Recent Trends in Ballistic Protection

Abstract

There has been a tremendous improvement in the design of ballistic protective materials, which have been in use from time immemorial. Developments in the technology of manufacturing high performance fibres and production processes have enabled the production of light weight body armour with improved protection levels. In this article we summarise different types of body armour used for ballistic protection and different materials and structures used for body armour. In addition, the test methods used for the evaluation of ballistic performance are also outlined. Government regulations related to the manufacturing and use of protective clothing and the methods of testing in several countries of the world have also been described. The future scope focuses on important materials, their selection criteria and parameters are to be considered when designing ballistic protective materials.