between yarns. As a result, fabrics optimized for fragment protection are tightly woven, although these fabrics are not as effective at stopping lead bullets.

Backing materials for testing

Ballistic

One of the critical requirements in soft ballistic testing is measurement of "back side signature" (i.e. energy delivered to tissue by a non-penetrating projectile) in a deformable backing material placed behind the targeted vest. The majority of military and law enforcement standards have settled on an oil/clay mixture for the backing material, known as Roma Plastilena.[32] Although harder and less deformable than human tissue, Roma represents a "worst case" backing material when plastic deformations in the oil/clay are low (less than 20 mm).[33] (Armor placed over a harder surface is more easily penetrated.) The oil/clay mixture of "Roma" is roughly twice the density of human tissue and therefore does not match its specific gravity, however "Roma" is a plastic material that will not recover its shape elastically, which is important for accurately measuring potential trauma through back side signature.

The selection of test backing is significant because in flexible armor, the body tissue of a wearer plays an integral part in absorbing the high energy impact of ballistic and stab events. However the human torso has a very complex mechanical behavior. Away from the rib cage and spine, the soft tissue behavior is soft and compliant.[34] In the tissue over the sternum bone region, the compliance of the torso is significantly lower. This complexity requires very elaborate bio-morphic backing material systems for accurate ballistic and stab armor testing.[35] A number of materials have been used to simulate human tissue in addition to Roma. In all cases, these materials are placed behind the armor during test impacts and are designed to simulate various aspects of human tissue impact behavior.

One important factor in test backing for armor is its hardness. Armor is more easily penetrated in testing when backed by harder materials, and therefore harder materials, such as Roma clay, represent more conservative test methods.[36]

Backer type Materials Elastic/plastic Test type Specific gravity Relative hardness vs gelatin Application
Roma Plastilina Clay #1 Oil/Clay mixture Plastic Ballistic and Stab >2 Moderately hard Back face signature measurement. Used for most standard testing
10% gelatin[37]

[38]

Animal protein gel Visco-elastic Ballistic ~1 (90% water) Softer than baseline Good simulant for human tissue, hard to use, expensive. Required for FBI test methods
20% gelatin[39] Animal protein gel Visco-elastic Ballistic ~1 (80% water) Baseline Good simulant for skeletal muscle. Provides dynamic view of event.
HOSDB-NIJ Foam Neoprene foam, EVA foam, sheet rubber Elastic Stab ~1 Slightly harder than gelatin Moderate agreement with tissue, easy to use, low in cost. Used in stab testing
Silicone gel[40] Long chain silicone polymer Visco-elastic Biomedical ~1.2 Similar to gelatin Biomedical testing for blunt force testing, very good tissue match
Pig or Sheep animal testing[41] Live tissue Various Research ~1 Real tissue is variable[42] Very complex, requires ethical review for approval

Stab

Stab and spike armor standards have been developed using 3 different backing materials. The Draft EU norm calls out Roma clay, The California DOC called out 60% ballistic gelatin and the current standard for NIJ and HOSDB calls out a multi-part foam and rubber backing material.

  • Using Roma clay backing, only metallic stab solutions met the 109 joule Calif. DOC ice pick requirement
  • Using 10% Gelatin backing, all fabric stab solutions were able to meet the 109 joule Calif. DOC ice pick requirement.
  • Most recently the Draft ISO prEN ISO 14876 norm selected Roma as the backing for both ballistics and stab testing.

This history helps explain an important factor in Ballistics and Stab armor testing, backing stiffness affects armor penetration resistance. The energy dissipation of the armor-tissue system is Energy = Force × Displacement when testing on backings that are softer and more deformable the total impact energy is absorbed at lower force. When the force is reduced by a softer more compliant backing the armor is less likely to be penetrated. The use of harder Roma materials in the ISO draft norm makes this the most rigorous of the stab standards in use today.

References

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  4. ^ Unterschied der Ballistische Schutzklasse NIJ und TR - ZentauroN Blog
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  40. ^ Tao, Ran; Zhang, Fan; Nguyen, Huong Giang; Bernstein, Philip; Forster, Amanda L.; Mrozek, Randy A.; Forster, Aaron M. (October 2021). "Temperature-insensitive silicone composites as ballistic witness materials: the impact of water content on the thermophysical properties". Journal of Materials Science. 56 (29): 16362–16375. doi:10.1007/s10853-021-06334-x.
  41. ^ Song, Bo; Chen, Weinong; Ge, Yun; Weerasooriya, Tusit (2007). "Dynamic and quasi-static compressive response of porcine muscle". Journal of Biomechanics. 40 (13): 2999–3005. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.02.001. PMID 17448479.
  42. ^ Berlin, R.H., B. Janzon, B. Rybeck, J. Sandegård and T. Seeman (1977) Local effects of assault rifle bullets in live tissues. Part II. Further studies in live tissues and relations to some simulant media; Acta Chir. Scand. Suppl. 477, 1–48, 1977

