SAF Body Armour?
-
Hey, from watching footage of our troops (presumed to be regulars) gathering to go to P. Tekong, I noticed that they were wearing a green, full torso vest that covered their number 4. It's certainly no SBO and it looks exactly like body armour.
So have we been using body armour for combat purposes for some time liao, but just that it goes to the regulars? -
those maniacs running around have handguns and probably a pump-action shotgun...
the armour will probably stop those..Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:Hey, from watching footage of our troops (presumed to be regulars) gathering to go to P. Tekong, I noticed that they were wearing a green, full torso vest that covered their number 4. It's certainly no SBO and it looks exactly like body armour.
So have we been using body armour for some time liao, but just that it goes to the regulars? -
Certain PDF units have been wearing body armour as part of their expected roles they play. Body armour has been in use for sometime already. But I hope they introduce better ones for tropics.Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:Hey, from watching footage of our troops (presumed to be regulars) gathering to go to P. Tekong, I noticed that they were wearing a green, full torso vest that covered their number 4. It's certainly no SBO and it looks exactly like body armour.
So have we been using body armour for combat purposes for some time liao, but just that it goes to the regulars?
Certain things are used or shown only in reservest training, depending on unit. Not during full time NS. -
i suspect its been issued for troops from certain units. and these units have been activated today.Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:Hey, from watching footage of our troops (presumed to be regulars) gathering to go to P. Tekong, I noticed that they were wearing a green, full torso vest that covered their number 4. It's certainly no SBO and it looks exactly like body armour.
So have we been using body armour for combat purposes for some time liao, but just that it goes to the regulars? -
Hopefully they never get to be really tested in combat, though raising awareness of the issue does help.
Notice how all our PASGT helmets are M size? Causing them to fit ridiculusly high on our troops with larger heads? This means that a lot of our guys will go into action with a less protection then they should be getting from their K-pots. -
I've worn one of those b4 during my duties and have to wear one too if i'm sent out. Its basically a vest with 2 pockets front and back, though i remember only got 1 pocket in front. In the pocket, you put a big thick heavy metal plate. Instructions on the plate says its level good against protection from shrapnel, not projectiles such as bullets. Hope this helps.
-
So it's a flak vest and not proper body armour?
-
Why can't they just issue Kevlar vests and helmets? They should be better than a normal flak jacket, considering the fact that those robbers are using handguns and probably shotguns.
-
My friends in ADF are using the body armour as well.
They told me its damn heavy and u cant buckle yr SBO properly after putting it on.
I can't imagine how u do fire and movement wearing it though. -
Sorry for my ignorant, actually what does ADF stand for and their purpose?Originally posted by Guile:My friends in ADF are using the body armour as well.
They told me its damn heavy and u cant buckle yr SBO properly after putting it on.
I can't imagine how u do fire and movement wearing it though.
Never heard of it during my NS time in the 80s..
-
Wonder how the Americans and British do it... They protest if they are sent out without body armour. Over here, we seem happy to dump it.
-
kevlar vest is NOT as light as you think it is. Wore one before during Year 2000 NDP Carnival at Marina Bay at the MP5 livefire range.Originally posted by Enigmatic1:Why can't they just issue Kevlar vests and helmets? They should be better than a normal flak jacket, considering the fact that those robbers are using handguns and probably shotguns. -
Well, on fine print written on the ballistic metal plates. it read "For effective levels of protection, we recommend the yellow pages."Originally posted by Gedanken:So it's a flak vest and not proper body armour?
My vocation requires me to wear one if deployed. But I expect the aggressor to be shooting projectiles at me, not shrapnel.
-
That wasn't just kevlar dude, if you talked to the commandos, you will realize that it is a kevlar vest with composite insert plates that can stop 7.62 FMJ rounds. It's pretty hefty but it's sure worth the protection.Originally posted by Moonstriker:kevlar vest is NOT as light as you think it is. Wore one before during Year 2000 NDP Carnival at Marina Bay at the MP5 livefire range.
