Protective Gear

Equipment worn to shield oneself from physical threats, including gunfire; other munitions; and exposure to chemical, biological, or radiological agents. Protective gear includes body armor such as helmets and bulletproof vests, as well as garments to guard against biological and chemical attack.

Armor is one of the oldest battlefield technologies, although historically only the wealthy could afford the best protective gear. During the Middle Ages, for example, infantry rarely wore steel armor. Most often they used heavily padded cloth or hardened leather to protect their most vulnerable areas. The evolution of firearms led to the gradual abandonment of armor by the 1700s. By this time, muskets capable of piercing steel plate at a considerable distance made heavy armor obsolete. Even hardened helmets disappeared from most armies.

The evolution of military technology, particularly the growing destructive power of artillery, led to the reintroduction of helmets by the late 19th century. However, other forms of armor remained the province of specialized units; bomb-disposal personnel, for instance, have long worn heavy protective gear. However, combat soldiers remained mostly unprotected until the development of body armor that was light enough to wear for extended periods of time yet effective against modern small-arms fire.

The invention of Kevlar, a lightweight mesh-weave fiber that is stronger than steel, led to the first modern bulletproof vests in the mid-1970s. By the 1980s, the U.S. Army began issuing Kevlar body armor to its frontline units. In the late 1990s, the Army replaced the Kevlar vests with the Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System. The Interceptor has ceramic inserts that can stop, shatter, and catch the standard 7.62 mm rounds used in most military rifles. Protective vests like the Interceptor are designed to absorb the impact of a bullet and spread it out over a wider area, hopefully preventing it from penetrating the body.

Small-arms and other conventional munitions are no longer the only threats a soldier can expect to face on the battlefield. Modern biological and chemical weapons can kill just as effectively as bombs and bullets if delivered accurately. Army units are issued battle dress overgarments— protective suits to wear over their regular battle gear—in case of biological or chemical attack. These garments are designed to shield the skin from biological and chemical agents and contain filters to prevent inhalation of contaminants.

In the early 2000s, the U.S. Army began replacing its existing protective overgarments with the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology, or JSLIST. Although the suits were billed as an improvement over existing technology, the Army has struggled with problems of procurement and inventory control. A Pentagon audit in 2002 found than many of the suits are not complete. Another study showed that the suits do not perform well when soaked in sweat or seawater. As a result, the military is currently considering a replacement for the JSLIST.