Armours

Armour (British spelling) or armor (American spelling) denotes protective coverings designed to absorb, deflect, or dissipate energy from weapons. It can protect the wearer or an object such as a vehicle or structure. Personal armour typically includes a torso envelope, a helmet, and often additional pieces for the limbs. Armour can range from flexible textiles to rigid plates, and may combine different materials for balance of protection, weight, and mobility.

Historically, armour evolved from leather and thick textiles to metal coverings. Early forms included bronze plates and cuirasses. In the Roman and medieval periods, mail and later plate armour offered increasing protection, with plate armour reaching its peak in 15th and 16th century Europe. The introduction of firearms diminished the effectiveness of traditional plate armour, leading to lighter protection and the use of gun-resistant materials in later centuries.

In modern use, personal protective equipment includes soft armour made from high-strength fibres such as Kevlar or Dyneema to defeat lower-energy projectiles, and hard armour plates made from steel, ceramic, or composite materials to stop higher-energy rounds. Protective standards are defined by bodies such as the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) with soft-armour levels IIA, II, and IIIA, and rigid-plate levels III and IV. Design prioritizes protection, weight, mobility, heat management, and cost.

Armour for vehicles and installations employs layered composites, ceramics, steel, and reinforced glass to resist projectiles, blasts, and shaped charges. Modern armours also include helmets, visors, shields, and modular systems. Advances in materials science continue to influence armour development, affecting capability, affordability, and policy in military and civilian contexts.