VestGuard UK Body Armour Stopping Power – Fragmentation Standards

VestGuard UK uses the NATO standard STANAG 2920 to identify the stopping capabilities of body armour and protective helmets they manufacture and supply. The standard is used to measure a materials ability to stop fragments. As an internationally recognised standard for assessing the fragmentation resistance of personal protective equipment VestGuard has independent testing to demonstrate the ability to stop shrapnel from such dangers as IED’s in field.

Tests to STANAG 2920 are conducted by shooting FSP (Fragment Simulating Projectiles) at a test sample at different velocities. Each FSP velocity is recorded. By altering the velocities, an estimate of the ballistic tolerance can be calculated, which is the speed up to which the material defeats incoming fragments.

The test that VestGuard undertakes using the method above the V50 is a record of the ballistic speed, measured in metres per second, which is the average of the velocities recorded for six fair impacts consisting of the three lowest velocities for complete penetration and the three highest velocities for partial penetration.

VestGuard body armour and protective helmets undergo a series of these tests for each protection level each year providing up to date data with on going product analysis and development to offer products to meet and exceed performance standards.