Body Armour and Protection systems

Thanks for this information - I am not sure if it will progress my research, but it amused me!

So is body armour not issued to all Russian troops?  Your suggestion seems to be that you did not get anything else to replace these old armours.

Also do you know what the current armour issued to Russian troops is? I guessed it was the 6B43.

Body armour is wonderful,of the 750k US personelle rotating through Iraq,only 4000 dead and 65000 wounded.Problem arises when the enemy plays the ever increased IED stack .Guys are arriving at aid stations with either a blemish and cracked ribs or so majorly fubar that nothing can save them.

So is body armour not issued to all Russian troops?

Not issued to non combat units in peaceful areas whose greatest threat to life and limb is boredom...

Recently watched a new video about Ratnik... the new combat gear to be introduced into widespread service starting this year. It mentioned the helmet is 1kg and the old body armour was 8kg but the new stuff is 6kg.

chaosactor wrote:Thanks for this information - I am not sure if it will progress my research, but it amused me!

So is body armour not issued to all Russian troops?  Your suggestion seems to be that you did not get anything else to replace these old armours.

Also do you know what the current armour issued to Russian troops is? I guessed it was the 6B43.

GarryB wrote:Not issued to non combat units in peaceful areas whose greatest threat to life and limb is boredom...  

Exactly. Our unit for example had a different purpose and while defense was a requirement, it wasn't a priority as we were deep in Russian territory, as such our equipment was all from the 70s.

As for current body armour, yes I would imagine the 6B43 is standard issue but as we can see from the crisis in the Ukraine, the 6B13, 6B23 or whatever they are stocks are still being issued and utilized.

Hmm, instead of dilly dallying w/ exosuits what about performance enhancing drugs? Basically you get a ripped dude, strap him inside a 30 or so kg juggernaut suit(small arms proof - only a direct RPG can fck its hardest armor), pump him full of adrenaline/steroids cocktails and or maybe agression drugs. Arm him with and Pecheneg plus lots of belt ammo and let the guy loose on the enemy.   

There is not winning when it comes to body armour... even an Abrams tank can be defeated, so there is no point in trying to protect everyone from everything.

The key is to protect from the most common threat... which is actually a bullet to the central chest area and fragments the rest of the torso.

Even the best modern body armour wont stop a rifle bullet to the hip or elbow.

A more correct term is flak jacket which is a much better description.

Standard Issue I imagine is 6b23 kevlar with the 6b43 being tested for Ratnik and will come out for special units sometime in the future.

I had relationship with body armour to the point that I had responsibility to check some fellow slackers if they are carrying all plates :)Body armour was issued to all of us, unfortunately, it was more or less torturing device than protection.
I can only talk about local Lithuanian made tactical vest as I've served there. I'm not clear about stats, for us it weighted a ton.

I can roughly say it weights more than 20 kg if fully loaded with neck biceps and between legs protection.
Level IV protection. But fuel kit was only for gunners as they are very exposed.
It was hard to shoot with AK-4, mostly because we had tactical rigs as well, but you can get used to it.
My experience is very subjective as I've only have met only limited kit.
I've seen some old Danish body armours, but never seen them to be issued. Looked like crape, no mole, no nothing.

By the way, is it true that in wet conditions Kevlar plates loose their stopping power? Or is it ceramics? Or it's just soldier myth?

Standard Issue I imagine is 6b23 kevlar with the 6b43 being tested for Ratnik and will come out for special units sometime in the future.

Ratnik will likely go to special units first but it is standard kit for all Russian units so all will eventually get them.

AFAIK water should not effect Kevlar, or the European equivalent aramide fibre.

Both work in a very similar way to spider silk and convert tension energy into heat... they should work wet or dry.

Reminds me of a commonwealth myth before WWII that Japanese planes were made of rice paper which made them light and manoeuvrable, but meant they couldn't fly in the rain...

Not as harmful as the myth about the Japanese Knee mortar being fired from the thigh... ouch!

