Fragmentation wounds are still the primary killer on the modern battlefield.
Unpopular opinion time: Soft armor with a larger coverage area is more practical than plates by themselves...which is the rage these days.
There is always a trade off between mobility and protection. In COIN operations there is less of an artillery threat since the insurgents prime mover is Toyota pickup.
>>29494876
you know, most good plate carriers come with soft armor inserts, right?
>>29494915
Yes a good backer against spall penetration but I think OP wants us to wear big floppy soft armor vest style armor IBA
>>29494876
Anyone know where I can get old M1969 armor for <120
>>29494964
There's always light like pic related.
>>29494915
Still, small coverage.
Plates cover your vital organs. Which is all you need to live. Any other coverage is extra weight and doesn't even protect as well.
>Fragmentation wounds are still the primary killer on the modern battlefield.
Source.
>>29495033
http://www.wheelessonline.com/userfiles/19-1-2.pdf
http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/FileDownloadpublic.aspx?docid=85ed6078-cd5c-4821-a6ee-9040857355c2
>>29495147
And right on page two it indicates that most injuries accur on the extremities. So, it is almost as if the parts of the body that are not armored are most likely to be injured. Weird. Wouldn't that make your point pretty much moot?
>medic says wear your armor and don't be a heat cat
>>29495219
>And right on page two it indicates that most injuries accur on the extremities. So, it is almost as if the parts of the body that are not armored are most likely to be injured. Weird. Wouldn't that make your point pretty much moot?
I thought that at first too. Look at the numbers above it for WW1 through Vietnam. Thorax and Abdomen weren't that high comparatively speaking. However, extremity wounds did go down I think more due to better first aid care. I think for OIF the reason that head injuries ranked so high was because of IED's.
>>29495328
Head injuries correlate strongly with increased vehicle use. The TBI numbers for 88m guys and other vehicle operators is just ridiculous.
I have nightmares about an LMTV that got smoked by an IED. I was the second medic on scene and every single person on that vehicle still alive had head and neck trauma. It made me a believer in hard armor, though. Two guys lived because their plates stopped shrapnel. The soft stuff gets shredded by close explosions.
>>29495021
what happens when the enemy poisons their bullets and a shot in the arm kills you?
>>29494876
Heavily dependant on both the threat you face and how much weight you're willing to carry around to protect you from it.
Since most explosions are beyond the ability of armor, soft or hard, to protect against, forgoing soft armor to save weight isn't really a detriment for the vast majority of soldiers.
>>29494876
I use soft armor and plates. I also have a slick PC for when I don't need soft armor. I'm going to have soft armor in my other large vest also.
>>29495506
88M's and mechanics definitely earned their pay over there.
>>29495623
>Since most explosions are beyond the ability of armor, soft or hard, to protect against, forgoing soft armor to save weight isn't really a detriment for the vast majority of soldiers.
You could use that to argue that the only armor truly needed would be for your noggin if you take into account the numbers from >>29495147
>http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/FileDownloadpublic.aspx?docid=85ed6078-cd5c-4821-a6ee-9040857355c2
>>29495589
Not sure it's possible or even feasible to to do that.
That said, extremity wounds are the leading preventable cause of injury due to blood loss, hence why we stress the use of tourniquets for arm and leg injuries.
>>29495147
According to that the main injuries are from blast. Which armour isn't doing shit against.
>>29495671
Gunshot wounds are still a concern, so going all the way on armored protection is just as silly as going for none.
>>29495710
True, I've played "match the limb to the torso" before. But not every blast is big enough to negate armor use in the first place.
>>29495722
Until you take in to account individual fatigue. Wearing that shit in the heat or any environment for that matter sucks ass. So find the balance.
>>29495021
except if you get shot in the side. don't be an idiot.
>>29494876
agreed OP. muh plates is a retarded meme. realistically you are going to face an assailant with a handgun. there is a reason cops wear full soft armor with or without plates while soldiers may wear only plates.
all the gear queer plates only fags on this board are absolutely delusional about what threats they will face.
