Countries with lack of modern Body Armor

[offspring]

are there countries out there that dont issue body armor(including UN missions) or still use steel helmets?

thanks in advance

[-DarthMaul-]

From my personal experience...Egypt.

[Alfacentori]

I would imagine a lot of 2nd and 3rd tier powers wouldn't issue body armour as per standard to the majority of units, especially in Africa and some parts of Asia.

A soldiers life always has a pricetag and the value of that pricetag varies from country to country depending on budget and on how high life is valued in that nation.
I doubt for example that the average Somali soldier has the level of protection as say a US Marine or that his life is considered as valuable by the military leadership. No offence to any Somali's out there of course.

Can't speak for UN ops though.




Alfa

[offspring]

good point, something i've notice is that the US is the only country, that i know of to issue groin protection. if you check out other counties' militaries they dont seem that wide spread

[ed316]

good point, something i've notice is that the US is the only country, that i know of to issue groin protection. if you check out other counties' militaries they dont seem that wide spread


Oz, Brits, Poland, and those are just off the top of my head.

[offspring]

i guess they dont wear them all the time. i know the ANA have them but they stick them on there chest. as soon as i master the forum tools i'll post a pic

[gafkiwi]

most body armour I've come across has groin protectors but its folded away or the user removes it. The UN will sometimes provide countries with body armour.

[Jippo]

Oz, Brits, Poland, and those are just off the top of my head.
To top it of, Finland since 1980's.

[velvet-cream]

The level of equipment also ranges from active/reserve unit and the corps.

People who are on operations usually get the best armour in the inventory (and rightfully so). Then it trickles down.

In reserve units, I've used both steel and kevlar helmets. Most arms corps units had plenty of kevlar helmets, while the supporting services usually had older steel helmets. As for body armour, in the past I've seen reserve units train with vietnam era/style flak jackets.

My point is, you will find that even the most modern army will still be using older equipment.

[3rdMillhouse]

are there countries out there that dont issue body armor(including UN missions) or still use steel helmets?

thanks in advance

Well, there are some units here in our armed forces wich still use steel helmets and haven't been issued our on version of the Interceptor.

Just like Velvet-Cream said:
"The level of equipment also ranges from active/reserve unit and the corps."

[tim003]

Vietnam People Army dont have any body armors or kevlar helmets, I think some of their military units still wearing the old style helmet that use during the Vietnam war. The country are too poor to afford the life saver equipments plus a life in Vietnam worth about $500 or less. Most of their government officals are too corrupted to budget for their service members.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/mars12/img_0093.jpg

[offspring]

but vietnam's army has western body armor and weapons for counter terrorism. there was a pic a couple weeks ago that show cased it

[tim003]

but vietnam's army has western body armor and weapons for counter terrorism. there was a pic a couple weeks ago that show cased it

You are probably talking about this thread below:

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=124804&highlight=vietnam

Only a small unit of their wannabes "SWAT" style have body armors and "Paskistanie" HK MP5s otherwise they are still lack of other equipments.

[offspring]

they have cool shoes to boot so that raises there cool factor so they dont need protection

[offspring]

just curious about the iraqi army. i've seen at least three types of helmets and several types body armor (the most consistent seems to be PASGT helmets and what i think is ranger body armor)

[tim003]

they have cool shoes to boot so that raises there cool factor so they dont need protection

Plus their lives worth only about $500 a piece and an Honor medal.

[offspring]

well different cultures view life in different ways

[miguelencanarias]

just curious about the iraqi army. i've seen at least three types of helmets and several types body armor (the most consistent seems to be PASGT helmets and what i think is ranger body armor) Prior to invasion, they used fibre Korean M-80s, Iraqi M-90s (both basically US M-1 look-alikes), Russian Ssh 40, Polish M-50s... and the craziest helmet ever: the Darth Vader's. No, I kid you not. Utter crap with no protective value whatsoever, but boy did they make an impression...