Thanks for the answer Garry.

Not Ratniks, just some parts of it. Mainly 6B43 and 6B47.

Rostec has started production of "Oberig" (Amulet) assault bulletproof vests, by Dmitry Zubarev for VZGLYAD. 04.13.2023.

Rostec began production for the needs of the Northern Military District of assault bulletproof vests "Oberig".

Rostec has begun production for the needs of a special military operation of high-protection Amulet assault body armor capable of stopping a bullet from a sniper rifle, the corporation said.

According to the state corporation, the Oktava plant has launched the production of Obereg assault body armor, which provides reliable protection against fragmentation shells and bullets and does not hinder movement, RIA Novosti reports . Ceramic armor plate "Amulet" has a protection class of Br5 and from 10 meters stops the B-32 armor-piercing bullet of a powerful rifle cartridge 7.62 by 54.

The state corporation noted that the elements of the Amulet are made of aramid fabric, and all sections of the body armor, including the side ones, have anti-fragmentation and anti-ricochet layers, the weight of the Amulet in full gear is 9.1 kg.

Earlier, Rostec reported that employees of TsNIItochmash and the Research Institute of Mechanics  have created  the first prototype of a combat exoskeleton equipped with electric motors, which can be part of the equipment of a soldier of the future.

https://vz.ru/news/2023/4/13/1207342.html

Wonder whether with the development of powered exoskeletons, we won't end up with the equation swinging back to armour's side as it was in the Middle Ages, with heavy, expensive armored suits covering the entire body and capable of shielding their wearer from all forms of small arms fire and shrapnel. At the expense of some mobility.

Won't be too useful in the open, in the forests or in the trenches, but for urban combat and close quarter fighting it could be ideal. Pair up the suit with an ammo backpack feeding into a machine-gun; also made lighter for the welder by the exoskeleton.

You mean going full BattleTech?

No not like that, we're a long way off the tech for mechs or such, at least mechs that would be of any use

But more like something like the power armour from Fallout or the Terminator armour from Warhammer 40k. More primitive of course at first.

Russian company develops 'invisible' bulletproof vest worn by special forces in Ukraine, 04.21.2023.

Novosibirsk company Filin has developed a bulletproof vest of secret carrying Argus for the units of the Alpha special forces, already used by the fighters in the zone of the military special operation in Ukraine, the technical director of the company Vladimir Markov told Sputnik.

The equipment was presented at an exhibition in Moscow.

"Together with Alfa personnel we developed a concealed carry armored vest. It was certified this year, and has already been acquired, in particular by the fighters of the Novosibirsk Alpha special forces. They go to the front with it. The vest was named Argus – The Invisible Guardian God in Greek mythology, " Markov said.

The agency interlocutor noted that the said bulletproof vest has an expanded area of protection against shrapnel and protects from pistol cartridges of caliber 9x19 millimeters (Stechkin pistols, Glock and others).

According to Markov, in the course of the special military operation the production of bulletproof vests and armored plates of the Novosibirsk enterprise grew sevenfold.

Yandex Translate from Portuguese

https://sputniknewsbrasil.com.br/20230421/empresa-russa-desenvolve-invisivel-colete-a-prova-de-bala-usado-por-forcas-especiais-na-ucrania-28534326.html

Participants of the SVO began to receive the latest all-season field uniform VKPO 3.0, by Alexander Stepanov for Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 07.02.2023.

Russian soldiers and officers participating in a special military operation began to receive the latest all-weather field uniforms VKPO 3.0. The new form was first tested in real combat conditions. She went into mass production after taking into account all the recommendations of the military.

Russian fighters have already received the first batch of the new uniform. These are several tens of thousands of sets.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, uniform sets have already shown their best side during hostilities in different weather. The servicemen note that the uniform turned out to be comfortable and practical.

