U.S. Army to Test Body Armor Built Specifically For Women
48 replies, posted
[QUOTE]The majority of engineers are men. The majority of U.S. Army soldiers are also men. So when a new piece of equipment is being designed--equipment that could change the outcome of a life or death situation--it's made with men in mind. Then, if women need it, they might just have to shoehorn themselves into the male variety, as is currently the case with body armor. But the Army recently announced it'll try to change that by testing new body armor built for women.
The 14 percent of the Army made up of women will continue using the current vest, called the Improved Outer Tactical Vest, but it's ill-fitting, built for broader shoulders, larger torsos, and taller people. Arm movement is restricted while it's on and sitting can even cut off blood flow from the legs. By studying its use overseas, the Army identified these problems, but it still seems like a production-ready vest is a long way off: testing begins next summer, when 100 prototype vests will be sent out.[/quote]
Source: [url]http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-07/army-will-test-body-armor-built-specifically-women[/url]
I imagine it only covers 15% of the body.
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;36934312]I imagine it only covers 15% of the body.[/QUOTE]
I can't wait till the nexus modding community gets its hands on the armor. They do excellent things.
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;36934312]I imagine it only covers 15% of the body.[/QUOTE]
In order to distract the enemy.
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;36934396]In order to distract the enemy.[/QUOTE]
And most of our own soldiers
Is it like Mass Effect where they have boobs molded into the plating
cause that would just look stupid
[QUOTE=ShadowSocks8;36934942]And most of our own soldiers[/QUOTE]
Make love, not war
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;36935034]Is it like Mass Effect where they have boobs molded into the plating
cause that would just look stupid[/QUOTE]
To be honest I can kind of understand that. It must be very uncomfortable to have a sensitive and extruding part of your body be squished against armor plates, so it has to be somewhat form-fitting for comfort.
The materials used to help design the armor.
[img]http://global-4-lvs-colossus.opera-mini.net/hs24-04/3928/1/-1/static.tvtropes.org/FM_chart2.gif[/img]
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;36935034]Is it like Mass Effect where they have boobs molded into the plating
cause that would just look stupid[/QUOTE]
It might look stupid but it makes sense. Imagine being a girl with D cups trying to wear a training bra designed for an A cup, but made of Kevlar.
Though boob-bumps in armour might seem like they look stupid, doommarine's statement about form-fitting being comfortable rings true. Fashion is not a high priority on the battlefield; comfort and protection are on higher rungs of the ladder. Uncomfortable squashed boobs don't exactly stop bullets or win skirmishes, y'see.
Also, on the subject of armour, I wondered why the modern soldier doesn't wear tough plated armour similar to the age of blade and arrow, and then I remembered it was heavy and weighty; you could probably soak up regular bullets, but you couldn't exactly avoid an RPG in heavy armour; plus most soldiers wear ballistic kevlar stuff, relying on agility and not getting hit as opposed to soaking up hits. If and when hybrid-assisted limb systems become advanced enough, perhaps "armoured infantry" would be a viable thing, with specialists in power armour supporting the traditional "light infantry" that is the model of the modern soldier. The power armour would need to have some semblance of agility, still, since those tanky armoured infantry probably wouldn't last too long if an insurgent fired a HEAT missile or used some other kind of anti-armour explosive.
This just in, United States decides to scrap the female body armor project and focus on power armor.
More at 11.
Only if you're using Japanese logic - less clothes = more armor.
I imagine they have their best MMO players at hand to discuss which is most revealing but still protects the breasts enough.
[QUOTE=redBadger;36936903]Only if you're using Japanese logic - less clothes = more armor.[/QUOTE]
Also game designer logic. Fortunately, they're starting to grow out of it. Slowly.
[QUOTE=doommarine23;36935071]To be honest I can kind of understand that. It must be very uncomfortable to have a sensitive and extruding part of your body be squished against armor plates, so it has to be somewhat form-fitting for comfort.[/QUOTE]
Couldn't they just have, I dunno, raised the chest area as opposed to SHAPING it around them? Especially since the area between the boob-plates would be a weak point.
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;36935034]Is it like Mass Effect where they have boobs molded into the plating
cause that would just look stupid[/QUOTE]
You know, I almost expect that, and it would be tragic considering indentations and curves in any form of armor are practically guide-rails for knives and bullets.
Actually it sounds like they simply need to make the armor they use now in sizes that fit women better. I'm not sure how difficult it is to just resize the patterns for body armor and make the panels smaller. It can't be that hard.
Why not just have it gradually slope forward from the bottom up, instead of boob molds?
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;36937216]Why not just have it gradually slope forward from the bottom up, instead of boob molds?[/QUOTE]
It needs to be as non-bulky as possible.
[QUOTE=ironman17;36936766]
Also, on the subject of armour, I wondered why the modern soldier doesn't wear tough plated armour similar to the age of blade and arrow, and then I remembered it was heavy and weighty; [/QUOTE]
Heavy, weighty, and completely ineffective. No metal armor of a thickness enough to stop a modern rifle round could ever be worn by a human, even the plate armor worn by knights could be pierced by relatively primitive musket balls, let alone a higher velocity modern rifle round.
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;36937216]Why not just have it gradually slope forward from the bottom up, instead of boob molds?[/QUOTE]
Armor of any kind is most effective when it's a wall. Angles have a way of undermining the armor by guiding impacts, and impacts guided by breast-shape tend to hit in vital areas.
[QUOTE=doommarine23;36935071]To be honest I can kind of understand that. It must be very uncomfortable to have a sensitive and extruding part of your body be squished against armor plates, so it has to be somewhat form-fitting for comfort.[/QUOTE]
[img]http://madartlab.com/files/2011/12/tumblr_lq57skulwE1r1g5m2o1_400.jpg[/img]
[IMG]http://www.southtower.on.ca/armour/images/SamsArmour04.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.unitedshield.com/images/female_body_armour.jpg[/IMG]
Yeah dude better mold some tits onto the armour so they can have perfect cups.
yeah it's no worse than wearing tighty-whities, broskis.
Let's be honest, not many people here fill out a pair of briefs to the point of discomfort. Then again, if you wear boxers you're gonna have to contend with longballs one of these days. If a woman can fit into a sports bra, she can probably manage to wear body armor that isn't stupid video game bullshit.
[QUOTE=Vasili;36937396]better mold some tits so they can have perfect cups. Tit armour is nothing but the reality you need to create breasts to be so big they'll be squished inside armour.[/QUOTE]
Er, one size does not fit all.
I bet you that first chick is flat chested.
[QUOTE=Otsegolation;36937434]Er, one size does not fit all.
I bet you that first chick is flat chested.[/QUOTE]
Male body armor is not one size fits all either. Sports undergarments plus appropriately fitted body armor works just fine. You just want to see metal tits.
Not exactly news.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrMDCQI5gzU[/media]
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