list, body, armor, performance, standards, body, armor, performance, standards, lists, generated, certain, country, requirements, armor, ensure, that, armor, will, perform, reliably, with, greater, transparency, what, armor, defeat, each, country, regional, th. Body armor performance standards are lists generated by a certain country to set requirements for armor to ensure that armor will perform reliably with greater transparency as to what armor may and may not defeat As each country has regional threats which may be unique to it some standards may include threats that are not present in others Contents 1 VPAM armor standard Europe 2 TR armor standard Germany 3 HOSDB armor standard United Kingdom 4 GOST armor standard Russia 5 NIJ armor standard United States 6 US military armor standards 7 GA141 armor standard China 8 Ballistic testing V50 and V0 9 Military testing fragment ballistics 10 Backing materials for testing 10 1 Ballistic 10 2 Stab 11 ReferencesVPAM armor standard Europe EditThe VPAM scale as of 2009 runs from 1 to 14 with 1 5 being soft armor and 6 14 being hard armor 1 Tested armor must withstand three hits spaced 120 mm 4 7 inches apart of the designated test threat with no more than 25 mm 0 98 inches of back face deformation in order to pass Of note is the inclusion of special regional threats such as Swiss P AP from RUAG and 357 DAG According to VPAM s website it is apparently used in France and Britain The VPAM scale is as follows 2 Armor Level ProtectionPM 1 22 Long Rifle This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 2 6 0 1 g 40 1 54 gr 22 Long Rifle lead round nose bullets at a velocity of 360 10 m s 1181 33 ft s PM 2 9 19mm Parabellum This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 360 10 m s 1181 33 ft s PM 3 9 19mm Parabellum This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 415 10 m s 1361 33 ft s PM 4 357 Magnum 44 Magnum This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters of 10 2 0 1 g 157 1 54 gr 357 Magnum bullets at a velocity of 430 10 m s 1410 33 ft s 15 6 0 1 g 240 1 54 gr 44 Magnum bullets at a velocity of 440 10 m s 1443 33 ft s PM 5 357 Magnum This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters of 7 1 0 1 g 109 1 54 gr 357 Magnum FMs brass at nose bullets at a velocity of 580 10 m s 1902 33 ft s PM 6 7 62 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 8 0 0 1 g 122 1 54 gr 7 62 39mm PS mild steel core bullets at a velocity of 720 10 m s 2362 33 ft s PM 7 5 56 45mm 7 62 51mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 4 0 0 1 g 62 1 54 gr 5 56 45mm SS109 US M855 FMJ bullets at a velocity of 950 10 m s 3116 33 ft s 9 55 0 1 g 147 1 54 gr 7 62 51mm DM111 steel core bullets at a velocity of 830 10 m s 2723 33 ft s PM 8 7 62 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 7 7 0 1 g 118 1 54 gr 7 62 39mm BZ API armor piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 740 10 m s 2427 33 ft s PM 9 7 62 51mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 9 7 0 2 g 149 3 08 gr 7 62 51mm P80 armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 820 10 m s 2690 33 ft s PM 10 7 62 54mmR This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 10 4 0 1 g 160 1 54 gr 7 62 54mmR B32 API bullets at a velocity of 860 10 m s 2821 33 ft s PM 11 7 62 51mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 8 4 0 1 g 129 1 54 gr 7 62 51mm Nammo AP8 US M993 armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 930 10 m s 3051 33 ft s PM 12 7 62 51mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 12 7 0 1 g 196 1 54 gr 7 62 51mm RUAG SWISS P AP armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 810 10 m s 2657 33 ft s PM 13 12 7 99mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from an arbitrary distance of 43 5 0 1 g 671 7 71 gr 12 7 99mm RUAG SWISS P penetrator bullets at a velocity of 930 10 m s 3051 33 ft s PM 14 14 5 114mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from an arbitrary distance of 63 4 0 1 g 978 7 71 gr 14 5 114mm B32 API bullets at a velocity of 911 10 m s 2988 33 ft s TR armor standard Germany EditThe Technische Richtlinie TR Ballistische Schutzwesten is a regulation guide in Germany for body armor It is mainly issued for body armor used by the German police but also for the German armed forces and civilian available body armor Producers have to meet the criteria of the TR if they want to participate in open competitive bidding made by German agencies The TR specifies different Schutzklassen SK which translates to protection classes which a body armor can have It specifies five different classes ranging from L to 4 of ballistic protection e g SK 4 It also gives specifications for additional Stichschutz ST protection against knives using the same classes as the ballistic protection but giving it the additional ST label e g SK L ST The ballistic tests to determine a class are now integrated into the VPAM guidelines so that the tests differ just in minor details and only one test SK 1 is significantly different as of 2008 3 The TR scale is as follows 3 Armor Level ProtectionSK L 9 19mm Parabellum This test is based on VPAM PM 2 but it tests also for point blank shots This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters as well as point black shots of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 360 10 m s 1181 33 ft s SK 1 9 19mm Parabellum This test is based on VPAM PM 3 but it adds two police special rounds with the following modifications This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters in an angle of 25 as well as 3 shots at point blank of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM41 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 415 10 m s 6 0 0 1 g 9 19mm Parabellum QD PEP II S police special round bullets at a velocity of 460 10 m s 6 1 0 1 g 9 19mm Parabellum Action 4 police special round bullets at a velocity of 460 10 m sSK 2 PM 5 357 Magnum This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 0 5 meters of 7 1 0 1 g 109 1 54 gr 357 Magnum FMs brass at nose bullets at a velocity of 580 10 m s 1902 33 ft s SK 3 PM 7 5 56 45mm 7 62 51mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 4 0 0 1 g 62 1 54 gr 5 56 45mm SS109 US M855 FMJ bullets at a velocity of 950 10 m s 3116 33 ft s 9 55 0 1 g 147 1 54 gr 7 62 51mm DM111 steel core bullets at a velocity of 830 10 m s 2723 33 ft s SK 4 PM 9 7 62 51mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 5 meters of 9 7 0 2 g 149 3 08 gr 7 62 51mm P80 armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 