The military department noted that the first delivery was carried out taking into account the climatic zones and weather conditions at the locations of the Russian units. The delivery set included a summer uniform, caps, as well as uniforms that protect against wind and moisture. The summer set of uniforms includes trousers, a jacket and a shirt. In the future, it is planned to send winter and demi-season kits to the military. The fighters also received new tactical boots. Their surface is made of nubuck, mesh is sewn into the sides, the boots are equipped with an orthopedic insole, and due to the membrane, the feet do not sweat in them.

The first to receive a new improved uniform were the military personnel of the Airborne Forces located in the NVO zone.

As told in the Kalashnikov concern, the new kit is fully called "VKPO 3.0 mod. 2022". The form appeared as a result of cooperation between the profile division of the concern and specialists from the clothing department of the department of resource support of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

"The complete set of VKPO 3.0 includes: fleece thermal underwear, a fleece jacket, summer, demi-season and insulated suits (jacket and trousers), a moisture / windproof suit, a combat shirt, a summer cap, a demi-season hat and a winter scarf," the concern said. The new uniform is made of materials with improved properties, however, in addition to improved ergonomic characteristics, it has another important difference from the combined arms protective kits currently used in the Russian army.

The kit received a new pattern, or, more simply, a drawing called multiCam (multicam), or, as it was already nicknamed in the troops, "cartoon".

After the start of a special military operation, many experts began to say that the camouflage colors of the Russian uniform were not entirely universal.

Now Russian fighters are mainly equipped with "EMP" camouflage, which stands for "Unified Camouflage Colouring".

In the West, it is known under the name "Ruspat" (Russian Pattern). In everyday life, such a color is called "Russian number", "Russian pixel" or simply "Pixel".

The masking elements of the form are small squares (pixels), which form a camouflage structure in the general plan.

Our "number" has proven itself well in the "zelenka". That is, in summer or early autumn in fields covered with greenery, it works just fine. However, in late autumn or winter, questions already arise for this coloring. In addition, if hostilities are transferred to settlements and they have to move between houses, then the fighters also have questions about the "figure".

Colouring "Multicam" in this respect is more versatile. Initially, the "cartoon" was conceived as a universal camouflage that breaks the silhouette both near and far and in different climatic zones. Camouflage combines blurry spots of various sizes. Some work at long distances, while others work at close range. Some work on a green background, others on a brown one. The result is a versatile coloration that works at different distances and is suitable for almost any theater of war. This was the main reason for the popularity of camouflage.

But this colouring is not without flaws. It does not camouflage well in the desert, in the conditions of a snowy winter. It is clear that the ideal disguise will not be invented soon, however, the “cartoon” was willingly taken to supply first by our special forces. Then, after the start of the SVO, this coloring appeared among the volunteer units, which bought their own equipment.

Many military men are convinced that a "cartoon" in the zone of a special military operation is the best option. Its colors are suitable for different seasons and areas of application. "Cartoon" fits very well into the landscape of the southern forest-steppes. It camouflages well with sudden changes in the color palette, for example, when a fighter is in the forest, then he suddenly finds himself in front of a scorched field or an abandoned village.

It should be noted that the Russian pattern "Multicam" differs from foreign analogues. Our military designers took into account all the pros and cons of the classic "cartoon" and, based on these data, developed the Russian version of this most popular camouflage in the world.

https://rg.ru/2023/07/02/kamufliazh-na-vse-sluchai.html

Pure Magic: Russian Troops to Become 'Invisible' to Thermal Imaging Cameras, 08.18.2023.

Scientists of the Military Academy of Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Forces have created a special three-layer material, the cape of which is able to completely hide a serviceman from the work of thermal imaging cameras.

"A cape has been designed and experimentally evaluated for a serviceman to completely conceal his footprint from the operation of thermal imaging cameras or drones with thermal imaging cameras," the scientists said, presenting the cape on the sidelines of the scientific and business program of the "Army-2023" International Military-Technical Forum.

It was noted the material consists of three layers: an inner layer that reflects infrared radiation (IR) from the user's body; a middle layer that absorbs IR; and an outer layer that reflects IR from the external environment.

