Britain's Mastiff Armoured Vehicles In Afghanistan Under Review After Three British Soldiers Killed By An IED Blast

David Cameron Promises Review Of Armoured Vehicles After Afghanistan Deaths -- The Telegraph

David Cameron has pledged to review the use of Mastiff armoured vehicles in Afghanistan after three British soldiers were killed by an explosion that overturned the 25-ton vehicle.

It is the first time the Taliban has managed to kill anyone inside the Army’s best-protected vehicle.

Mr Cameron said he would look “carefully” at any measures to give troops even greater security.

The soldiers were last night named as Cpl William Savage, 30, and Fusilier Samuel Flint, 21, both from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and Pte Robert Hetherington, 25, of 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

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Update #1: Soldier Mastiff deaths 'may affect Afghanistan strategy,' says defence analyst -- The Telegraph
Update #2: Afghanistan bomb: the British Army Mastiff 3 patrol vehicle - interactive -- The Guardian

My Comment: The IED that killed these three British soldiers must have been massive.

Marine Corps Interested In Bullet-Stopping Shields

Corps Interested In Bullet-Stopping Shields -- Military.com

The Marine Corps is keeping tabs on the Army’s plan to test face shields, some of which can stop 7.62mm rifle rounds. Deployed Marines already see the benefit, some paying out of pocket to wear them in Afghanistan, according to industry sources.

The Army is seeking 160 shields, with the option to buy 2,000 more, according to an April 20 solicitation posted to FedBizOpps.gov.

“The Marine Corps is monitoring multiple efforts with the Army Research Labs and Office of Naval Research to address maxillofacial protection as part of an integrated headborne protection system,” said Jim Katzaman, a Marine Corps Systems Command spokesman in Quantico, Va.

In layman’s terms, the Corps is interested in gear that will protect Marines’ faces.

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My Comment: This looks very impressive .... but I would expect a few broken bones (and concussion) if a bullet should hit you on this mask.

The Race To Research And Develop Better Armor For Soldiers And Equipment

Army Pays Scientists $90 Mil To Smash Stuff Good -- Aol Defense

WASHINGTON: The US Army is traditionally the most low-tech of the four armed services, but the quest for lighter, stronger armor for troops and vehicles alike puts them on the cutting edge of materials science, from advanced ceramics to carbon nanotubes. That's the reason the Army made an award worth up to $90 million over five years to the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute at Johns Hopkins University to, well, smash stuff up real good. The Institute's video of one of their experiments (click above to play) looks like it might be kind of fun.

With both soldiers and vehicles struggling under the weight of all their body armor, though, achieving equal protection with lighter materials is literally a life-or-death issue for a whole range of programs.

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My Comment: Faster please ....

Liquid Armour?

Bulletproof Liquid Bulletproof material treated with shear-thickening liquid is more effective than traditional Kevlar at stopping bullets. BBC

Liquid Armour 'Can Stop Bullets' -- BBC

A liquid armour has been shown to stop bullets in tests carried out by UK scientists at BAE systems in Bristol.

The researchers have combined this "shear-thickening" liquid with Kevlar to create a new bullet-proof material.

The company is keeping the chemical formula of the liquid a secret, but it works by absorbing the force of the bullet strike and responding to it by becoming much thicker and more sticky.

The BAE scientists describe it as "bullet-proof custard".

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My Comment: This is fascinating. Check out the video.

Tough Snail Shell Could Inspire Better Body Armor

The shell of the "scaly-foot" snail, shown here, has a unique structure that may provide clues for designing improved body armor, a new study suggests. Credit: Anders Warén, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden.

From Live Science:

A snail's shell that protects it from attacks underwater could provide clues for designing improved body armor to guard human soldiers, a new study suggests.

The research involved an unusual sea snail, the so-called "scaly-foot" snail which was first reported in 2003 and makes its home in the harsh environment of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent in the Indian Ocean. Past studies of the snail, a type of sea mollusk, revealed its foot was covered in plates of iron-sulfide minerals, and it is now the only known animal today to employ iron sulfides as a structural material.

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My Comment: The applications in the military are multiple .... the people who researched this need to be commended.

Smart Armor Knows Its Own Strength, As Well As The Enemy's

Smarter Armor Could Save Soldiers' Lives A new armor plating system under development by the U.S. Army can diagnose its own damage as well as tell soldiers what kind of rounds are incoming, two vital pieces of information on the battlefield.

From Popular Science:

While weapons continue to grow smarter and smarter, the U.S. Army is developing armor to match the arms. A new 'intelligent' armor under development at the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center can evaluate its own condition, identify the type of round being shot at it, and even generate electrical power from bullet strikes. Whether wrapped around a tank or an infantryman, the smart armor can relay information to soldiers in real time, extensively upping battlefield awareness.

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