Originally Posted by SPRINGFIELD

The Dragonskin is good stuff, but it has one major disadvantage compared to the Interceptor system that is current issue. It lacks hard plates. Sure,it can stop the same projectiles, and in some cases take a heavier blast, but the wearer will recieve massive internal trauma from the lack of rigidity within the vest. When your Interceptor plate takes a hit from small arms fire, say a 7.62X39 round from an AK-47 you may not even realize it. Your plate will need replaced, but it has effectively stopped the round without deflecting into your soft tissue. With Dragonskin, you are much more mobile, but that same 7.62 round is going to hurt like hell. Sure, it'll stop it, you'll live, but you may be taken out of the fight for a second to catch your breath, which is a bad thing during a gunfight. And that grenade blast that destroyed the Incerceptor, but not the Dragonskin would have been instantly lethal to the soldier anyway. We were told that the only way to have even a remote chance of living though a "save your buddy" grenade dive was to take off your kevlar helmet, put that over the grenade, then lay on the grenade with your body armor on. Usually, you will still be killed instantly. But your buddies have a much greater chance of surviving that way.