[offspring]

i remember that, but i was getting at is post invasion

[Ronguild]

Prior to invasion, they used fibre Korean M-80s, Iraqi M-90s (both basically US M-1 look-alikes), Russian Ssh 40, Polish M-50s... and the most crazy helmet ever: the Darth Vader's. I kid you not. Utter toy crap with no protective value whatsoever, but hell did they make an impression...

I do agree.
Here it is :

[offspring]

does any one have lord dark helmet from space balls next saddam leading the iraqi army?

[Dan2004]

Prior to invasion, they used fibre Korean M-80s, Iraqi M-90s (both basically US M-1 look-alikes), Russian Ssh 40, Polish M-50s... and the craziest helmet ever: the Darth Vader's. No, I kid you not. Utter crap with no protective value whatsoever, but boy did they make an impression...

I did a quick Google search and found this:



This Fedayeen Saddam helmet was retained by U.S. Army Specialist James Coffey while serving with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) near Mosul, Iraq. A small rubber oval bearing the silhouette of Saddam Hussein was affixed to the right side, but are usually missing; in this instance, Specialist Coffey was ordered to remove the emblem in order to keep the helmet. The paramilitary Fedayeen Saddam ("Saddam's Men of Sacrifice") was founded by Saddam's eldest son Uday in 1995. In September 1996 Uday was removed from command of the Fedayeen after he transfered sophisticated weapons from Republican Guard units to the Saddam Fedayeen without Saddam's knowledge. Control passed to Saddam's son Qusay, further consolidating his responsibility for the Iraqi security apparatus. Control later passed back to Uday. The Fedayeen, with a total strength reportedly between 18,000 and 40,000 troops, was composed of young soldiers recruited from regions loyal to Saddam. The unit reported directly to the Presidential Palace, rather than through the army command, and was responsible for patrol and anti-smuggling duties. Though at times improperly termed an "elite" unit, the Fedayeen was a politically reliable force that could be counted on to support Saddam against domestic opponents. It started out as a rag-tag force of some 10,000-15,000 "bullies and country bumpkins." They were supposed to help protect the president and Uday, and carry out much of the police's dirty work. Uday was a fan of the Star Wars movies, hence the resemblence to the helmet worn by Darth Vader.

http://www.donet.com/~mconrad/gwot9.htm

[lightfire]

Many african nations come to mind, but oh well, most of the meanmothafakafela are buletproof anyway, so they don't need ze vests

[desertwarrior123]

I dont think Pakistan issues modern body armour, its old steel M1 type helmets and Flak vests, but I may be wrong. Cant find any pictures of modern armour in the regular forces, but Pakistani UN troops its the same Blue body armour and blue PASGT type as everyone else

[offspring]

pakistanis use ranger body armour but i think its just the rangers who wear it, could anyone elaborate?

[little icebear]

I doubt that you can come with accurate numbers for the vast majority of countries.

"Countries with lack of modern body armor"? Dependant of your definition of what constitutes a lack, one could answer: Pretty much every country.

Even very rich Nato-countries do sometimes quickly order new batches of body armour, befor they send a detachment of troops into action.
On the other hand, countries that can´t even afford decent footware for all of their soldiers will give the newest body armour to small elite-units.

[Renae]

I know that Switzerland doesn't issue body armor and they just ditched steel helmats in 2006!

[offspring]

I know that Switzerland doesn't issue body armor and they just ditched steel helmats in 2006!

what kind of steel did they use?

[Renae]

Something very similuar to our Vietnam helmates.

You can probaly google it.

[little icebear]

I know that Switzerland doesn't issue body armor and they just ditched steel helmats in 2006!

I´m fairly certain that this is not entirely accurate. They surely don´t give out body armor and the newest helmets to each and every soldier in the military, but you can be sure that at least those men who were involved in missions abroad were and are given body armor and modern helmets.
Not to mention specialized units.

If someone makes a list of countries that use outdated helmets and bodyarmor or even no bodyarmor at all, for a notable number of their soldiers, it´s going to be a long list.