820 10 m s 2690 33 ft s The German TR are generally comparable to the American NIJ but the German TR usually tests more threat scenarios as there are no point blank shots as well as no police special rounds In contrast the NIJ tests for bigger calibers and higher man stopping power And while the German TR tests smaller calibers and lighter bullets it also tests more aggressive rounds as the first test already uses steel FMJ bullets while the NIJ uses normal FMJ rounds In addition SK 4 the highest protection class is specified to withstand three hits while Level IV needs only to withstand one hit although by a bigger caliber 7 62 63mm 4 HOSDB armor standard United Kingdom EditThe Home Office Scientific Development Branch is governing standards and testing protocols for police body armor Armor Level ProtectionHG1 A This armor would protect against six three for S sized panel hits fired from 5 meters of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM11 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 365 10 m s 10 2 0 1 g 158 1 54 gr 357 Magnum R375M3 JSP bullets at a velocity of 390 10 m sHG1 This armor would protect against six three for S sized panel hits fired from 5 meters of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM11 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 365 10 m s 10 2 0 1 g 158 1 54 gr 357 Magnum R375M3 JSP bullets at a velocity of 390 10 m sHG2 This armor would protect against six three for S sized panel hits fired from 5 meters of 8 0 0 1 g 123 1 54 gr 9 19mm Parabellum DM11 FMJ round nose lead core bullets at a velocity of 390 10 m s 10 2 0 1 g 158 1 54 gr 357 Magnum R375M3 JSP bullets at a velocity of 430 10 m sHG3 This armor would protect against six three for S sized panel hits fired from 10 meters of 4 0 0 1 g 62 1 54 gr 5 56 45mm LE223T3 bullets at a velocity of 750 15 m s 3116 33 ft s RF1 This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 meters of 9 3 0 1 g 144 1 54 gr 7 62 51mm L2A2 FMJ bullets at a velocity of 830 15 m s 2723 33 ft s RF2 This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 meters of 9 7 0 1 g 150 1 54 gr 7 62 51mm L40A2 steel core bullets at a velocity of 850 15 m s 2723 33 ft s SG3 This armor would protect against 1 hit fired from 10 meters of 28 4 0 1 g 437 1 54 gr 12 gauge rifled lead slug at a velocity of 435 25 m sBFD to be measured after each shot maximum allowed BFD for HG1 A class is 44mm and 25mm for the rest GOST armor standard Russia EditGOST R 50744 95 is the Russian Federation standard for body armor Prior to the 2017 revision the threat levels ran from 1 to 6 Noticeably it included threats with the suffix A which denote heightened ratings as opposed to lowered ratings in the NIJ standard 5 The old pre 2017 standards are as follows Armor Level ProtectionClass 1 9 18mm Makarov 7 62 38mmR This armor would protect against five hits fired from 5 meters of 5 9 g 91 gr 9 18mm Makarov 57 N 181S steel core bullets at a velocity of 305 325 m s 1000 1066 ft s 6 8 g 105 gr 7 62 38mmR 57 N 122 lead core bullets at a velocity of 275 295 m s 902 968 ft s Class 2 5 45 18mm 7 62 25mm Tokarev This armor would protect against five hits fired from 5 meters of 2 5 g 38 6 gr 5 45 18mm steel core MPC 7N7 bullets at a velocity of 310 335 m s 1017 1099 ft s 5 5 g 84 8 gr 7 62 25mm Tokarev steel core bullets at a velocity of 415 445 m s 1361 1460 ft s Class 2A 12 gauge This armor would protect against five hits fired from 5 meters of 35 g 540 gr 12 gauge lead core Hunter shotshells at a velocity of 390 410 m s 1279 1345 ft s Class 3 5 45 39mm 7 62 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 10 meters of 3 4 g 52 gr 5 45 39mm 7N6 PS hardened steel core bullets at a velocity of 890 910 m s 2920 2985 ft s 7 9 g 122 gr 7 62 39mm 57 N 231 PS hardened steel core bullets at a velocity of 710 740 m s 2329 2427 ft s Class 4 5 45 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 10 meters of 3 4 g 52 gr 5 45 39mm 7N10 PP hardened steel core bullets at a velocity of 890 910 m s 2920 2985 ft s Class 5 7 62 54mmR 7 62 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 10 meters of 9 6 g 148 gr 7 62 54mmR 57 N 323S steel core bullets at a velocity of 820 840 m s 2690 2756 ft s 7 9 g 122 gr 7 62 39mm 57 N 231 PS hardened steel core bullets at a velocity of 710 740 m s 2329 2427 ft s Class 5A 7 62 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 10 meters of 7 4 g 114 gr 7 62 39mm 57 BZ 231 BZ API armor piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 720 750 m s 2362 2460 ft s Class 6 7 62 54mmR This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 10 meters of 9 6 g 148 gr 7 62 54mmR ST M2 hardened steel core bullets at a velocity of 820 840 m s 2690 2756 ft s Class 6A 7 62 54mmR This armor would protect against three hits fired from 5 10 meters of 10 4 g 160 gr 7 62 54mmR 7 BZ 3 B32 API armor piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 800 835 m s 2624 2739 ft s With the 2017 revision the standards have changed significantly Threat classes now range from BR1 to BR6 A suffixed classes have been eliminated and their test threats have been either merged into the new categories such as Classes 6 and 6A being moved into Class BR5 or removed entirely as in the case of Class 2A Additionally several of the threat levels have been increased in difficulty with the introduction of new test threats most notably is the introduction of Class BR6 which requires the tested armor to survive three hits of 12 7 108mm B32 API In spite of the more difficult test threats the 16mm back face deformation limit remains unchanged 6 The updated standards from the 2017 revision are as follows Armor Level ProtectionBR1 9 18mm Makarov This armor would protect against five hits fired from 5 0 1 meters of 5 9 g 91 gr 9 18mm Makarov 57 N 181S steel core bullets from a Stechkin APS at a velocity of 335 10 m s 1199 33 ft s BR2 9 21mm Gyurza This armor would protect against five hits fired from 5 0 1 meters of 7 93 g 122 gr 9 21mm Gyurza 7N28 lead core bullets from an SR 1 Vektor at a velocity of 390 10 m s 1279 33 ft s BR3 9 19mm Parabellum This armor would protect against five hits fired from 5 0 1 meters of 5 2 g 80 gr 9 19mm Parabellum 7N21 hardened steel core bullets from an MP 443 Grach at a velocity of 455 10 m s 1492 33 ft s BR4 5 45 39mm 7 62 39mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 1 meters of 3 4 g 52 gr 5 45 39mm 7N10 PP hardened steel core bullets from an AK 74 at a velocity of 895 15 m s 2936 49 ft s 7 9 g 122 gr 7 62 39mm 57 N 231 PS