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<blockquote data-quote="Schmoe" data-source="post: 3648857" data-attributes="member: 913">I saw a very interesting show on the Military Channel last night (Future Weapons).&nbsp; One of the segments was highlighting the latest in modern body armor.&nbsp; The armor is called <a href="http://www.pinnaclearmor.com/dragon-skin-survivors.php" target="_blank">Dragon Skin</a>, and it's essentially scale armor made from ceramic-composite plates.&nbsp; The scale design mitigates the drawbacks of ceramic-composite plate armor by spreading the impact over a large area, reducing impact damage to the armor and to the body behind the armor.&nbsp; It's pretty remarkable, really.For reference, on the show I watched them fire 7.62 steel-core rounds at the armor from point blank range.&nbsp; These rounds punch through 1/2 inch steel armor like it isn't even there (as was demonstrated on the show).&nbsp; The Dragon Skin survived multiple hits without any noticeable damage.I also caught parts of a show on the History Channel (don't remember which one) that described the transition from heavy plate armor on knights to armorless soldiers with the advent of firearms.&nbsp; Watching the two shows together made me think that armor really has come full-circle.&nbsp; It took a while for the technology to catch up with the ability to stop armor-piercing rounds.&nbsp; But now it seems that the technology is accessible once again.&nbsp; The difference today is the sociology of modern armies.&nbsp; Whereas in medieval times it was acceptable to have heavily armored, socially priveleged knights with heavy armor, yet have masses of troops that were poorly equipped, in modern day armies of democratic nations such a division of privelege is less palatable.&nbsp; That makes the economics of protecting troops a more difficult issue.Anyway, the two shows were very eye-opening and thought-provoking, and I thought I would share.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Schmoe, post: 3648857, member: 913"] I saw a very interesting show on the Military Channel last night (Future Weapons). One of the segments was highlighting the latest in modern body armor. The armor is called [url=http://www.pinnaclearmor.com/dragon-skin-survivors.php]Dragon Skin[/url], and it's essentially scale armor made from ceramic-composite plates. The scale design mitigates the drawbacks of ceramic-composite plate armor by spreading the impact over a large area, reducing impact damage to the armor and to the body behind the armor. It's pretty remarkable, really. For reference, on the show I watched them fire 7.62 steel-core rounds at the armor from point blank range. These rounds punch through 1/2 inch steel armor like it isn't even there (as was demonstrated on the show). The Dragon Skin survived multiple hits without any noticeable damage. I also caught parts of a show on the History Channel (don't remember which one) that described the transition from heavy plate armor on knights to armorless soldiers with the advent of firearms. Watching the two shows together made me think that armor really has come full-circle. It took a while for the technology to catch up with the ability to stop armor-piercing rounds. But now it seems that the technology is accessible once again. The difference today is the sociology of modern armies. Whereas in medieval times it was acceptable to have heavily armored, socially priveleged knights with heavy armor, yet have masses of troops that were poorly equipped, in modern day armies of democratic nations such a division of privelege is less palatable. That makes the economics of protecting troops a more difficult issue. Anyway, the two shows were very eye-opening and thought-provoking, and I thought I would share. [/QUOTE]

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