View source for Engineering:6B4 ballistic vest

'''6B4''' ([[Social:Russian language|Russian]]: 6Б4) is a ceramic ballistic vest of the Soviet Armed Forces. Developed at the same time as [[Engineering:6B3 ballistic vest|6B3]], it provided better protection from rifle rounds, but was much heavier, and as such was never produced or used in big numbers.

== History ==
[[Engineering:6B3 ballistic vest|6B3]] ballistic vest that was issued to Soviet troops in Afghanistan was capable of stopping [[Engineering:7.62×39mm|7.62x39]] PS rounds fired from [[Engineering:AKM|AKM]] at a close range, however [[Engineering:5.56×45mm NATO|5.56x45]] M855 rounds fired from [[Engineering:M16 rifle|M16]] at ranges closer than 100 meters could still pierce the vest. As such, 6B4 ballistic vest was developed, which used [[Chemistry:Boron carbide|boron carbide]] ADU 14.20.00.000 tiles capable of stopping close range M855 hits.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=6Б4 Самый дорогой армейский бронежилет Советской Армии {{!}} ОБЗОР БРОНЕЖИЛЕТА |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dalZlndwIZc |website=Youtube}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Отечественные армейские бронежилеты |url=https://forma-odezhda.com/encyclopedia/otechestvennye-armejskie-bronezhilety/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=forma-odezhda.com}}</ref>

The vest was heavier than 6B3 and much more expensive, and as such was never produced in high numbers, however it continued to be used until well into the Second Checheen war.<ref name=":0" />

== Technical details ==
The 6B4 body armor consists of two parts connected by a [[Engineering:Hook-and-loop fastener|velcro]] fastener in the shoulder area and is equipped with a belt-buckle fastener that allows you to adjust the size according to height. The front and back of the body armor consist of covers that contain a fabric protective screen (on the back) and blocks of pockets with armor tiles on the front. This body armor is equipped with two spare armor protection elements.<ref name=":1" />

Unlike 6B3TM, 6B4 has an elongated chest section, which provides protection for the lower abdomen.<ref name=":1" /> Unlike 6B3, the mounting circut board for plates is not removable from the fabric cover.<ref name=":0" />

There were multiple modifications of the vest, which differed not only in the configuration, but also in the amount of plates sewn into the fabric. For example 6B4-O has 32 ceramic tiles, weighing 10.5&nbsp;kg, while 6B4-S has 56 tiles, weighing 15.6&nbsp;kg.<ref name=":1" />

There were several variants of 6B4 armor:

* '''6B4''' - original version. Weighs 12&nbsp;kg.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |url=https://ru.djvu.online/file/rAWyxDtBb1ecB |title=СРЕДСТВА ИНДИВИДУАЛЬНОЙ БРОНЕЗАЩИТЫ (РУКОВОДСТВО СЛУЖБЫ) |publisher=Братишка |year=2004 |isbn=5-902104-02-5 |location=Moscow |pages=16–18}}</ref>
* '''6B4-O''' - has 32 ceramic tiles, weighing 10.5&nbsp;kg.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.shovkunenko-book.ru/arsenal/armejskie-bronezhilety.html|title=АРМЕЙСКИЕ БРОНЕЖИЛЕТЫ, виды и характеристики бронежилетов|website=www.shovkunenko-book.ru}}</ref>
* '''6B4-P''' - has 40 ceramic tiles, weight 12.2&nbsp;kg.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" />
* '''6B4-S''' - Heavy variant originally designed for the guard duty. Has 56 ceramic tiles and weighs 15.6&nbsp;kg.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />
* '''6B4-01''' - Light variant with titanium ADU-605-80 plates on the back, weighs 7.6&nbsp;kg.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Users ==

=== Former users ===
* {{AZE}}<ref name="AZB">{{cite web |title=imgur.com |url=https://imgur.com/UpbwKGc |website=Imgur |access-date=20 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* {{RUS}}
* {{URS}}

== References ==
<references />


[[Category:Ballistic vests]]

{{Sourceattribution|6B4 ballistic vest}}