hardened steel core bullets from an AKM at a velocity of 720 15 m s 2362 49 ft s BR5 7 62 54mmR This armor would protect against three hits fired from 10 0 1 meters of 9 4 g 148 gr 7 62 54mmR 7N13 PP hardened steel core bullets from a SVD sniper rifle at a velocity of 830 15 m s 2723 49 ft s 7 9 g 122 gr 7 62 54mmR 7BZ3 API armor piercing incendiary bullets from a SVD sniper rifle at a velocity of 810 15 m s 2657 49 ft s BR6 12 7 108mm This armor would protect against three hits fired from 50 0 5 meters of 48 2 g 743 8 gr 12 7 108mm 57 BZ 542 API armor piercing incendiary bullets from an OSV 96 sniper rifle at a velocity of 830 20 m s 2723 65 ft s NIJ armor standard United States EditNIJ Standard 0101 06 has specific performance standards for bullet resistant vests used by law enforcement This rates vests on the following scale against penetration and also blunt trauma protection deformation 7 In the first half of 2018 NIJ is expected to introduce the new NIJ Standard 0101 07 8 This new standard will completely replace the NIJ Standard 0101 06 The current system of using Roman numerals II IIIA III and IV to indicate the level of threat will disappear and be replaced by a naming convention similar to the standard developed by UK Home Office Scientific Development Branch HG is for soft armor and RF is for hard armor Another important change is that the test round velocity for conditioned armor will be the same as that for new armor during testing For example for NIJ Standard 0101 06 Level IIIA the 44 Magnum round is currently shot at 408 m s for conditioned armor and at 436 m s for new armor For the NIJ Standard 0101 07 the velocity for both conditioned and new armor will be the same Armor Level ProtectionType I 22 LR 380 ACP This armor would protect against 2 6 g 40 gr 22 Long Rifle Lead Round Nose LR LRN bullets at a velocity of 329 m s 1080 ft s 30 ft s 6 2 g 95 gr 380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 322 m s 1055 ft s 30 ft s It is no longer part of the standard Type IIA 9 19mm 40 S amp W 45 ACP New armor protects against 8 g 124 gr 9 19mm Parabellum Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 373 m s 9 1 m s 1225 ft s 30 ft s 11 7 g 180 gr 40 S amp W Full Metal Jacketed FMJ bullets at a velocity of 352 m s 9 1 m s 1155 ft s 30 ft s 14 9 g 230 gr 45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed FMJ bullets at a velocity of 275 m s 9 1 m s 900 ft s 30 ft s Conditioned armor protects against 8 g 124 gr 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 355 m s 9 1 m s 1165 ft s 30 ft s 11 7 g 180 gr 40 S amp W FMJ bullets at a velocity of 325 m s 9 1 m s 1065 ft s 30 ft s 14 9 g 230 gr 45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed FMJ bullets at a velocity of 259 m s 9 1 m s 850 ft s 30 ft s It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in Type I Type II 9mm P 357 Magnum New armor protects against 8 g 124 gr 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 398 m s 9 1 m s 1305 ft s 30 ft s 10 2 g 158 gr 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 436 m s 9 1 m s 1430 ft s 30 ft s Conditioned armor protects against 8 g 124 gr 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 379 m s 9 1 m s 1245 ft s 30 ft s 10 2 g 158 gr 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 408 m s 9 1 m s 1340 ft s 30 ft s It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in Types I and IIA Type IIIA 357 SIG 44 Magnum New armor protects against 8 1 g 125 gr 357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose FN bullets at a velocity of 448 m s 9 1 m s 1470 ft s 30 ft s 15 6 g 240 gr 44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point SJHP bullets at a velocity of 436 m s 1430 ft s 30 ft s Conditioned armor protects against 8 1 g 125 gr 357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose FN bullets at a velocity of 430 m s 9 1 m s 1410 ft s 30 ft s 15 6 g 240 gr 44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point SJHP bullets at a velocity of 408 m s 9 1 m s 1340 ft s 30 ft s It also provides protection against most handgun threats as well as the threats mentioned in Types I IIA and II Type III Rifles 7 62 51mm NATO Conditioned armor protects against 9 6 g 148 gr 7 62 51mm NATO M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 847 m s 9 1 m s 2780 ft s 30 ft s It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in Types I IIA II and IIIA Type IV Armor Piercing Rifle Conditioned armor protects against 10 8 g 166 gr 30 06 Springfield M2 armor piercing AP bullets at a velocity of 878 m s 9 1 m s 2880 ft s 30 ft s It also provides at least single hit protection against the threats mentioned in Types I IIA II IIIA and III NIJ standards are used for law enforcement armors The US and NATO military armor designs are tested using a standard set of test methods under ARMY MIL STD 662F and STANAG 2920 Ed2 9 This approach defines the test process under the 662F 2920 standard Each armor program can select a unique series of projectiles and velocities as required The DOD and MOD armor programs of record MTV for example procure armor using these test standards In addition special requirements can be defined under this process for armors for flexible rifle protection fragment protection for the extremities etc These military procurement requirements do not relate to NIJ HOSDB or ISO law enforcement armor standards test methods garment size projectiles or velocities In addition to the NIJ and HOSDB law enforcement armor standards other important standards include German Police TR Technische Richtlinie Draft ISO prEN ISO 14876 and Underwriters Laboratories UL Standard 752 Textile armor is tested for both penetration resistance by bullets and for the impact energy transmitted to the wearer The backface signature or transmitted impact energy is measured by shooting armor mounted in front of a backing material typically oil based modeling clay The clay is used at a controlled temperature and verified for impact flow before testing After the armor is impacted with the test bullet the vest is removed from the clay and the depth of the indentation in the clay is measured 7 The backface signature allowed by different test standards can be difficult to compare Both the clay materials and the bullets used for the test are not common In general the British German and other European standards allow 20 25 mm of backface signature while the US NIJ standards allow for 44 mm which can potentially cause internal injury 10 The allowable backface signature for body armor