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British troops wearing ballistic underwear. CREDIT: UK Ministry of Defense |
Usually, when Marines talk about protecting their groin, it involves advice about not having too much fun during shore leave. However, a recent request for 27,500 pairs of "ballistic undergarments" from the Marine Corps looks to hook up leathernecks with something a bit stronger than Trojans — bulletproof underwear.
These ultra-tough BVDs would help protect soldiers and Marines from the low-angle explosions associated with landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Since the groin contains so many arteries — and since the need for mobility leaves the groin largely unprotected by traditional body armor — injuries to that area can quickly result in life-threatening blood loss or gruesome infections.
[Read more: By Land, Sea, Air and Space: Top 12 Military Tech Stories of 2010]
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Ballistic underwear, such as the type already used by British soldiers, will not stop
The underwear is made from special antimicrobial double weave silk. That material actually holds some historic parallels in Afghanistan, as the Mongol horsemen who invaded the country under Genghis Khan also wore silk armor.
The Marines' order will cost around $2 million, and come from the company Cooneen Watt & Stone, the company that supplies the British armed forces. And, having classified the order as having "unusual and compelling urgency," it seems they want them yesterday.