New human body armour saves soldier's living in Afghanistan

A soldier has defended the army's new entire body armour after he credited it with saving his existence when he was shot on patrol in Helmand. driving bbc

Ranger Ryan Boyd from The Royal Irish regiment was shot in the aspect, however the bullet went to the steel plates in his armour as opposed to his entire body.

The Osprey armour continues to be criticised for becoming too restrictive to maneuver freely plus the plates becoming too heavy.

But 27-year-old Boyd from Northern Ireland thinks the criticism is unfair.

"It's an amazing bit of package," he stated. "People give it lousy press but I feel it really is great.

"If I hadn't experienced the brand new entire body armour plus the aspect plates fitted, the circular would have certainly handed straight by means of my lungs and my coronary heart and i probably wouldn't be right here now."

The Osprey Assault entire body armour has every one of the stopping energy of past package however the Ministry of Defence (MoD) states it really is more tailored for troops in regions like Afghanistan.

They say it really is closer fitting, less bulky and much easier to maneuver in in spite of the criticism.

Despite the fact that the most current armour weighs the identical as older devices, it really is a 3rd of your thickness and spreads the load among the shoulders plus the waist.

You will discover also new pockets in the sides which permit soldiers to place in smaller armoured plates roughly the size of a notepad, among which saved Ranger Ryan Boyd's existence.
On patrol

Boyd was on a regimen patrol in the Nad-e Ali area when he came under fire by insurgents.

He stated: "When I used to be shot it hit me in the aspect, it spun me appropriate circular and i ended up in the ditch on my back like a turtle."

He describes getting shot as much like "getting punched in the ribs 20 times in a single go".

When he acquired up he felt something operating down his chest, nonetheless it wasn't blood.

The bullet experienced gone by means of his h2o bottle earlier than hitting his armour.

He states he did not realise how near a shave he experienced experienced until finally he acquired back from patrol.

"Once I acquired back into camp I used to be fairly shook up, it kicked in what took place.

"When it took place I used to be laughing about it in the ditch but then it kicked in and i commenced to feel the dread of it.

"But I'm back out on patrol. I'm all appropriate."