has been controversial from its introduction in the first NIJ test standard and the debate as to the relative importance of penetration resistance vs backface signature continues in the medical and testing communities In general a vest s textile material temporarily degrades when wet Neutral water at room temp does not affect para aramid or UHMWPE 11 but acidic basic and some other solutions can permanently reduce para aramid fiber tensile strength 12 As a result of this the major test standards call for wet testing of textile armor 13 Mechanisms for this wet loss of performance are not known Vests that will be tested after ISO type water immersion tend to have heat sealed enclosures and those that are tested under NIJ type water spray methods tend to have water resistant enclosures From 2003 to 2005 a large study of the environmental degradation of Zylon armor was undertaken by the US NIJ This concluded that water long term use and temperature exposure significantly affect tensile strength and the ballistic performance of PBO or Zylon fiber This NIJ study on vests returned from the field demonstrated that environmental effects on Zylon resulted in ballistic failures under standard test conditions 14 Special Threats are ratings of armour which provide protection against specific projectiles For example the NIJ guidelines do not have any specification for armor that can stop M855 armor piercing ammunition As a result some manufacturers have designated specific armours as Level III a designation not recognized by the NIJ to specify armour which has up to level III protection and can protect against special threats like the M855 but does not provide level IV protection 15 16 US military armor standards EditAlthough the US military requirements for body armor mirror the NIJ s on a surface level the two are very different systems The two systems share a 44mm limit on back face deformation but SAPI series plates increase linearly in protection with each plate tested against the preceding plate s threats and require a soft armor backer in order to reach their stated level of protection Armor Type Protection 17 Soft Armor Fragmentation 9 19mm FMJ US Army soft armor inserts adhere to standards specified under FQ PD 07 05 18 They are required to stop the following ballistic and fragmentation threats 2 grain 0 13 g RCC Right Circular Cylinder at a velocity V50 of 2 710 foot per second 830 m s when dry and 2 575 foot per second 785 m s when wet 4 grain 0 26 g RCC at a velocity of 2 400 foot per second 730 m s V50 when dry and 2 300 foot per second 700 m s V50 when wet 16 grain 1 0 g RCC at a velocity of 2 050 foot per second 620 m s V50 when dry and 1 920 foot per second 590 m s V50 when wet 64 grain 4 1 g RCC at a velocity of 1 660 foot per second 510 m s V50 when dry and 1 610 foot per second 490 m s V50 when wet 16 grain 1 0 g RCC at a velocity of 2 000 foot per second 610 m s V50 after hot and cold temperature exposure and accelerated aging 16 grain 1 0 g RCC at a velocity of 1 900 foot per second 580 m s V50 after contamination with motor oil and JP 8 17 grain 1 1 g Fragment Simulating Projectile FSP at a velocity of 1 850 foot per second 560 m s V50 when dry 124 grain 8 0 g 9 19mm Remington FMJ at a velocity of 1 400 foot per second 430 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 and 1 525 foot per second 465 m s V50 SAPI 7 62 51mm 7 62 54mmR 5 56 45mm SAPI plates were the first ballistic plates to see mass issue in the US military They have a black fabric cover with white text These plates adhere to CO PD 00 03 19 and are rated to stop the following threats 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 54mmR LPS steel core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2 300 foot per second 700 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 62 grain 4 0 g 5 56 45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3 250 foot per second 990 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 ISAPI 7 62 51mm 7 62 54mmR 5 56 45mm 7 62 39mm API ISAPI Improved SAPI plates were designed as an upgrade to SAPI in the face of API threats in Iraq They were superseded by ESAPI plates before they could be widely issued These plates are rated to stop the following threats 20 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 54mmR LPS steel core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2 300 foot per second 700 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 62 grain 4 0 g 5 56 45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3 250 foot per second 990 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 114 grain 7 4 g 7 62 39mm 57 BZ 231 BZ API armor piercing incendiary bullets at a velocity of 2 400 foot per second 730 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 ESAPI Revs A E 7 62 51mm 7 62 54mmR 5 56 45mm 30 06 Springfield AP ESAPI plates were developed in response to increased threats posed by 7 62x54mmR AP threats in Iraq and Afghanistan They have a green fabric cover with white text Original ESAPI plates as well as those from Revisions B through D have the text 7 62mm APM2 Protection on the back Rev E plates have the text ESAPI REV E The early model plates are ratedto stop the following threats 21 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 54mmR LPS steel core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 62 grain 4 0 g 5 56 45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3 250 foot per second 990 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 2 shots of 166 grain 10 8 g 30 06 M2 AP armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 2 850 foot per second 870 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 ESAPI Rev G 7 62 51mm 7 62 54mmR 5 56 45mm 30 06 Springfield AP 7 62 54mmR Sniper 5 56 45mm AP With the issuance of CO PD 04 19H 22 on 4 March 2013 the ESAPI protection standards improved significantly These plates are indicated by the text ESAPI REV G on the back and are rated to stop the following threats 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 51mm M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 and 2 850 foot per second 870 m s V50 combined 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 54mmR LPS steel core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 and 2 850 foot per second 870 m s V50 combined 3 shots of 62 grain 4 0 g 5 56 45mm M855 bullets at a velocity of 3 250 foot per second 990 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 and 3 350 foot per second 1 020 m s V50 combined 3 shots of 166 