Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony
Steel plates get damaged as well, they're on the low side for the amount of armor weakened by a hit but not sure if they're even better than more durable composites.
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Steel armor gets damaged at the point of impact and a very small area around it. A ceramic composite plate that has taken any hit at all
might be fine elsewhere, but there might also be microscopic flaws invisible to the naked eye that cause it to crack at the next hit. Which is why ceramic plates that have stopped a bullet are never rated for service again.
This is not to say that modern composites are not awesomely advanced and much lighter for their protective value than any alternatives. Just, you know, they are not completely flawless and there is a reason why the plates are designed as replacable inserts.