Bulletproof vest today is one of the main means of protection worn by security guards or employees of internal affairs bodies on special missions. It covers the upper part of the body from the impact of cold or firearms, as well as from various shrapnel wounds as a result of the explosion. A good level III body armor consists of fabrics that can not only delay bullets, but also dissipate the energy of the projectile. This design prevents serious injury from the inertia of the bullet itself or shrapnel.

The forerunner of modern body armor is the chest cuirass worn by knights. In the 6th century, the requirements for such protection were as follows: the chest armor had to stop a bullet from a musket, and the back from a pistol. Over time, the lethality of weapons has grown and modern bulletproof vests are made from more advanced materials.

Concealed wear vests

Such models are made of ballistic fabric, which has high viscosity and tensile strength. This is Kevlar or Aramid, these materials are able to stop a bullet with a blunt end, shot or shrapnel at low speed. However, this bulletproof vest can be cut with a knife and it does not protect against sharp fragments of mines or grenades, therefore, in modern models, ballistic fabric is combined with metal or polymer plates.

Semi-rigid and rigid body armor

Such models are considered body armor for outdoor or conditionally hidden wear, they use ballistic fabric along with hard plates. Such a "sandwich" delays blunt bullets, shot, protects against fragments and cold weapons. Unlike soft body armor, there are practically no risks of hidden injuries from the inertia of the projectile. 

In the manufacture of bulletproof vests, the plates are made from the following materials:

• ultra-high modulus polyethylene;
• boron or silicon carbide;
• corundum or aluminum alloys;
• titanium alloys with other materials;
• armored steel.

The latter type of plates is used less and less because of the weight - in body armor a fighter needs to move, sometimes you have to run and perform other physical activities. A lot depends on maneuverability, so lightweight semi-rigid or hard body armor is one of the most popular.