grain 10 8 g 30 06 M2 AP armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 2 850 foot per second 870 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 151 grain 9 8 g 7 62 54mmR 7N1 Sniper steel core bullets at a velocity of 2 700 foot per second 820 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 55 grain 3 6 g 5 56 45mm M995 AP bullets at a velocity of 3 350 foot per second 1 020 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 ESAPI Rev J 7 62 54mmR 30 06 Springfield AP 7 62 54mmR Sniper 5 56 45mm AP With the issuance of CO PD 04 19REV J 23 on 1 October 2018 the ESAPI protection standards were changed again The protection requirements from 7 62 51mm NATO M80 ball and 5 56 45mm M855 were removed and a high first shot V50 requirement was added for the 30 06 M2 AP projectile These plates are indicated by the text ESAPI REV J on the back and are rated to stop the following threats 3 shots of 147 grain 9 5 g 7 62 54mmR LPS steel core FMJ bullets at a velocity of 2 750 foot per second 840 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 and 2 850 foot per second 870 m s V50 combined 3 shots of 166 grain 10 8 g 30 06 M2 AP armor piercing bullets at a velocity of 2 850 foot per second 870 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 and 3 000 foot per second 910 m s V50 first shot only 3 shots of 151 grain 9 8 g 7 62 54mmR 7N1 Sniper steel core bullets at a velocity of 2 700 foot per second 820 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 3 shots of 55 grain 3 6 g 5 56 45mm M995 AP bullets at a velocity of 3 350 foot per second 1 020 m s 50 foot per second 15 m s V0 XSAPI 7 62 51mm 7 62 54mmR 7 62 39mm API 30 06 Springfield AP 7 62 54mmR Sniper 7 62 51mm AP 5 56 45mm AP XSAPI plates were developed in response to a perceived threat of AP projectiles in Iraq and Afghanistan Over 120 000 inserts were procured 24 however the AP threats they were meant to stop never materialized and the plates were put into storage XSAPI plates have a tan fabric cover with black text Early plates have the text 7 62 mm AP WC Protection 25 inscribed on the back on newer variants this text instead reads XSAPI REV B or XSAPI REV C These plates adhere to FQ PD 07 03 and are rated to stop between three and six shots at velocities between 2 750 foot per second 840 m s and 3 350 foot per second 1 020 m s V0 depending on threat type 26 27 GA141 armor standard China EditThe Chinese Ministry of Public Security has maintained GA141 a standard document for describing the ballistic resistance of police armor since 1996 As of 2023 update the latest revision is GA141 2010 The standard defines the following grades using domestic weapons 28 4 Armor Level ProtectionGA 1 7 62 17mm Copper jacketed bullet of 4 87 g mass at 320 10 m s as shot from a type 64 or type 77 pistol GA 2 7 62 25mm Tokarev Pistol Copper jacketed bullet of 5 6 g mass at 445 10 m s as shot from a type 54 pistol GA 3 7 62 25mm Tokarev SMG Same bullet as above but with a velocity of 515 10 m s as shot from a type 79 submachine gun GA 4 7 62 25mm Tokarev AP SMG Steel cored bullet of 5 68 g mass at 515 10 m s as shot from a type 79 submachine gun GA 5 7 62 39mm Steel core bullet 8 05 g mass at 725 10 m s as shot from a type 56 or type 81 assault rifle GA 6 7 62 54mmR Steel core bullet 9 6 g mass at 830 10 m s as shot from a type 79 or type 85 sniper rifle Levels higher than 6 are marked special 28 4 Levels 1 through 5 are to be tested with 6 shots Level 6 is to be tested with 2 shots 28 8 Annex A describes the use of GA grades against other common threats 9 18mm Makarov is assigned to GA 1 9 19mm to GA 2 9 19mm AP steel and 5 8 21mm DAP92 AP to GA 4 5 8 42mm DBP87 to GA 6 and type 53 7 62 54mmR API to special grade 28 11 Ballistic testing V50 and V0 EditMeasuring the ballistic performance of armor is based on determining the kinetic energy of a bullet at impact Ek 1 2 mv2 Because the energy of a bullet is a key factor in its penetrating capacity velocity is used as the primary independent variable in ballistic testing For most users the key measurement is the velocity at which no bullets will penetrate the armor Measuring this zero penetration velocity v0 must take into account variability in armor performance and test variability Ballistic testing has a number of sources of variability the armor test backing materials bullet casing powder primer and the gun barrel to name a few Variability reduces the predictive power of a determination of V0 If for example the v0 of an armor design is measured to be 1 600 ft s 490 m s with a 9 mm FMJ bullet based on 30 shots the test is only an estimate of the real v0 of this armor The problem is variability If the v0 is tested again with a second group of 30 shots on the same vest design the result will not be identical Only a single low velocity penetrating shot is required to reduce the v0 value The more shots made the lower the v0 will go In terms of statistics the zero penetration velocity is the tail end of the distribution curve If the variability is known and the standard deviation can be calculated one can rigorously set the V0 at a confidence interval Test Standards now define how many shots must be used to estimate a v0 for the armor certification This procedure defines a confidence interval of an estimate of v0 See NIJ and HOSDB test methods v0 is difficult to measure so a second concept has been developed in ballistic testing called the ballistic limit v50 This is the velocity at which 50 percent of the shots go through and 50 percent are stopped by the armor US military standard MIL STD 662F V50 Ballistic Test define a commonly used procedure for this measurement The goal is to get three shots that penetrate that are slower than a second faster group of three shots that are stopped by the armor These three high stops and three low penetrations can then be used to calculate a v50 velocity In practice this measurement of v50 requires 1 2 vest panels and 10 20 shots A very useful concept in armor testing is the offset velocity between the v0 and v50 If this offset has been measured for an armor design then v50 data can be used to measure and estimate changes in v0 For vest manufacturing field evaluation and life testing both v0 and v50 are used However as a result of the simplicity of making v50 measurements this method is more important for control of armor after certification Military testing fragment ballistics EditAfter the Vietnam War military planners developed a concept of Casualty Reduction 29 The large body of casualty data made