Penetrating Advanced Body Armor: Exploring Effective Rounds for Urban Warfare

The challenge of developing ammunition capable of penetrating advanced body armor, such as Level IV ceramic plates or more advanced materials like composite metal foam (CMF), is an ever-evolving field in modern military and law enforcement equipping.

Understanding the Mechanisms of Penetration

To effectively penetrate body armor, the ammunition must possess specific characteristics. The primary mechanisms include:

Velocity A hard and strong projectile A relatively sharp projectile Energy delivery, which the wearer must either deflect or absorb and disperse

This understanding highlights the need for ammunition to deliver sufficient energy and penetration capabilities to overcome the defense provided by advanced body armor.

Exploring .338 Lapua Magnum and its Limitations

Initially, one might consider the .338 Lapua Magnum, renowned for its substantial energy and superior range. However, a video demonstrated that even this powerful round faces challenges against Level IV ceramic plates. A Level IV plate is rated to stop typical rounds like the 30-.06, but the .338 Lapua Magnum has significantly more energy. While impressive, the impact would likely result in severe blunt force trauma. For reliable penetration of Level IV armor, an armored piercing round might be more effective.

Assault Rifles and Intermediate Rounds

By definition, an assault rifle uses an intermediate round, designed for controlled fire to maintain shooting accuracy and effectiveness in close-quarters battle (CQB) scenarios. Examples include the 5.56x45mm and the 7.62x39mm. However, a round with enough power to reliably penetrate Level IV armor would cease to be an intermediate round, making it unsuitable for urban CQB due to severe recoil and accuracy issues.

Potential Rounds for Advanced Body Armor

The ASh-12 assault rifle, chambered in 12.7x55mm, uses a steel-core round that can penetrate older GOST 6A plates at distances of 300-350 meters. While impactful, its lower sectional density and mediocre velocity affect its armor-piercing capabilities. Despite this, it remains a viable option for older, less advanced armor.

For modern, advanced body armor like NIJ 4 levels (New Standard III or NIJ-IV), rounds like the M993 AP/WC 7.62 NATO and M995 AP/WC 5.56 perform well at close to medium ranges (150m for 7.62 NATO, 50m for 5.56 NATO). To achieve reliable penetration at longer ranges, toptier AP rounds such as the Swiss P AP, when used in 7.62 NATO variants, offer significant improvements, hitting IV plates at 350 meters.

Regarding CMF, the specific defeat mechanisms are still a subject of research. However, recent studies and discussions with experts indicate that newer AP rounds, like the M993 AP/WC and Swiss P AP, should be capable of defeating CMF at various ranges, as indicated by their performance against older armor types.

Further testing and refinement of these rounds is essential to ensure they can meet the demands of modern urban warfare environments, where close-quarters combat and high-risk engagements are common.