The perils of assuming performance improvements ...
Jetow is correct that many military bullet-resistant vests incorporate a hard plate in addition to a soft pack, typically made of Kevlar. Does that mean DS will lead to improved performance? I submit that it is too early to tell. Tests need to be performed.
It is possible to make a case that DS could be worse than Kevlar in these applications. DS gains its strength from elasticity. Because it stretches, the impact zone on the hard plate might be smaller than the one produced with a Kevlar pack. Smaller impact zone = increased likelihood of penetration.
Another possible factor: Some of the bullet's energy is converted into heat as it is stopped, while the rest is felt by the wearer as a kinetic punch. If the heat exceeds the melting point of spider silk, it might create a hole in the shoot pack that greatly weakens the pack's level of protection for the next round.
A third complication: humidity and moisture. Mundane silk loses strength when it gets wet. Bullet-resistant vests have to be tested under high-humidity situations. If spider silk is sensitive to this problem, it may not be usable in bullet-resistant vests.
We are attempting to understand the physics of a new protein-based material during events that take place at hypersonic speed. Without considerable experimentation, predicting that these outcomes will be positive is not justified in my opinion. I would hate to have board members buy shares on the belief that KBLB has succeeded in making improvements. We simply don't know yet.
I am still puzzling over why KBLB did not send shoot packs to the Army. Two possibilities: 1) We didn't have enough silk to fabricate packs; or 2) the Army wanted the panels instead of packs. If so, they may be thinking about other applications for DS, such as groin protection, where the use of Kevlar is problematic.
Hope for more information in the near future, but still working to Curb My Enthusiasm...
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