Supplementary Evidence That Army's Reliance on, and Testing of, Body Armor Ceramic Plates is Fatally Flawed
As we study Friday's release of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report resting on dead body shell (asked for by Senators Jim Webb and Hillary Rodham Clinton in Could of 2007 and by extra congressional offices), it's worth reviewing some vital, associated news.TWOPEOPLE
First, now's some book derivative on or after the web location meant for the Ceramics and Composites Material Center by Rutgers University. (CCMC is a multi-university explore hub, other than hosted by Rutgers.)

Note the subject of the first-listed research scheme. The topic paying attention resting on "Root Cause of the Poor Ballistic Performance of Boron Carbide
Boron carbide is one of the two the majority usually old supplies in the manufacture of the ceramic ballistic-protective plates old these days by America's frontline troops. Here is proof that among the actual experts, institution of higher education professors whose life is researching ceramic and (composite materials), here is unlock acceptance that Boron Carbide ballistic act is "poor."
Their explore is not keen on how fine the Boron Carbide performs. They already have the respond to that question, and beneath the majority grading systems were they to issue a grade designed for Boron Carbide's ballistic presentation, "poor" would normally advantage a "D," on best.
The additional nearly all usually second-hand fabric designed for use in these days's Army and Marine Corps ceramic ballistic-protective plates is, silicon carbide, or else as it is abbreviated in the fifth piece in the above inventory, "SiC."
Three Rutgers University professors who participate in the premier multi-university supportive explore hub in the nation trade with ceramics, catalog two principal investigate topics having to perform with the performance of the two nearly everyone usually worn pottery ballistic caring resources, and together topics raise grave, original questions about: (1) of how glowing the ceramic textile performs in the case of Boron Carbide, and (2) the enter structural integrity, i.e., recital, of the second clay cloth, Silicon Carbide.
(The two authors cited for the Boron Carbide cram did not react to a phone describe and emails asking for an opportunity to discuss their project. The author of the Silicon Carbide learn did respond in a series of back-and-forth emails, proverb, "I am not certain I am at liberty to share my results.")
DOD's View: there's never been a failure of a single pottery plate, ever...
Yet Defense Department representatives from three-star generals to municipal associations civilian flacks continue to assert that there has never been one malfunction of a DOD-issued ceramic plate. Not a single one. Never, ever.
Which leads us to the subsequently "paradox" in the body protective covering debate.
Why is the Army installing multi-million dollar x-ray plans in combat theaters to perform non-destructive difficult resting on earthenware ballistic shielding plates?
Does this installation contradict the Army and Marine Corps claims of zero failures?