Defense Textiles

Military uniforms must have specific protective performances related to the high hazards such as gravitational forces during high acceleration-deceleration, extreme temperatures ambient conditions, immersion hypothermia, etc.

Major nations of the world have expended significant resources in developing and providing the most advanced technical textile military for use by working on the life-critical requirements for protecting individuals from both environmental and battlefield threats. 
The historical background of military textile is at least five millennia humans have used forms of protective armor in combat and at first only protection both in combat and in cold weather were animal skins and furs. For protection against sword and spear attacks, leather and mesh garments were used In the beginning. 

In 1792, “THE PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTION” was published by Count Rumsfeld, an American Colonel in which he has noted upon the trapped air’ part in providing thermal insulation and for the work he was awarded, Copley Medal. 

At that time the fiber types used were only natural and high-performance fibers were not known. Garment Development Section, Royal Dockyard, Woolwich, London introduced Worsted Serge battle dress under the specification E/1037 in 1939. 
In 1943 Layered combat clothing system came into existence which led woolen serge into obsoleteness. In 1944 for use in the desert sand-colored version of the one-piece coverall was used. In 1945 Nylon parachute canopies came into usage, to the aircrew Ventile cotton fabric was provided. Waterproof, water vapor permeable fabrics were the special features of the Ventile cotton fabric and low twist Sea Island cotton and this was tightly woven. Para-Aramid was introduced in 1970.

Kevlar and Twaron (continuous filaments) are woven into the tight structure and assembled in multilayers.
The fabric will require ceramic tile reinforcements or other hard materials to blunt the tip of metal splinter pointed bullets for protection against military bullets. 100% cotton satin drill fabric in olive green color was introduced in 1970.

In 1972 first-ever printed material was introduced by the UK war office which was DPM (Disruptively Patterned Material) with four color temperate woodland camouflage.

The military forces have to work in a wide range of environmental conditions, like rain, snow, fog, wind, lightning, sunlight, dust, heat, cold, wet, high UV areas, and wind-chill. 
Resistance to heat transmission due to the air enclosed between and on the fiber surface area offered by fibrous material. In general, an efficient insulator has 10 – 20% of fiber and 80 – 90% air enclosed in between the surface.

In fabric or other materials whatever it is fiber acts as a large surface area. 
Today, the activated charcoal is on air-permeable non-woven supported on a foam-backed textile or a laminate consisting of two textile fabrics sandwiching a charcoal layer. In all the wavebands of detection used by the military forces, i.e. UV, near IR and far IR camouflages should be effective. The observation and detection should be as far as possible which is the basic objective of the camouflage and it should be a passive process.
Its advantages are low cost, wide availability, and low shrinkage in the fire.

Ballistic protection at an extremely low weight and together with flexibility are provided by Vests made with Dyneema fiber. Against the edged weapons stab protection is provided by Steel cord fabrics. Around 20% of its textile production in this field has been devoted to China. 
And now Asia is emerging as a powerhouse of both production and end-use consumption of technical textiles. Almost 18.6 million modular bullet-proof jackets are required for the Indian Army, the second largest in the world, and is open for tenders for 10 years. The military smart textiles market is driving by like this many offers which are a great opportunity for military textile vendors to explore and produce in-house capabilities and products for soldiers. 

Bangladesh is also trying hard to cope up with the military - smart textile industry to grab the global market that would bring an extra dimension into the exporting markets.

References: 
1.textiletoday.com 
2.technicaltextile.net 
3.textilelearner.blogspot.com 
4.About military textile pdf book

Sabah Tarana Tarique Neesa 

Department of Apparel Engineering, 46th Batch

Bangladesh University Of Textiles