Body Armor Making Marines Too SlowMarch 09, 2009
 The modern U.S. Marine heads into battle carrying loads equivalent to those carried by medieval knights. This slows them down and makes them less effective against agile and elusive insurgents in Afghanistan who use the rugged terrain to their advantage, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle. In addition to carrying assault rifles, ammunition and water, the Marines are weighed down by layers of body armor that can total 35 pounds, according to senior military leaders. "The bottom line is that the focus on armor as the principal means of protecting our force is making us too heavy," Lt. General George Flynn told Congress during a hearing held by the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. Marines lug about 80 pounds of gear into combat, making them slower and more susceptible to ambushes. They are also more prone to orthopedic injuries as they negotiate the Afghan terrain. Personal armor made of lighter yet stronger composite materials is more effective than current models, but won't be available for a few years, according to the article. The Marine Corps is instead looking for near-term solutions. One option is "scalable plate carrier" vests that weigh less than 20 pounds. They are similar to the current standard models, but cover less of the torso. The service is buying about 65,000 scalable plate vests and says that they have received positive feedback about the 14,000 now used in the field. (U.S. Marine photo by Sgt. Ethan E. Rocke (Released)) |
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