ABSTRACT
The evolution of ballistic body armour includes an early series of inventions in 1861 when thin steel plates were enclosed in military jacket materials to protect against sabre attacks and bullets. Modern body armour can defeat incoming pistol and rifle rounds, trading energy and momentum deposition into the armour for deformation of the armour. This backface deformation (BFD) includes direct deformation of the body armour with soft body armour and deformation with fracture in hard body armour. This deformation, however, has the potential for creating injuries in the thorax behind the armour that may be generally characterised as blunt trauma. These injuries are often termed behind armour blunt trauma (BABT). The principal anatomical features of the thorax, such as the heart, major blood vessels, lungs and other major organ systems, represent areas of potential vulnerability to BABT from ballistic insults and BFD. The Mirzeabassov study is the most significant epidemiology on BABT that is openly available.
