BODY ARMOR

276 Pages·2010·10.14 MB·English

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AEROSPACE REPORT No.
ATR -77(7921 )-2, Vol. II
EQlJIPMENT SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
BODY ARMOR
'FIELD TEST AND EVALUATION
FINAL REPORT
Volume II .. Test and Evaluation
Law Enforcement and Telecommunications Division
September 1977
_OEVELOPMENT-
Prepared for
National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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The Aerospace Corporation
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Ae~'ospace Report No.
A1'R-77(7921).2, Vol. II
EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
BODY ARMOR
FIELD TEST AND EVALUATION
FINAL REPORT
Volume ll- Test and Evaluation
Law Enforcement and Telecommunications Division
THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
El Segundo, C01ifornia
September 1977
r,
Prepared for
National Institute of Law Enforcement
and Criminal Justice
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Contract No. J -LEAA-025-73
This project was supported by Contract Number J -LEAA-025-73 awarded by
the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Law Enforce
ment Assistance Administration, U. S. Department of Justice, under the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended. Points of
view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U. S. Department
of Justice.
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Aerospace Report No.
ATR-77(792l)-2, Vol. II
I
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EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
FINAL REPORT
BODY ARMOR FIELD TEST AND EVALUATION
"
VOLUME II - TEST AND EVALUATION
Approved:
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~~n;ral
J.6seph Manager
Law Enforcement and Telecommunications
Division
iii
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ABSTRACT
.1
This report, in three volum.es, exam.ines the acceptability and per£or~
m.ance of various designs of soft body arm.or utilizing Kevlar 29 ,a.s the prin~
cipal ballistic material. The effects of fit, comfort, and heat containment
on garm.ent acceptance and wear are assessed. Those factors most impor
tant in the use and specification of arnlOr are identified ..
From. statistics of confiscated weapons, FBI assault data, and wear
histories of the garm.ents tested, it is found that armor containing 7 to 12
i, 5 plies of protective material is optiulUm. in terms of the liklihood of preventing
, '
fatalities or injury. Changes in attitudes of the officers wearing armor was
found to be negligible, and none of the arm.or designs tested interfered with
officer activities. In no cC\.se were internal injuries experienced from as-
s aults while wearing the arm.or.
Two areas meriting further investigation are the study of blunt trauma
from higher -energy threats, in particular the. 357 -magnum and 9-mm.
handguns, and the determination of useful garm.ent lifetime.
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CONTENTS
ABSTRACT v
PREFACE xix
I. INTRODUCTION 1-1
II. TEST PROCEDURES 2,1
A. Planning 2-1
B. QUestionnaires 2-6
C. Analysis Philosophy 2-7
1. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov One-Sample Test 2-11
2. The Kohnogorov-Smirnov Two-Sample Test 2-12
3. Chi-Square Test for Two Independent Samples 2-13
4. Nonparametric Correlation Analysis 2~14
5. Simple and Multiple Regression Models 2-16
6. Kruskal-Wallis One-Way Analysis of
Variance 2-18
D. Site Selection 2-19
E. Garment Selection 2-21
F. Procurement 2-24
III. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 3-1
A. Garment Acceptability 3-'1
1. Officer Attitudes 3-1
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2. Garment Utilization 3-,20
B. Garment Performance 3-39
1. Performance 3-39
2. Detectability 3-62
3. Comfort 3-65
4. Deterioration 3··71
c. Impact on Law Enforcement Operations 3-76
1. Aggressiveness 3-76
2. Performance of Duties 3-86
vii
CONTENTS (Continued)
IV. SUPPLEMENTAL TEST AND ANALYSES 4-1
A. Recall Garments 4-1
1. Tensile Tests 4-1
2. Ballistic Tests 4-2
B. New Mate:rials Testing 4-10
C. High Energy Threat Considerations 4-13
D. Miscellaneous Testing 4-17
1. Test Duplication of Inglewood Incident 4-17
2. Wood Backing Evaluation 4-19
3. Support to Los Angeles Police Department 4-19
4. Other Fabric Tests 4-19
V. KEVLAR CHARACTERIZATION STUDY 5-1
A. Clay Cavity Measurements 5.2
:So Penetration Study 5-9
VI. MEDICAL-TECHNICAL SYMPOSiA 6-1
A. Pretest Symposium 6-1
B. Interim Symposium 6-5
C. Posttest Symposium 6-10
1. Ballistic Evaluation of High Energy Handgun
Threats 6-11
2. . Medical Evaluation of High Energy Handgun
Threats 6-13
3. Ballistic Armor of Kevlar Aramid 6-16
VII. DESIGN MODIFICATIONS 7-1
A. Garment Modifications 7-1
B. Human Factors 7-8
1. Natick Results 7-9
2. QuanticlQ Results 7-15
viii