NBC accuses Pentagon of using less-effective Body Armor....

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[Ronswin 26]

Not to mention that a Dragon Skin vest similar in design and protection level to the current Interceptor vest will weigh in excess if 40 lbs. All things considered, I'll stick to the current issue Interceptor.

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that's interesting. that dragon skin was on an episode of futureweapons and looked pretty great. i guess the only thing they really pumped about it was that it could take multiple hits and still protect unlike normal single-plate armor.

[Racer 27 37]

on Futureweapons they also had it on a dummy and laid it on a hand grenade and it didn't have in penetration.

[loki0629 55]

This site is a watchdog organization founded by Col. Hackworth USA (retired).

www.sftt.org

 

Go to the middle of the site for the Dragonskin section and click on the link.

 

They are staunch supporters of the developer of dragonskin and from what I've read on their site I have to think that the defense contractors and the military purchasers might be in collusion. Dragonskin performed better, weighs less, and covers more body area than Interceptor. The issue with the adhesive was found to be a singular anomaly from a subcontractor's laminating process. Granted, a lot of the facts to support dragon skin come from the president of the company that manufactures it but he states the facts that occurred during the "independent" testing and how the Army protocols were pretty much ignored. So far, no one has proven that what he said did not actually happen.

 

As a matter of fact, he just recently posted another rebuttal about how the the Air Force lied under testimony. They used Level IV ammunition for a Level III test and claimed that Dragonskin failed the Level III standards. The Level III vest that dragonskin provided still defeated 55% of the rounds fired into it even though it was not rated for those rounds.

 

For those of you who do not know who Col. Hackworth was he was a soldier's soldier. Perhaps the epitome of the combat leader and I admired him a lot. As a CNN war correspondent he may have been the only reporter that line grunts would ask what he thought about their machine gun positions. As a civilian, he founded Soldiers For the Truth as a watchdog organization for the military and campaigned to the end against those he termed the "Perfumed Princes" and the industrial military complex.

 

May he rest in peace.

[DaGroaner 2]

NBC? Remember these are the same guys that rigged Chevy gas tanks to explode to sell more Toyotas. They hate US.

[shaneman153a 39]

Granted, I don't know all the facts, but I can tell you I am not impressed at all with IBA. All I know about dragonskin is what I saw on futureweapons, and it seemed much more functional and safe. The coverage was way better than IBA. IBA was designed for guys who sit in trucks and don't shoot. It is the most user-unfriendly piece of gear I've ever put on. When you sit prone with ammo pouches and all "hooah" accessories mounted (on your gut, wtf?) you look like a speed bump with your midsection and ass sitting up 1 1/2 foot up in the air. Then you throw your back out trying to bend your upper body up to get your weapon parallel with the ground. To sum it all up, I think dragonskin would be a better option.

 

my .02

 

Shane

 

P.s. Try and shoulder a weapon with those stupid-ass shoulder protectors on.

[shaneman153a 39]

Sorry guys, I've just always questioned the contracts the military choses, and I have a great interest in how the process is supposed to happen. Then I realize that the douchebag who got caught shoplifting in the px during basic training could, in fifteen years, be appointed a position to decide who to buy millions of dollars worth of shit. (Company grade Article 15's should be phased out) I've heard 1st hand accounts of reputable corporations bribing maintenance test pilots to accept out-of-spec aircraft that had been reset.

 

Pm if you'd like more on that

[shaneman153a 39]

This site is a watchdog organization founded by Col. Hackworth USA (retired).

www.sftt.org

 

Great site, put into words my feelings about the M-9, and the section about the specs the military asked for just proves my point.

[loki0629 55]

I agree with you Shane. I don't trust the military procurement process either. It's been brought up before how many of the military procurement officers end up becoming high paid lobbyists when they retire....typically for a company that they awarded large contracts to. I really think once you become a procurement officer you ought to be automatically barred from working for a defense contractor after retirement.

 

As far as the IBA goes, I don't like it either but it is slightly better than the older frag vests because it can be made to stop 7.62x39 with the plates.

[shaneman153a 39]

Yep, I agree with that, OIF 1 I rolled with a green flak vest that was way beyond unserviceable. I think the materiel in those was actually cardboard, they deteriorated after getting wet a few times. Since the develpment of IED's, the military has definately improved getting serviceable, new body armor to the troops (ALL of the troops). Of course, this last time I went was with a big unit as opposed to the no-money unit I went with in '03. From what I saw, even gaurd troops were wearing the same stuff this time 'round.