Is behind armour blunt trauma a real threat to users of body armour? A systematic review

Abstract

IntroductionBehind armour blunt trauma (BABT) has been defined as a non-penetrating injury caused by the rapid deformation of body armour. There has been an increasing awareness of BABT as an injury mechanism in both the military and civilian worlds; whether BABT results in serious injuries is debatable.MethodA systematic review of the openly accessible literature was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method to investigate those injuries classified as BABT and their severity.Results50 sources were identified that included pertinent information relevant to this systematic review on BABT injuries. Typical injuries reported included skin contusion, laceration and penetration, rib fracture and contusions to lungs, kidneys, spleen and (rarely) the heart. No evidence of fatal injuries due to BABT was identified.ConclusionsWhether BABT can lead to life-threatening injuries when small-arms ammunition impacts body armour components designed to stop that ammunition is debatable. It should be emphasised that other data may be available in government reports that are not openly available. Further research should be considered that investigates developments in body armour, including initiatives that involve reducing burden, and how they affect BABT.

Ballistic protective properties of material representative of English civil war buff-coats and clothing

“…Behind armour blunt trauma (BABT) is '…the nonpenetrating injury resulting from the rapid deformation of armours covering the body' [8]. Test standards for modern body armour are designed to prevent serious BABT injuries; bruising and damage to the ribs are relatively common [9]. Such injuries were familiar to Wiseman who wrote:…”

A preliminary study into injuries due to non-perforating ballistic impacts into soft body armour over the spine

“…The level of protection provided to the posterior torso is the same as the anterior. Non-perforating impacts onto body armour will often result in behind armour blunt trauma (BABT) 2,3 . BABT refers to a non-penetrating injury which is the result of rapid deformation of body armour from a ballistic impact 2 .…”

“…Predominantly research into BABT has considered projectiles fired at the anterior rib cage and abdomen [2][3][4][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and there is currently a limited understanding of the injury mechanisms involved in BABT impacts over the spine. Only three peer reviewed journal papers were found concerning BABT shots over the spine and they varied widely in armour type, ammunition, velocity and data measurements taken [19][20][21] .…”

Do air-gaps behind soft body armour affect protection?

“…A non-perforating ballistic impact on to body armour may result in a behind armour blunt trauma (BABT) injury; these are typically contusions and fractured ribs3 which occur because the armour is deformed transversely during the impact event 3. During ballistic testing, body armour is usually strapped flat against a backing clay material such as Roma Plastilina No 1 to measure the back face signature (BFS) due to a non-perforating impact event, but this is not always comparable to how the armour is worn.…”