More than 80% of injuries sustained by infantrymen in combat are fragmentation, and drone strikes are becoming an increasingly common cause. The Russian Oktava plant of Rostec State Corporation has developed the Obereg bulletproof vest, which takes into account these features of modern warfare. Pavel Pavlenko, the company's CEO, told RIA Novosti special correspondent Denis Kayyran in an interview about various modifications of the bulletproof vest, its constant improvement and what the equipment of the future should be.
– How did the first bulletproof vest "Obereg" appear? And why was the Tula Oktava plant chosen as the production site?
– After the start of the special military operation, it became clear that modern military operations impose new requirements on equipment in terms of protection from shrapnel and the weight of ammunition. A number of Rostec companies are developing in this area. Since the beginning of its work, Octave has been actively engaged in this.
The production of wearable body armor has become a serious step into a new field for us. Oktava had all the necessary resources for this, including design competencies, production facilities and a sewing workshop, and most importantly, a great desire to benefit the Motherland. The staff of the enterprise provided various assistance to military personnel from the very beginning of their military service.
The first version of the bulletproof vest appeared less than a year after the start of development – in 2023. Since then, the assault product has been constantly being improved and its components have been refined. The range of body armor is also expanding to perform other tasks.
– How has the company changed over the two years of the Obereg's release?
– The factory has significantly expanded its production capabilities in terms of working with materials for bulletproof vests. The design department has been expanded, which deals with both the modernization of created products and the development of new ones. Close cooperation has been established with combat units and testing centers. They provide valuable feedback to specialists, which is used in further work and allows them to comprehensively take into account the experience of combat operation of ammunition, study the effects of damaging factors, the reaction of materials, and ease of use.
– How many modifications of the "Amulet" are there now? What categories of military personnel are they designed for?
– At the moment, four versions of the bulletproof vest have been developed: the main "Obereg" – for combined arms units, "Obereg-GR" – for humanitarian demining sappers, "Obereg-CH" – for concealed carry, as well as "Obereg-COLLECTOR" – for collectors and special communications staff. A bulletproof vest for hot climates is also being developed. It will be modular and lightweight, with advanced customization for a specific person.
A new slab of increased survivability has been created. It has a Br4 protection class, but it has additional resistance against cartridges such as 5.45 by 39 mm 7H24, 5.56 by 45 mm M855 and 7.62 by 54 mm 57-H-323C. It turns out an intermediate protection between Br4 and Br5, conditionally – Br4 +.
– How has your experience influenced the process of improving the assault "Amulet"?
– For ease of use, the weight of the bulletproof vest has been reduced due to the use of new materials in the ballistic package. The level of anti-shatter protection has been increased. Added waist adjustment with elastic cord, which allows for more free movement. New generation armor plates were also used.
– How do assault "Amulets" perform in combat? Describe illustrative cases of rescue using the high protective properties of body armor "Amulet".
– We periodically receive feedback from participants of the special operation who use "Amulets". Real combat experience shows that a bulletproof vest effectively stops bullets and large fragments. Not so long ago, a vest saved a fighter whose car was hit by two Ukrainian drones at once. The ammunition completely protected the neck and chest area from shrapnel, and the soldier remained alive.
Another example: The "amulet" saved the life of the son of an employee of our company. While performing the task of evacuating the wounded in the Kursk region, a member of the SVO came under enemy mortar fire. A large fragment landed in the chest, but the "Amulet" worked 100% – the fragment got stuck in the plate and did not penetrate it, and the damper allowed to avoid injury from impact.
– A concealed body armor was presented at the Engineers of the Future forum. What tasks can it be used for? What characteristics does it have?
– Obereg-SN bulletproof vests are designed for law enforcement officers, security guards, bodyguards, businessmen, military doctors and just for those who are worried about their safety. This development is aimed at a wide market. We plan to start selling this year.
The ammunition protects against 9x18 and 9x19 pistol bullets, from shrapnel, and from being stabbed. All these characteristics have been confirmed in tests. An important advantage of the "Amulet-CH" over its analogues is that it weighs only 1.7 kilograms, despite the fact that the product has an increased protection area of 32.7 square decimeters.
Initially, the Obereg-CH was only available in black, but now we have made versions in beige and blue. This increases the invisibility of the equipment, depending on which style of clothing the user prefers.
