We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:35:56 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification It would appear so. I know I'm late to this. I've been busy at work and the Castle Gnomes went on strike and I'm having to get estimates from Normals about maintenance to the gutters that keep the battlements free from standing water (which protects the ballistae from rot, donchaknow), and then there is the worrisome sapping that *someone* is doing that is causing cracking in the Castle batter. Sigh. Anyway... Army Defends Body Armor Quality By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, May 21, 2007 – U.S. troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan have the best... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html Wed, 23 May 2007 06:34:43 -0600 Not having read all your links, the weight thing is a killer. And the temperature thing. That is just almost impossible to overcome, unless there's something in those links, which I don't have time to read. Gear has to be able to withstand extremes in temperature. It just has to. Period. End of discussion. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60364 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60364 Thu, 24 May 2007 16:45:32 -0600 It may have been covered in the extremely technical comment at DT, but just looking at the DS armor, especially when on a curved torso, wouldn't the point of greatest weakness actually be if a round were fired UPWARD into the armor, like if the firer were laying on his back on the ground? It looks like, with an impact angle like that, the bullet could actually be channeled between the scales straight to kevlar. Oh, and I just saw the DS on a History channel show about the history of body armor. They were testing it against flat clay again. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60322 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60322 Wed, 23 May 2007 21:33:50 -0600 I sent a clarification E-mail to John before I dropped dead this morning. One of things I mentioned was a torso or cylindrical test of the Dragon Scale versus the flat testing. I think the biggest blunder I saw was sending a general to a newscast regarding a subject mattter he obviously didn't know much about. How do you not know when the Military Bans something *Before* you test it? Big faux pas. Otherwise I would love to see a side by side test of the stuff on torso based targets in full conditions. That being said Hbl gets points because the stuff is still frickin heavy :) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60319 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60319 Wed, 23 May 2007 20:22:19 -0600 http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=10486 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60314 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60314 Wed, 23 May 2007 17:54:31 -0600 Umm, Gee, Chuck - at least till that thing publishes, it just takes me to your login page. Oh, and, with love, Bite Me. 8^ ) Pickin' on a disabled vet. Oh the humanity! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60310 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60310 Wed, 23 May 2007 14:24:02 -0600 http://northshorejournal.org/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=4236 Excalibur fired in combat for first time]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60306 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60306 Wed, 23 May 2007 14:12:36 -0600 Christian at DT also ponts out what looks like a serious flaw in the NBC lab's testing-that the DS armor section was placed in front of a FLAT clay target, which maximizes the scale overlap. How many flat people do you know? The Army's tests apparently used the same curved mock-torso they used for the ESAPI. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60295 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60295 Wed, 23 May 2007 11:25:17 -0600 Did anyone else read the weigh figures besides me? 47 freaking pounds?!! And that's before you add ammo, water, grenades, first aid kit, etc. And not including weapon and helmet. Then trying going on a foot patrol in 120+ heat wearing that. For a weight difference of 15-20 pounds, the protection would have to be an order of magnitude better. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60292 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60292 Wed, 23 May 2007 11:05:50 -0600 Hey SOMEBODY had to stir the flames on this one :) We haven't had a good Military Acquisition/Equipment Recommendation debate here in at least....ohh...2 or 3 days :) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60287 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60287 Wed, 23 May 2007 08:56:39 -0600 I'm going with what Patton said about the Ronson, erm, Sherman. Who cares if it really is the best. The people have to believe in it in a time of war. Or words to that effect. This would be different if it were 1995 and we weren't actually in a serious dust up. As it is nobody is giving Big Army a chance to quietly retreat on the issue if they are wrong---which means they'll never make a switch if they are wrong. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60286 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60286 Wed, 23 May 2007 08:37:05 -0600 Have you seen the News Test done on it? It looks like the Army may have dropped the ball big time on this http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60284 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/dragon_skin_bod.html#comment-60284 Wed, 23 May 2007 06:48:29 -0600