The U.S. Marine Corps Receives The Third-generation Bulletproof Vest, Using Laser Cutting Technology

The U.S. Marine Corps System Command is bidding for the next generation of body armor. Weight reduction and improved mobility are the main goals. Of course, all of this is premised on not reducing the level of protection.

In 2018, the U.S. Marine Corps and the Vertical Protective Apparel of New Jersey signed a contract worth 62 million U.S. dollars (about 436 million yuan). The latter will develop and deliver the third-generation bulletproof. vest. Now the first batch of samples has been delivered to the US Marine Corps and is undergoing field testing.

This third-generation bulletproof vest system uses FirstSpear 6/12 laser cutting technology and the Tubes quick unlocking device. It is expected that this bulletproof vest will be delivered before 2023, and the total number will reach 225886 sets. The Kunco Marine Corps Base in Virginia said it is deploying a new generation of protective vests that can provide Marines with better fit, style and functionality. This is a lightweight and flexible flapper system, which can resist bullets and fragments when matched with bulletproof flaps.

Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Konicki, Marine Corps System Command Infantry Combat Equipment Project Manager, said that the Marine Corps Bhutan needs a way to reduce the burden on soldiers. Through cooperation with industry, the old-style installation that began in 2011 The body armor is optimized to reduce the overall weight of the system and improve the operability. The new body armor system is nearly 25% lighter than traditional similar equipment, and can protect marines on the battlefield.

In 2016, the Marine Corps System Command conducted a study to analyze the components and effectiveness of third-generation body armor samples. At the same time, the Marines were wearing active-service body armor and third-generation body armor samples for various obstacle training, including marching 15 kilometers at a fixed speed.

Lieutenant Colonel Koniki said: “After reducing the burden, the Marines can reach their destination faster, they will have greater endurance, which will increase their combat effectiveness.”

Bryan Leahy, head of the individual protection team, said: “The third-generation bulletproof vest eliminates the redundant parts of the previous design, improves the design and mobility of the Marines, and improves the shoulders. It’s easier to get the butt against the shoulder.”

Another advantage of the third-generation bulletproof vest lies in its excellent adaptability. Lieutenant Colonel Koniki said: “This bulletproof vest has increased size and model. Compared with traditional technology, nearly 15,000 Marine Corps men and women can fit. The system. The new design is closer to the human body, thereby increasing the protection ability and reducing the risk of injury due to incorrect fitting. “The new generation of bulletproof vests can adapt to human bodies of all shapes, considering 2% of female players, The bullet-proof insert has a curved part that adapts to the chest and abdomen, and will not affect the protective effect.

Lieutenant Colonel Koniki said: “I used to think that all women are small, but this is a misunderstanding. We found through research that the smallest Marines are actually men. In the course of many tests, The female team members said that due to their excellent adaptability and flexibility, they prefer the new bulletproof vests. “The Marine Corps infantry unit will first install the third-generation bulletproof vests, and then deploy to support units. According to the system command plan, the third-generation bulletproof vest will complete all delivery tasks before the 2023 fiscal year.