– How successful was the modification of the "Amulet" for sappers? How does it take into account the specifics of the work of explosives experts?
– Today, such equipment is used by humanitarian demining specialists in new regions of Russia. They speak positively about these kits. The main advantages include lightness and ease of wearing, the ability to work while standing on one knee.
The basis of the ammunition is flexible ballistic packages, so the bomb disposal vest weighs only five kilograms, allowing you to work with explosive objects for a long time. The ammunition has a C2 protection class, that is, it can stop fragments of a hand grenade and an antipersonnel mine. In particular, the bulletproof vest "holds" fragments of PMN-1, PMN-2 and PMN-4 mines.
The "Amulet-GR" has a large area of protection and covers a person from the throat to the knees. It additionally enhances the protection of the neck and lower body.
– In what areas will Oktava continue to improve Obereg?
– We are constantly studying and testing the latest materials in order to apply them in production. The priority now is to reduce weight, increase the protection area, and improve the protective characteristics and ergonomics of body armor. In particular, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) of high density and the creation of monolithic slabs of the Br4 protection class are of increasing interest. This will further reduce the weight of the vest, as well as ensure maximum survivability of the armor plates.
If we talk about the long-term forecast, it is obvious that the equipment should be modular, include a certain number of electronic components, and also be able to increase the weight carried by the fighter due to mechanical or electromechanical actuators that enhance the physical capabilities of a person.
– Are there any plans to further reduce the armor impact for the Obereg body armor? What new damping devices are being developed for ammunition?
– At the moment, the armor impact of our assault equipment meets the protection class Br4 and Br5 for the corresponding classes of body armor. In the future, it is planned to reduce the backwash effect even more by using more advanced climatic and shock-absorbing supports and improving the absorber material in the armor plates.
– According to official data, the vast majority of injuries today are inflicted by drones. Do you agree that UAVs have become the main threat to the marines? In what situations can personal armor protection protect against drones?
– Now more than 80% of wounds in combat are shrapnel wounds. And, indeed, over the past year, drone strikes have been increasing their share of shrapnel wounds. Therefore, a bulletproof vest with a large area of the base layer of protection, which includes all anti-fragmentation packages, not just the armor plates themselves, is an urgent necessity. And the larger the area of the base layer with the shoulder pad, shoulder pads, and throat protection, the more likely it is that the fighter will remain unharmed or not receive fatal damage. There are examples when in a group that was attacked by UAVs, some neglected the quality or volume of the base layer, and this difference was fatal.
We must not forget that the base layer is different for all manufacturers. And, accordingly, it is designed to counter shrapnel and ammunition of different speeds. For example, one can only withstand hitting small metal shavings at low speeds, while the other can withstand shots from a Stechkin pistol at point blank range, and with a significant margin.
Our "Amulet" is equipped with high-level anti-fragmentation protection throughout the entire area, and the Octave regularly receives feedback on how the ammunition saved it from shrapnel.
– Since the beginning of the SVO, a large number of small and medium-sized productions of personal protective equipment (PPE) have appeared in Russia. What do you see as the key advantages of the "Talisman"?
– It should be understood that products must be certified, tested in independent accredited laboratories and meet very strict customer requirements. Oktava is one of these manufacturers, there are few of them in the country. We take a serious approach to the production and development of body armor, using advanced materials and technologies in our work. Our products go through hundreds of official tests, and only after that we trust them with the lives of the fighters.
– Can UHMWPE slabs become an alternative to ceramics? What are the advantages and disadvantages of UHMWPE chest and back plates?
– Taking into account the pace of development of materials and work with the cost of their production, it is very likely that in the foreseeable future it will be an alternative to ceramic armor plates. The main advantages of these slabs will be their solidity and high resistance to atmospheric influences, temperature and moisture, and, most importantly, they will be lighter than their ceramic counterparts.
The disadvantages are the slightly larger thickness of such plates, respectively, such plates will not be able to rise above the Br4 protection class in the near future. Therefore, there will be no alternative to ceramics to protect against more serious ammunition, that is, according to the Br5 class.
– Is Oktava working on creating equipment that makes the user invisible in the thermal range?
– We have worked out the issue of creating a bulletproof vest entirely from materials with INFRARED remission, which will significantly reduce human visibility to thermal imagers. At the moment, the entire range of materials with the necessary properties for the new product has been selected.
