Bulletproof vest
A bullet-proof vest (also called "bulletproof vest", "body armor" or "body armour") is a protective piece of clothing that covers the torso (chest, abdomen, and back) of a person. It protects the wearer from most pistol and revolver bullets and from fragments of explosive devices such as grenades. Bullet-proof vests are worn by police officers, soldiers, security guards, and people who are at risk of being shot (such as the leader of a country).
How do they work?
Bullet-proof vests contain many layers of tightly-woven fabric such as Kevlar (or hard, strong materials such as ceramic or titanium) which can stop the metal pistol or revolver bullets or metal shell fragments from going into a person's body.
How much protection does a bullet-proof vest provide?
When a bullet hits a bullet-proof vest, the forceful impact of the bullet can seriously hurt, or even kill, the person wearing the vest even if the vest stops the bullet.
A bullet from a strong sniper rifle or machine gun can pierce a bullet-proof vest.
If a bullet hits a body part that the bullet-proof vest does not cover, the bullet can hurt or kill the person wearing the vest.
Types of vests
The bullet-proof vests worn by most police officers and security guards are made with many layers of tightly-woven fabric such as Kevlar.
Bullet-proof vests for soldiers are heavier and stronger than the bullet-proof vests worn by police officers and security guards, because soldiers need protection from rifle and machine gun bullets. Bullet-proof vests for soldiers often have flat pieces of ceramic material or a strong metal such as titanium. These materials can stop bullets from many rifles and machine guns.
Bulletproof Vest Media
The Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) in MultiCam, as issued to United States Army soldiers
Test of a 1901 vest designed by Jan Szczepanik, in which a 7 mm revolver is fired at a person wearing the vest
World War I German Infanterie-Panzer, 1917
Testing a bulletproof vest in Washington, D.C., September 1923
A Japanese vest, which used overlapping armour plates
Sn-42 Body Armor, c. 1942
US Marines being issued the MTV at Camp Foster, Okinawa
Bulletproof vest with Belgian Malinois as K-9 unit
Indonesian Special Police "Brimob" personnel and an officer (left) with bulletproof vests in Jakarta during the 2016 Jakarta attacks
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Related pages
- Helmet- soldiers and some types of police officers (called tactical police officers) also wear helmets to protect themselves