Together with the material cape, a hood with special goggles offering protection against thermal imaging reconnaissance equipment was also developed. Its use will allow service members to conduct surveillance while remaining undetected.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230817/pure-magic-russian-troops-to-become-invisible-to-thermal-imaging-cameras-1112685383.html

The Amulet bulletproof vest withstood a bullet it was not designed to withstand, 10.02.2023.

"Rostec": Russian body armor "Obereg" withstood a bullet that it was not designed for.

MOSCOW, October 2 – RIA Novosti. The Russian bulletproof vest "Obereg", supplied to the special operation zone, during tests protected against a powerful 8.6 by 70 Lapua Magnum rifle bullet, which it was not designed for, while the captured American vest of the Ukrainian Armed Forces could not withstand a bullet from a Kalashnikov assault rifle, follows from the video testing at the test site, published by the Rostec state corporation.

The video, created for a new project of the state corporation "Our Crash", shows comparative tests of three body armor: a cheap one on the market, a new domestic body armor "Obereg" and an American one used by Ukrainian military personnel . All body armor of protection class Br5.

The Russian "Obereg" was the only one of the samples that completely withstood fire from all ammunition, including 7.62 on 39, 7.62 on 54 and 8.6 on 70.

“This slide is left over from the so-called .338 ammunition (8.6 to 70). State tests do not involve firing this ammunition at all,” noted the director of the Oktava company (part of Rostec), which produces Russian “Amulets”, Pavel Pavlenko.

With this level of impact (the bullet did not penetrate the slab, but left a hill), the body armor is considered to have passed the test, he explained.

The cheapest body armor from an eastern country was also not pierced by a bullet from an 8.6 by 70 cartridge, but an impact dent of such a size formed on the back of the plate that it would have caused life-threatening injuries to a person.

The American sample showed the lowest resistance - it was easily penetrated by a standard bullet from the so-called intermediate cartridge 7.62 for a 39 Kalashnikov assault rifle, while the other two samples delayed it.

The Amulet body armor plate, as Pavlenko clarified, consists of a substrate of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, then a ceramic plate, then Kevlar and another additional layer that reduces the scattering of fragments and creates moisture insulation.

The "Amulet" fully equipped with side protection, armored apron, throat and shoulder protection and a plate on the back weighs 11.5 kilograms - a good indicator for body armor of this protection class. The total protection area of ​​the product is more than 50 square decimeters. Now Rostec is working to reduce the mass of the protective complex to approximately 10-10.5 kilograms.

The market value of "Amulet" is 115 thousand rubles. For comparison: American models that do not hold a bullet from an AK cost more than 200 thousand rubles.

https://ria.ru/20231002/obereg-1899825623.html

ALAMO wrote:There are multiple records from the Ukro side, that Russian body armor kits are much better than theirs.
What made the best impression is the fact that it covers the underbelly. And balls

Ukraine has mix of everything. From level 2 to level 4 plates. From good to fake plates. 
Russian 6B45 is pretty good, but then again, due to the scale of this war, not everyone has it. If their unit is not assault one, then don’t be surprised that they get police or hard antistab vests…


And groin protection is additional. If you follow some Ru infantrymen TGs, some had to make groin protection themselves it doesn’t come as standard. Good plates and plate carriers is very sought by both sides. Only SSO don’t complain. 


The only real advantage Ukraine has are the helmets. Generally better quality than Russian due to donations and RU beurocrats being late to finalise Iranian and a Chinese helmets orderers.


https://x.com/imp_navigator/status/1644403891532955648?s=20

Wonder if the company that makes body armour in the US also makes steel for their submarines...

ALAMO wrote:... and just as we speak ...

Ukrainians filmed themselves receiving stabvests or some useless fillers with demo plates that only mimic weight. The only good thing they have are the helmets and it's not their produced ones of course.
Will try to find videos of them complaining, the situation with some TB units is catastrophic. Loads of donated sh1t, nothing matches, the quality is all over the place.