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Body armor is a form of personal armour usually worn in the military and some police forces. The body armor usually mitigates damage from regular weapons-fire from any part of the body outside of headshots. It can range from a simple soft vest covering the upper torso, to heavy panoplies of armour protecting the shoulders, neck, torso, and lap.

Use by Big Boss and the CIA[]

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?]

During the San Hieronymo Incident in 1970, FOX Lieutenant Cunningham utilized body armor. Naked Snake's resistance group also procured some body armor from a Soviet security base.

Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

The commandos within the CIA Peace Sentinel wore body armor during the Peace Walker Incident in 1974.

In 1984, Big Boss' Diamond Dogs developed a heavily armored combat-suit. Eli during his final confrontation with Venom Snake also wore body armor, which ensured he survived his accidentally being shot by Snake when he was trying to defend Eli from attacking XOF soldiers.

During the 1990s, while under Big Boss's rule, the soldiers of Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land utilized body armor during combat operations.[1] During the former event, however, Big Boss personally felt that a real soldier wouldn't need it.[2]

Use by Solid Snake, Raiden and the Sons of Liberty[]

Solid Snake procured body armor during the Outer Heaven Uprising, the Zanzibar Land Disturbance, and the Shadow Moses Incident. In Zanzibar Land, Snake procured body armor of the "Silent Partner Special" brand.[1] The body armor used during the Shadow Moses Incident was also made of a fiber that was five times stronger than steel and could diffuse and mitigate a bullet upon impact.

Raiden, during his mission to the Big Shell in 2009, procured body armor for himself. The Hi-Tech Soldiers of the Sons of Liberty wore a variation that also covered their arms and shoulders, and some of the Gurlukovich Mercenaries (of both varieties) wore armor. The body armor that Raiden procured was interwoven with a special fiber made from high-performance polymer materials, which is utilized to tangle around a bullet upon impact to cushion and spread out the impact to keep damage to a minimum.

During the Guns of the Patriots incident, Rat Patrol Team 1 used Diamondback Tactical plate carriers, presumably with the plates, as Johnny in one image has the characteristic outline of a hard insert in his vest.

Unconfirmed usage[]

The following information has been detailed in official Konami-licensed media, written by various external authors. Its status in the Metal Gear canon is unconfirmed.[?]

Solid Snake, during his permanent retirement in Alaska between 1999 and 2005, kept a bulletproof vest with him alongside a 9mm Heckler & Koch P7 in the event that he ended up ambushed. He later planned to use them against intruders at his house, although he disarmed himself after they identified themselves as allies who came to "arrest" Snake under Colonel Campbell's command so he could participate in the Shadow Moses Incident.

The body armor that Solid Snake procured during the Shadow Moses Incident was the M1-11 Combat Vest, codenamed "Tank Torso." Solid Snake also put on a bulletproof vest when arming to defend himself when he sensed black ops soldiers and thought they were trying to kill him before they told him that they were allies sent by Colonel Campbell to "arrest" Snake. The Genome Combat Veterans of Next-Generation Special Forces also wore Black Owl kevlar fatigues.[3][4]

Behind the scenes[]

If the player recruits Sigint in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, his inventory will include Body Armor.

Game Item description for Body Armor Icon
Metal Gear Body Armor
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake The "Silent Partner Special," a bulletproof vest that halves damage received from enemies. Only works against bullets. Body Armor
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel Bulletproof vest ; curbs damage.
Body armor Ghost Babel
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Ballistic wear which lowers damage from hits other than headshots.
Effect lasts as long as it's worn.
Body Armor

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake - User's Manual, Konami Corporation (1990).
  2. ^ Metal Gear (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Big Boss: This is Big Boss... Body armor? A real man wouldn't use any! ...Over.
  3. ^ Metal Gear Solid: Official Mission Handbook, Millennium Books (1998).
  4. ^ Metal Gear Solid novelization by Raymond Benson, Del Rey Books (2008).
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