armour

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Body protection worn in battle. Body armour is depicted in Greek and Roman art. Chain mail was developed in the Middle Ages but the craft of the armourer in Europe reached its height in design in the 15th century, when knights were completely encased in plate armour that still allowed freedom of movement. Medieval Japanese armour was articulated, made of iron, gilded metal, leather, and silk. Contemporary bulletproof vests and riot gear are forms of armour. The term is used in a modern context to refer to a mechanized armoured vehicle, such as a tank.

The development of armour for tanks and ships since World War II has become increasingly focused on finding lighter, layered composites that offer better protection than basic steel plate. An example of this would be the British Army using ‘Chobham’ composite armour to reinforce the basic protection of Challenger II and Warrior IFV. Another form of localized protection is ‘reactive’ armour, consisting of ‘shoeboxes’ made of armour containing small, quick-acting explosive charges, which are attached at the most vulnerable points of a tank. These packs explode in order to break up the force of entry of an enemy warhead. This type is used by, for example, Israel, but the incorporation of explosive material on the outside of a tank has potential drawbacks for supporting infantry. The Trophy Active Protection System is seen as a safer and more effective replacement to reactive armour and is currently in service on the Merkava Mark IV in the Israeli Defence Force.

The invention of gunpowder led, by degrees, to the virtual abandonment of armour until World War I, when the helmet reappeared as a defence against shrapnel. Suits of armour in the Tower of London were studied by US designers of astronaut wear. Modern armour, used by the army, police, security guards, and people at risk from assassination, uses nylon and fibreglass and is often worn beneath their clothing.

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