US Army Sees Diamonds in Its Future

Military body armor will continue seeing design fluctuations just like changes in weaponry and technology will also see advancements. These advancements are about to see some more headway, according to what some experts are saying in the area of body armor.

One of the greatest benefits to the advancements of body armor’s designs in addition to its improved protection is having a better fit that is lighter in weight. When a soldier is carrying less weight, they are able to have greater mobility. This greater mobility has helped designers increase the body armor’s security by redistributing the weight to other areas. The only drawback is that the armor can only go so far in advancements using its existing materials. Therefore, experimentation must occur using other materials and engineers have discovered a new way of offering protection to soldiers — through use of diamonds.

Using diamonds has proven to reduce the weight of body armor by 15%, which is the most performance enhancement most soldiers working in research and development have seen in their thirty-year careers. The project is referred to as “Soldier Protection System” is a technology by which a joint partnership was made between the Marines and the U.S. Army allowing each solider to build armor weighing less.

Every military task assigned to each soldier varies greatly from day to day. There are days when a soldier must wear something lightweight allowing for greater mobility. However, there are other days where it is better to have heavy-duty armor that risks better movement. No matter what the soldier needs, this new system of protection allows them to strap on an assortment of breastplates and add-ons depending on their assigned duty.

The DIY aspect of the Soldier Protection System is what makes it so much more advantageous in comparison to older versions of body armor. The downfall, however, is the time associated with assembling the breastplates and add-ons.

In order to create a better system of protection, DSM DYneem’s scientists manipulated the diamond’s molecules. Rather than having the look of a typical diamond, they actually are flattened down so they actually resemble a breastplate. This creates a piece of armor that is ten times as strong as steel, but is incredibly lightweight and wearable. Kevlar is the traditional “go to” material used by the military for uniforms and helmets for years and, according to the diamond’s ability to better withstand the sharp and blunt bullet point, it will soon be replaced.

There are unconfirmed reports of U.S. Special Forces soldiers using Soldier Protection System right now. If the government sends down their approval, there will be more soldiers using the system within the next six months. There are also reports about a body armor system being designed for women, too, and that it should be rolled out in the very near future.

There is a fine line between those who are developing a product that is meant to put an end to someone’s life and a product that is meant to keep someone living. At this point, the product that is meant to keep someone living seems to be winning.