- Russia says its nSotnik combat system for infantry and special forces troops will incorporate body armor capable of stopping a .50-caliber bullet.
- The claim is sure to raise eyebrows in the world of body armor.
- While stopping such a big bullet is theoretically possible, the armor would be so bulky that it would be unusable.
A Russian program to modernize the country’s ground forces is promising big advances in body armor technology. And we mean big: The Russian military equipment manufacturer Rostec promises the armor will be able to stop the bullet from a .50-caliber machine gun.
Whether a soldier will ever be able to waddle to the front line, however, is a different story.
A Russian naval infantryman wearing body armor aims an anti-tank rocket launcher, 2017.
Russia’s Ground Forces plans to distribute its upcoming Sotnik (“Centurion”) soldier equipment system to troops sometime in 2025, per Task & Purpose. Sotnik will supplement and eventually replace the current Ratnik equipment set, which includes everything from body armor to uniforms and even flashlights. (You can even buy Ratnik equipment direct from Russia on eBay.)
The future tech objectives for Sotnik are ... ambitious, to say the least:
“The third-generation soldier’s personal equipment system will feature a number of innovations, including anti-mine boots, an anti-thermal suit to “hide” soldiers from enemy detection, and an anti-radar element. The Sotnik will also integrate the wearer of the system with automated command and control and “micro-drones,” allowing gathered images to be transmitted in real time to the helmet visor or safety glasses.”
Still, the wildest claim about the new system is that the armor will be able to stop a .50-caliber bullet using metal and plastic. From Task & Purpose:
“[T]he fourth-generation Sotnik armor will consist of lightweight polyethylene fiber and armor plating that is engineered to withstand a direct shot from a .50 caliber M2 Browning.”
Polyethylene is, of course, plastic. And like all plastics, it’s virtually everywhere. You’re almost certainly no more than a few feet from a consumer product made of polyethylene at this moment.
Polyethylene armor, which is real, uses a common fault found with plastics as a feature: it melts. As a hot bullet impacts the armor, it melts the plastic. This causes the molten plastic to adhere to the bullet and slows it down. With enough plastic in its path, the bullet grinds to a complete stop.
A .50-caliber machine gun mounted on a U.S. Army Humvee, 2003. This gives a pretty good idea of the size and power of the machine gun Russian engineers think they can stop with polyethylene armor.
Russia’s polyethylene armor is called “Superthread,” and Russian state media claims it's lighter than Israeli and American body armors while offering superior protection.
Could a polyethylene/armor plate armor stop a .50-caliber bullet? Well, sure. Enough polyethylene and metal will stop anything. But making it lightweight enough for a soldier to comfortably wear is the balancing consideration.
Consider this: Current U.S. Level III body armor will stop a 150-grain, 7.62-millimeter (.308 Winchester) bullet imparting 1,878 foot pounds of energy on the target. A .50-caliber bullet, however, weighs more than four times as much, and imparts 11,070 foot pounds of energy on a target.
The U.S. Army’s new Modular Scalable Vest armor plate.
The U.S. Army’s Modular Scalable Vest is capable of stopping 7.62-millimeter rounds, but weighs a total of 22.6 pounds. About one and a quarter inch of AR500-grade steel plate will stop a .50 caliber bullet but steel is extremely heavy. The amount of plastic that would be needed to stop a .50-caliber bullet is hard to say, but a plastic armor designed to stop rounds four to five times heavier and more powerful than 7.62 could be downright uncomfortable, even if the material is more efficient at stopping bullets.
One possibility is that Russia could use titanium instead of steel. Titanium is lighter and stronger than steel, and the Soviet Union manufactured body armor made of titanium during the Cold War.
Let's say Russian engineers do pull this off and produce a body armor that reliably stops a .50-caliber round. Even then, getting hit in the armor won’t feel like a love tap. Being struck by an object with more than 11,000 pounds of force behind it will probably rank as one of the most unpleasant things imaginable.
Want proof? Here's a video of a .50-caliber Browning machine gun punching holes in a cinder block wall.
🎥 Now Watch This:
Kyle Mizokami
Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News, and others. He lives in San Francisco.
FAQs
50 caliber round was originally meant to pierce armor and take down aircraft, a hit is practically guaranteed to incapacitate a soldier. Most body armor is useless against . 50 caliber rounds, as they are only meant to protect against cartridges with less than 1/3 of the energy of the . 50 caliber.
How much armor is needed to stop a 50 cal? ›
3/8 inch thick AR500 steel plating will stop . 50 BMG ball rounds fired from further than 300m. 1/2 inch plating will reliably stop ball rounds at 200m. Only 1-inch plating will reliably stop ball rounds at 100m.
