Ceramic Armor Plates To Protect Us Troops

Some US soldiers serving in Iraq owe their lives to Kevlar synthetic fibre vests reinforced with ceramic body armor plates. While the 16-lb vests dramatically reduce life-threatening torso injuries, there aren't enough to go around - a situation Saint-Gobain Ceramics (Worcester, Mass, US) is helping to remedy. The company has finalised a multi-million dollar contract to supply 38,000 ceramic plates to a major armor integrator that will use them to reinforce its Interceptor vests.