The history of body armor begins from simple pads worn unto more complex armor used in the modern world. Thus body armor has had its prominent part into the countless wars and battles, police work and self-defense, covering people through centuries stripping them away and reinventing it as the new threats emerged and the new technologies developed.
Ancient Body Armor
The earliest forms of body armor can be traced back to as early as few thousand years ago when warriors engaged themselves in war and used what natural resources they could find in creating their outfit. Some among them include the leather armor which was worn and had good characteristics of flexibility, used in the protection of cuts and bruises. Later on warriors started incorporating metals and bronze and iron clad were worn by many early civilization.
Some of the most famous types are the Greek hoplite’s cuirass worn over the Lino thorax, copper or bronze, offered moderate protection but at the same time allowed their wearers to move rather freely. The Romans later on developed the lorica segmentate a segmented iron cuirass that afforded much improved protection yet was a mite more flexible for use in combat.
Medieval Body Armor
During medieval period there were some inventions in body mail including chainmail. known as chain mail, it was made by connecting thousands of rings of metal, and could both turn aside cutting weapons and effectively reduce the amount of force from stabbing ones. This type of armor was used by knights and soldiers across Europe and it was typical of the medieval age.
With development in weapon technology, there was need for enhanced shields and guardsmen devices. As the late Medieval period began, another type of protection appeared – plates, which gradually replaced mail. It was common throughout the medieval period and was usually made using large metal plates called ‘plates’ which covered the body; becoming effective from the later crusades to protect against more dangerous weapons, such as crossbows and early handguns. The complete suits of plate armor, which could tip scales at more than 50 pounds turned into a symbol of a medieval knight.
Renaissance to Early Modern Period
Captured from the article Essentially elegant of the Renaissance, metal armor proofs provided during the Renaissance period by the invention and use of firearms ineffective because bullets take easily pass through it. Thus the need for full armor reduced and lightweight and flexible armor became required.
In the course of this period breast and back plate was still in use especially for cavalries and officers who were still encountering melee dangers. Many of these pieces were made thicker, thus, came up of “proofed” armor which was put through a test against firearms.
Modern Body Armor
At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the direction of body armor innovations became translated to new materials and technologies. As if during the First World War, the soldiers wore metal plates in their clothing for protection from shrapnel. It was only during World War II that better designs of body armor made it to market and this include the creation of flak jackets. These were made from ballistic nylon and were intended to shield aircrew from fragments .
The Vietnam War also brought some improvements with helmets introducing the M-69 flak vest to offer protection against shrapnel’s and small arms fire. Though, it was still somewhat large and could not be applied everywhere on the battlefield.
The major innovations in body armor where made toward the close of the Twentieth century with the use of Kevlar a synthetic fabric that is as strong as Steel but nearly as light as normal fabric. better known as bullet proof vests made from Kevlar fiber and some are further enhanced with ceramic or steel plates used by military and police forces. These vests could halt handgun rounds and with the appropriate add-on, rifle rounds too.
Contemporary Body Armor
Presently, body armor is constant with new technological advancement and design engineers to deliver improved protection, flexibility and comfort. Current generation body armors consist of soft ballistic vests which are flexible and primarily for handgun protection and hard ballistic vests which incorporate rigid plates for enhanced heavy rifle threats.
Technological improvements have also been used to bring on improvements of the modular systems to make the armor’s wearers be able to penetrate it according to the kind of threat or levels that are most preferable in certain missioning. Also, innovations like trauma pads and smart textiles provide the wearer with more protection as well as be more aware of his environment.
Conclusion
In this article, the author also highlights that the process of developing body armor has been a continuous concern from historical periods until today: metallic and leather armors of the ancient world and contemporary body armors, produced with new high technology. In the future, body armor will likely improve as technology progresses and we will be able to trust many of today’s threats can be combatted thanks to our armor.