Himanshu I feel I must make this point to indicate that bulletproof jackets becoem liabilities under some circumstances.Originally posted by Himanshu Chauhan:
Modern soldier with no Bullet Proof Jacket
Integrated Modern Soldier from Alpha Design Technologies
I read a book about modern warfare and I made some posts in teh RMA thread about it. US troops - fully equipped tended to make mistakes that cost batles and lives because of heavier and bulkier clothing. For example a soldier ina bullet proof vest on patrol in 40 deg C heat gets dehydrated soon - but can carry less water. There have been descriptions (in teh book I spoke of) of US troops gradually discarding items - including water as tehy got more and more tired.
I am sure there are close in COIN/Urban situations where bproof jackets are desirable for troops who will be in teh line of firw (as opposed to some who may have cover) - but describing bulletproof jackets as a paradigm is wrong.
Even the US army knows this but there are political considerrations for the US army that makes it do some things in some ways.
In Vietnam and I think each US soldier required 3 or 4 times the weight of provisions per day to survive - becaus eof teh loads they carried. So BProof vests are desirable under the right circumstances. In teh case of the "modern soldier" I think it would be better to keep him light and cool and give him the means to fight and kill his enemy at night.
 The good thing is that we got play around with the INSAS to full heart's content.
   The good thing is that we got play around with the INSAS to full heart's content. 
 
