Ballistic vests called “DragonSkin” were developed by Pinnacle Armor (now-defunct company). Circular discs two inches in diameter overlap like scale armor, and ceramic matrices made of silicon carbide make up its construction. These guarantee the vest’s flexibility, making it more mobile and able to take more strikes than standard military vests. With roughly 2.9 kilograms (6.4 pounds), this level III (10-inch) armor plate vest provided excellent protection.
Nine rounds of steel-core ammunition from an AK-47 full automatic and 37 bullets from a Heckler & Koch MP5A3 were deflected by the vest in testing for a military show on the History Channel. The vest measured 10 inches by 12 inches.
However, comparison tests conducted by the United States Army showed that Dragon Skin was no match for the current army standard, Interceptor body armor. Air Force trials were unsuccessful in providing the expected degree of safety. Inadequacies included high (+150°F) and low (-60°F) temperature resistance, resistance to diesel fuel, oil, and saltwater immersion, and inability to cope when exposed to a wide range of environmental conditions (over 200 of 380 vests delivered to USAF OSI (Office of Special Investigation) were recalled due to improperly manufactured armor plates). Due to the extreme heat, the adhesive holding the disc plates failed, causing the disc to delaminate and collect in the lower part of the armor plates. However, the pinnacle firm asserted that the test did not fall short of the Air Force’s specified contract requirements.
On May 19, 2006, the army ran another test to settle the controversy. The Washington Post (and other newspapers) reported the failure of the retest on May 20, 2006. Dragon Skin was judged to be either illegal or insufficient for military use. It is still legal to buy from private sellers and e-commerce platforms.
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