clear that in a combat situation fragments not bullets were the most important threat to soldiers After WWII vests were being developed and fragment testing was in its early stages 30 Artillery shells mortar shells aerial bombs grenades and antipersonnel mines are all fragmentation devices They all contain a steel casing that is designed to burst into small steel fragments or shrapnel when their explosive core detonates After considerable effort measuring fragment size distribution from various NATO and Soviet bloc munitions a fragment test was developed Fragment simulators were designed and the most common shape is a right circular cylinder or RCC simulator This shape has a length equal to its diameter These RCC Fragment Simulation Projectiles FSPs are tested as a group The test series most often includes 2 grain 0 13 g 4 grain 0 263 g 16 grain 1 0 g and 64 grain 4 2 g mass RCC FSP testing The 2 4 16 64 series is based on the measured fragment size distributions German policemen in bulletproof vests on guard duty at a military hospital The second part of Casualty Reduction strategy is a study of velocity distributions of fragments from munitions 31 Warhead explosives have blast speeds of 20 000 ft s 6 100 m s to 30 000 ft s 9 100 m s As a result they are capable of ejecting fragments at very high speeds of over 3 300 ft s 1 000 m s implying very high energy where the energy of a fragment is 1 2 mass velocity2 neglecting rotational energy The military engineering data showed that like the fragment size the fragment velocities had characteristic distributions It is possible to segment the fragment output from a warhead into velocity groups For example 95 of all fragments from a bomb blast under 4 grains 0 26 g have a velocity of 3 000 ft s 910 m s or less This established a set of goals for military ballistic vest design The random nature of fragmentation required the military vest specification to trade off mass vs ballistic benefit Hard vehicle armor is capable of stopping all fragments but military personnel can only carry a limited amount of gear and equipment so the weight of the vest is a limiting factor in vest fragment protection The 2 4 16 64 grain series at limited velocity can be stopped by an all textile vest of approximately 5 4 kg m2 1 1 lb ft2 In contrast to the design of vest for deformable lead bullets fragments do not change shape they are steel and can not be deformed by textile materials The 2 grain 0 13 g FSP the smallest fragment projectile commonly used in testing is about the size of a grain of rice such small fast moving fragments can potentially slip through the vest moving between yarns As a result fabrics optimized for fragment protection are tightly woven although these fabrics are not as effective at stopping lead bullets Backing materials for testing EditBallistic Edit One of the critical requirements in soft ballistic testing is measurement of back side signature i e energy delivered to tissue by a non penetrating projectile in a deformable backing material placed behind the targeted vest The majority of military and law enforcement standards have settled on an oil clay mixture for the backing material known as Roma Plastilena 32 Although harder and less deformable than human tissue Roma represents a worst case backing material when plastic deformations in the oil clay are low less than 20 mm 33 Armor placed over a harder surface is more easily penetrated The oil clay mixture of Roma is roughly twice the density of human tissue and therefore does not match its specific gravity however Roma is a plastic material that will not recover its shape elastically which is important for accurately measuring potential trauma through back side signature The selection of test backing is significant because in flexible armor the body tissue of a wearer plays an integral part in absorbing the high energy impact of ballistic and stab events However the human torso has a very complex mechanical behavior Away from the rib cage and spine the soft tissue behavior is soft and compliant 34 In the tissue over the sternum bone region the compliance of the torso is significantly lower This complexity requires very elaborate bio morphic backing material systems for accurate ballistic and stab armor testing 35 A number of materials have been used to simulate human tissue in addition to Roma In all cases these materials are placed behind the armor during test impacts and are designed to simulate various aspects of human tissue impact behavior One important factor in test backing for armor is its hardness Armor is more easily penetrated in testing when backed by harder materials and therefore harder materials such as Roma clay represent more conservative test methods 36 Backer type Materials Elastic plastic Test type Specific gravity Relative hardness vs gelatin ApplicationRoma Plastilina Clay 1 Oil Clay mixture Plastic Ballistic and Stab gt 2 Moderately hard Back face signature measurement Used for most standard testing10 gelatin 37 38 Animal protein gel Visco elastic Ballistic 1 90 water Softer than baseline Good simulant for human tissue hard to use expensive Required for FBI test methods20 gelatin 39 Animal protein gel Visco elastic Ballistic 1 80 water Baseline Good simulant for skeletal muscle Provides dynamic view of event HOSDB NIJ Foam Neoprene foam EVA foam sheet rubber Elastic Stab 1 Slightly harder than gelatin Moderate agreement with tissue easy to use low in cost Used in stab testingSilicone gel 40 Long chain silicone polymer Visco elastic Biomedical 1 2 Similar to gelatin Biomedical testing for blunt force testing very good tissue matchPig or Sheep animal testing 41 Live tissue Various Research 1 Real tissue is variable 42 Very complex requires ethical review for approvalStab Edit Stab and spike armor standards have been developed using 3 different backing materials The Draft EU norm calls out Roma clay The California DOC called out 60 ballistic gelatin and the current standard for NIJ and HOSDB calls out a multi part foam and rubber backing material Using Roma clay backing only metallic stab solutions met the 109 joule Calif DOC ice pick requirement Using 10 Gelatin backing all fabric stab solutions were able to meet the 109 joule Calif DOC ice pick requirement Most recently the Draft ISO prEN ISO 14876 norm selected Roma as the backing for both ballistics and stab testing This history helps explain an important factor in Ballistics and Stab armor testing backing stiffness affects armor penetration resistance The energy dissipation