Forget what you see in the movies, it's almost impossible to dodge bullets and if some guy has point indexed you, it's almost impossible to take cover before he cuts lose. Body armour is worth the extra weight when you realize that 70 percent of deaths from fire in war were caused by projectiles that would have been easily stopped by body armour. -
Originally posted by ditzy:Well, on fine print written on the ballistic metal plates. it read "For effective levels of protection, we recommend the yellow pages."
A case of "what you don't know won't hurt you"? -
emz.. i didn't ask the Cdos how come so heavy. was experimenting with the vest already. opened the flap that contained the composite plate.. very hard and heavy. then the Cdo saw me doing that... i quickly put it back inOriginally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:That wasn't just kevlar dude, if you talked to the commandos, you will realize that it is a kevlar vest with composite insert plates that can stop 7.62 FMJ rounds. It's pretty hefty but it's sure worth the protection.
Forget what you see in the movies, it's almost impossible to dodge bullets and if some guy has point indexed you, it's almost impossible to take cover before he cuts lose. Body armour is worth the extra weight when you realize that 70 percent of deaths from fire in war were caused by projectiles that would have been easily stopped by body armour.
-
I would expect body armor to be used in more fibua roles. Where range is a bit too close for reaction. I would still prefer to be "light" out in the vegetation. Quicker movement as well as "comfort"
-
yupOriginally posted by Shotgun:I would expect body armor to be used in more fibua roles. Where range is a bit too close for reaction. I would still prefer to be "light" out in the vegetation. Quicker movement as well as "comfort" -
Yeah, its no fun wearing that thing. Its even less fun carrying it around.
-
Eh, once firefight starts, you'll wish that you had some.
-
Totally agree...alot of fatalities could have been prevented in the Vietnam conflict if those careless G.I.s had (a) worn their flak vest, or (b) zipped it up...Same thing for Mogadishu...never remove the ceramic armour plate...its just plain dumb...Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:Eh, once firefight starts, you'll wish that you had some.
Although I think that SAF's flak vest could be made in a darker shade of green though...its still a little conspicious, given the nature of our terrain... -
Body Armour is not Bullet-proof... Reason being that one can always find a round that is capable of penetrating the Armour...
While a WWII Flak Jacket, weighing 14kgs, can only stop low-level Handgun threats. Newer Man-made Fibres, like Kevlar Vest are capable of stopping Higher-Level 9mm Handgun Threats at 4-5kgs.
To stop Rifle rounds, you would require Ceramic Plates or Steel ones, depending on what is the calibre and type of round you expect to encounter. They tend to weigh 2-3 kg per piece. 2 pieces, 1 Front & 1 Back, means an additional 4-6 kg...
To stop Fragments, you would hardly require Plates. Soft Kevlar is typically capable of those.
Since the fugitives were described as possessing handguns, going in with Plates would be a bit of an overkill... not to mention very uncomfortable...
Not too sure if anyone is interested, there has been quite an uproar in US while i was there. Apparently, a couple of Policemen were injured and even killed even with the use of Armour. It seems that there were some unscrupulous Manufacturers that had not tested their vests sufficiently prior to sale.
I sure hope i do not see our Police or SAF using that Manufacturer's Products... or even me end up wearing one of those... -
If memory serves me right, the bullets penetrated at the EDGE of the vest - and the manufacturer claims that the fact that the vest is vulnerable there is properly documented.Originally posted by Si Geena:Not too sure if anyone is interested, there has been quite an uproar in US while i was there. Apparently, a couple of Policemen were injured and even killed even with the use of Armour. It seems that there were some unscrupulous Manufacturers that had not tested their vests sufficiently prior to sale. -
i believe it was more like they were using low quality kevlarOriginally posted by dragonstar:If memory serves me right, the bullets penetrated at the EDGE of the vest - and the manufacturer claims that the fact that the vest is vulnerable there is properly documented. -
Hey! If I remember correctly, didn't the Straits Times mention that Singapore was interested in Thailand-produced bulletproof vests that were supposed to offer the same level of protection as US-made Kelvar vests but with lower costs and weight?