Interceptor body armor
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Interceptor is a kind of body armor fielded by the U.S. military that is more effective than traditional bullet-proof vests.
It consists of an outer tactical vest lined with finely woven Kevlar that will stop 9 mm pistol rounds and other, slower moving fragments, and is also equipped with removable throat and groin protection. Two small-arms protective inserts may also be added to the front and back of the vest, with each plate designed to stop up to three 7.62 mm rounds with a muzzle velocity of 2,750 feet per second (838 m/s). The plates are the most technically advanced body armor fielded by the US military, and are constructed of boron carbide ceramic with a Spectra shield backing that breaks down projectiles and halts their momentum before reaching the wearer.
The Interceptor armor also has attachment loops on the front of the vest which accommodate the same type of pockets used in the Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) backpack/carry vest system. This allows a soldier to tailor-fit his MOLLE and body armor system to meet mission needs.
The Interceptor Body Armor system weighs a total of 16.4 pounds (7.4 kg), with the vest weighing 8.4 pounds (3.8 kg), and two plates inserted weighing four pounds (1.8 kg) each. This is considerably lighter than the previous body armor fielded in Somalia weighing 25.1 pounds (11.4 kg) that most troops complained was too heavy and unwieldy for combat operations.
The plates come in five different sizes and go into the front and back of the vest. The vest also has a quick-release feature in which a quick tug would drop the plates off the vest. The vest proved its protection prowess in Afghanistan and Iraq in which many U.S. soldiers were saved by wearing them. In particular, it is credited with saving the lives of 29 American servicemen in Afghanistan, while the full figure for 2003 invasion of Iraq won't be available until March 2004.
Of President George W. Bush’s $87 billion package that Congress has recently approved for ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $300 million has been earmarked for body armor, including the ceramic plates, which currently cost about $500 each.
External links
Article on Interceptor Body Armor in Operation Iraqi Freedom (http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0402/p04s01-usmi.html) U.S. Military Interceptor Body Armor (http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_body_armor_interceptor.php)