of the armor tissue system is Energy Force Displacement when testing on backings that are softer and more deformable the total impact energy is absorbed at lower force When the force is reduced by a softer more compliant backing the armor is less likely to be penetrated The use of harder Roma materials in the ISO draft norm makes this the most rigorous of the stab standards in use today References Edit VPAM protection levels document International hard ballistic standards teijinaramid com PDF www teijinaramid com Retrieved 2020 01 23 a b Technische Richtlinie Ballistische Schutzwesten revision of 2009 Unterschied der Ballistische Schutzklasse NIJ und TR ZentauroN Blog Ballistic Standards sentineltailors com www sentineltailors com Retrieved 2020 01 02 International hard ballistic standards teijinaramid com PDF www teijinaramid com Retrieved 2020 01 23 a b Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard 0101 06 PDF NIJ Standards United States Department of Justice July 2008 Retrieved 2008 11 13 NIJ Raises the Bar for Body Armor Manufacturers with NIJ Standard 0101 07 February 2017 Retrieved 1 February 2017 MIL STD 662F V50 Ballistic Test for Armor Army Research Laboratory Weapons and Materials Research Directorate Publication Date Dec 18 1997 Wilhelm M Bir C 2008 Injuries to law enforcement officers The backface signature injury Forensic Science International 174 1 6 11 doi 10 1016 j forsciint 2007 02 028 ISSN 0379 0738 PMID 17434273 Kyle Baxter Long term Performance of UHMWPE Ballistic Panels CoverMe Seat Resources Practical Protection Archived from the original on 2018 04 24 Retrieved 24 April 2018 Kevlar Twaron Dyneema Spectra technical data NIJ HOSDB US Army and ISO ballistic test methods Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities NCJ Number 210418 National Institute of Justice August 2005 Retrieved 13 July 2022 What Is Special Threat Body Armor The ARMOR Shop 29 June 2021 Archived from the original on 13 July 2022 Retrieved 13 July 2022 LEVEL III PLATES Bulletproof Zone Archived from the original on 13 July 2022 Retrieved 13 July 2022 SAPI threats documentation Pg 6 PDF Scribd document from Sjold November 25 2019 PURCHASE DESCRIPTION BODY ARMOR MULTIPLE THREAT INTERCEPTOR IMPROVED OUTER TACTICAL VEST IOTV GENERATION III PDF CIE Hub US Army Retrieved 23 September 2020 PURCHASE DESCRIPTION PERSONAL ARMOR SMALL ARMS PROTECTIVE INSERT SAPI beta SAM gov Department of Defense Retrieved 23 September 2020 PURCHASE DESCRIPTION BODY ARMOR MULTIPLE THREAT INTERCEPTOR PDF Navy Electronic Commerce Online Department of Defense Retrieved 23 September 2020 Purchase description of ESAPI PDF Purchase description of ESAPI Rev G PDF CO PD 04 19REV J beta SAM gov Department of Defense Retrieved 23 September 2020 Better body armor means more weight for troops Archived from the original on 28 April 2019 Image of back of an early model XSAPI plate December 1 2019 Archived from the original on 7 April 2020 Purchase description of the XSAPI PDF Archived PDF from the original on 14 March 2023 House Armed Services Committee hearing discussing XSAPI development a b c d GA141 2010 警用防弹衣 Police ballistic resistance of body armor Ministry of Public Security P R China Released October 17 2010 In effect since December 1 2010 Dusablon L V December 1972 The Casualty Reduction Analysis Model for Personnel Armor Systems Technical report U S Army Natick Research Development and Engineering Center Design Information for Construction of Light Personnel Armor Authors Willard R Beye 1950 Midwest Research Inst Kansas City Mo Johnson W Collins C and Kindred F A Mathematical Model for Predicting Residual Velocities of Fragments After Perforating Helmets and Body Armor Ballistic Research Laboratories Technical Note no 1705 October 1968 Detail Sculpture House Archived from the original on 2007 08 28 Retrieved 2009 04 06 Roberts Jack C Ward Emily E Merkle Andrew C O Connor James V May 2007 Assessing Behind Armor Blunt Trauma in Accordance With the National Institute of Justice Standard for Personal Body Armor Protection Using Finite Element Modeling Journal of Trauma Injury Infection amp Critical Care 62 5 1127 1133 doi 10 1097 01 ta 0000231779 99416 ee PMID 17495712 Wound ballistic simulation Assessment of the legitimacy of law enforcement firearms ammunition by means of wound ballistic simulation Jussila Jorma University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine Institute of Clinical Medicine 2005 01 Doctoral dissertation Thoracic Model Analysis Using Finite Element Modeling and Vibration Table Testing Dr Peter Matic Dr Alan Leung and Mr Kirth Simmonds Multifunctional Materials Branch Naval Research Laboratory Code 6350 4555 Overlook Ave SW Washington DC 20375 Fackler ML And John A Malinowski 1988 Ordnance gelatin for Ballistic Studies Detrimental Effect of Excess Heat Used in Gelatin Preparation The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology 9 3 218 219 doi 10 1097 00000433 198809000 00008 PMID 3177350 Jussila Jorma May 2004 Preparing Ballistic Gelatine review and proposal for a standard method Forensic Science International 141 2 3 91 98 doi 10 1016 j forsciint 2003 11 036 PMID 15062946 Kenedi R M Gibson T Evans J H Barbenel J C 1975 Tissue Mechanics Physics in Medicine and Biology 20 5 699 717 Bibcode 1975PMB 20 699K doi 10 1088 0031 9155 20 5 001 PMID 1103161 Prather Russell Swann Conrad L Hawkinns Clarence E 1977 Backface Signatures of Soft Body Armors and the Associated Trauma Effects PDF Technical report ARCSL TR 77055 Archived PDF from the original on April 3 2022 Tao Ran Zhang Fan Nguyen Huong Giang Bernstein Philip Forster Amanda L Mrozek Randy A Forster Aaron M October 2021 Temperature insensitive silicone composites as ballistic witness materials the impact of water content on the thermophysical properties Journal of Materials Science 56 29 16362 16375 doi 10 1007 s10853 021 06334 x Song Bo Chen Weinong Ge Yun Weerasooriya Tusit 2007 Dynamic and quasi static compressive response of porcine muscle Journal of Biomechanics 40 13 2999 3005 doi 10 1016 j jbiomech 2007 02 001 PMID 17448479 Berlin R H B Janzon B Rybeck J Sandegard and T Seeman 1977 Local effects of assault rifle bullets in live tissues Part II Further studies in live tissues and relations to some simulant media Acta Chir Scand Suppl 477 1 48 1977 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of body armor performance standards amp oldid 1151787145, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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