What does it take to stop a 50 cal bullet? ›
Hard armor systems “strikeface” along with a composite blend can be the perfect armor against calibers up to 50 caliber ball and armor-piercing rounds. These products can absorb up to 72 to 75% of the energy from most rounds in the ball format and 68 to 78% of the kinetic energy from armor-piercing rounds.
How thick does steel have to be to stop a 50 caliber bullet? ›
Some grades of steel, particularly steel used for Armor can stop Armor Piercing bullets from a . 50 BMG with 3 inches of thickness or less. Some steel could possibly be 5 inches thick and a single Armor Piercing round from close range will punch right through it.
Has anyone survived a 50 cal bullet? ›
Yes, and this includes hits to the torso. Most well known is the founder of Delta Force, Charlie Beckwith, who was hit by a Vietnamese 12.7mm anti-aircraft gun. There are a few other cases of people surviving direct hits from a . 50 caliber heavy machinegun.
Will bulletproof glass stop a .50 cal? ›
Bullet Resistant Glass would withstand up to a . 50 Caliber round from a high-powered rifle. A . 50 Caliber round is most closely associated with military usage, and is not typically or commonly in widespread usage amongst most civilian products.
Can a 50 cal take out a tank? ›
Developments in tank armor soon made tanks generally impervious to 50 caliber rounds,39 but according to the Marine Corps and other authorities, the 50 caliber can still blast through more lightly armored vehicles, such as armored personnel carriers, and thus clearly through armored limousines.
Can a bulletproof vest stop a desert eagle? ›
The Desert Eagle is a rare and very powerful handgun. It isn't likely you will ever encounter one, but it is nice to know that the bullet from one will not penetrate your BulletSafe vest.
What is level 7 body armor? ›
UL 752 Level 7 Bullet Resistant Barriers
Most commonly used as a protection barrier against multiple shots from a military assault rifle, such as the M-16, and the like, with muzzle energy of 1158-1402 foot-pounds (1570-1901J). Nominal Thickness. 1 – 1/8” Nominal Weight. 11.7 lbs per square foot.
Is it a war crime to use a 50 cal? ›
Contrary to a persistent misconception within the United States Armed Forces, using .50 BMG directly against enemy personnel is not prohibited by the laws of war.
Contained sand is very good at stopping bullets, even up to . 50 cal will have a hard time getting through a sandbag properly laid.
What ammo do air marshals carry? ›
Federal Air Marshals carry the following equipment: Glock 19 Gen5 9mm or Glock 26 9mm. SIG Sauer P229 or SIG Sauer P239 chambered in . 357 SIG.
How much concrete can a 50 cal penetrate? ›
Likewise, how far can a . 50 cal penetrate? Thus, the Army says that at the long range of 1,500 meters (1,640 yards), ball ammunition can penetrate one inch of concrete, six inches of sand, and 21 inches of clay.
Will 10 gauge steel stop a bullet? ›
22 caliber bullet barely nicks the paint on a 10-gauge steel safe. A 9 millimeter puts a small dent in the door. And a 50 AE? Still barely leaves a mark.
What material can withstand a 50 cal bullet? ›
Yes, reinforced steel in sufficient thickness on an armored vehicle. Main battle tanks will shrug off . 50BMG AP rounds from all angles. Anti-air missiles use expanding rod warheads and likewise, reinforced steel sufficiently thick can resist them as well.
Can a 50 cal penetrate armor? ›
The Raufoss Round—The Crown Jewel of 50 Caliber Ammunition
The armor-piercing bullet penetrates the armor. Then a delayed action fuze sets off the explosive part of round, producing fragmentation and incendiary (fire-starting) effects.
What calibers can defeat body armor? ›
Common rifle rounds, like the . 223 Remington or 7.62x39mm, are known to penetrate lower levels of body armor. Their increased velocity and energy give them a higher chance of overcoming the armor's resistance, leading to potential penetration.
What is the 50 cal proof car? ›
50 CAL. Alpine's Armored MASTIFF® is built using latest technology to provide clients with highest levels of protection. This Bulletproof MASTIFF® is armored to Level A12, which stops . 50 cal rounds, .
Can a bulletproof vest stop a sniper bullet? ›
How much protection does a bullet-proof vest provide? When a bullet hits a bullet-proof vest, the forceful impact of the bullet can seriously hurt, or even kill, the person wearing the vest even if the vest stops the bullet. A bullet from a strong sniper rifle or machine gun can pierce a bullet-proof vest.
