Think even three layers of Kevlar is enough to stop an AK47 round (and effectively serve as B6 armour)? Think again…
Ballistic steel is heavy, so why not just double or triple up on lightweight Kevlar? Well, here we’ll demonstrate that even three layers of this material are together not able to stop an AK47 round.
“Kevlar sheets are typically used when armouring a vehicle body to level B4, providing protection against handguns up to .44 Magnum. Question is, will as many as three layers of Kevlar be able to withstand an AK47 round? The results of our test might surprise you,” said Jaco de Kock, CEO of SVI.
So, we clamped together three sheets of Kevlar and placed them at the far end of our dedicated underground shooting range, before unleashing a round from an AK47 mounted in a test rig.
As shown in the footage captured by a Photron Fastcam SA4 high-speed camera – graciously supplied by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and set at 30 000 frames per second – the 7.62×39 mm conventional steel-core round runs right through the triple layer.
“As you can see from the slow-motion footage, B4 plus B4 plus B4 most certainly does not equal B6. There’s a reason our B6 packages all incorporate armoured steel and/or specialised composite materials – rather than Kevlar – after all,” said Nicol Louw, SVI Business Development Director.
Any more questions on the topic? Ask us on social media or contact us here. Also, be sure to check out the rest of Season One of the ‘Shoot Through’ series here.