Armour

Armour (Commonwealth English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or from a potentially dangerous environment or activity (e.g. cycling, construction sites, etc.).

It has been made from a variety of materials, beginning with the use of leathers or fabrics as protection[2] and evolving through chain mail and metal plate into today's modern composites.

Around the dynastic Tang, Song, and early Ming Period, cuirasses and plates (mingguangjia) were also used, with more elaborate versions for officers in war.

Mail, sometimes called "chainmail", made of interlocking iron rings is believed to have first appeared some time after 300 BC.

[9] Gradually, small additional plates or discs of iron were added to the mail to protect vulnerable areas.

[12] The small skull cap evolved into a bigger true helmet, the bascinet, as it was lengthened downward to protect the back of the neck and the sides of the head.

In the early years of low velocity firearms, full suits of armour, or breast plates actually stopped bullets fired from a modest distance.

Soldiers in the American Civil War bought iron and steel vests from peddlers (both sides had considered but rejected body armour for standard issue).

The effectiveness of the vests varied widely, some successfully deflected bullets and saved lives, but others were poorly made and resulted in tragedy for the soldiers.

In any case the vests were abandoned by many soldiers due to their increased weight on long marches, as well as the stigma they got for being cowards from their fellow troops.

Cavalry had to be wary of repeating rifles, machine guns, and artillery, unlike the foot soldiers, who at least had a trench to give them some protection.

Their armour runs on the GOST system, which, due to regional conditions, has resulted in a technically higher protective level overall.

The first modern production technology for armour plating was used by navies in the construction of the ironclad warship, reaching its pinnacle of development with the battleship.

In modern ground forces' usage, the meaning of armour has expanded to include the role of troops in combat.

[20] Ironclads were designed for several roles, including as high seas battleships, coastal defence ships, and long-range cruisers.

The rapid pace of change in the ironclad period meant that many ships were obsolete as soon as they were complete, and that naval tactics were in a state of flux.

Ancient siege engines were usually protected by wooden armour, often covered with wet hides or thin metal to prevent being easily burned.

These started as ordinary wheeled motor-cars protected by iron shields, typically mounting a machine gun.

As a response, armour plating was added to aircraft to protect aircrew and vulnerable areas such as engines and fuel tanks.

Self-sealing fuel tanks functioned like armour in that they added protection but also increased weight and cost.

As a result of this, the main battle tank (MBT) conceived in the Cold War era can survive multiple rocket-propelled grenade strikes with minimal effect on the crew or the operation of the vehicle.

It allows the safe and rapid movement of infantry in a combat zone, minimising casualties and maximising mobility.

APCs are fundamentally different from the previously used armoured half-tracks in that they offer a higher level of protection from artillery burst fragments, and greater mobility in more terrain types.

Naval armour has fundamentally changed from the Second World War doctrine of thicker plating to defend against shells, bombs and torpedoes.

Combat drones use little to no vehicular armour as they are not crewed vessels, this results in them being lightweight and small in size.

Some formed heavy cavalry units of armoured horses and riders used to attack infantry and mounted archers.

Cataphracts, with scale armour for both rider and horse, are believed by many historians to have influenced the later European knights, via contact with the Byzantine Empire.

Horse armour could be made in whole or in part of cuir bouilli (hardened leather), but surviving examples of this are especially rare.