New Armored Wall System Assembles Like Legos, Could Replace Sandbags in Afghanistan

I Like Legos :D

Nice - and a great honor to a fallen soldier. I'm sure he would appreciate knowing he's saving many a future soldier's life.

This has got to be the cheapest, and best military improvement in a while.

A little picky but Just going by the picture, they need (if not already have) top corner pieces 2 vertical or 1 diagonal.

I'm betting the author of this article has never served a day either as a soldier or cop or anything similar. Because he'd know that the word "bullet-proof" is totally inaccurate and a misnomer. The word he's looking for is "bullet-resistant".

Kevlar vests and other types of armor are rated for the type of ammunition they can stop. They range from barely able to stop .22 cal rounds (Type I) to the kind used by our troops (the ones with the ceramic plate) that can stop .30-06 armor piercing rounds (Type IV). But even if the armor is designed to stop a particular round, it doesn't mean that it can stop them indefinitely. Most can only withstand 2 or 3 direct hits before critical failure.

The only thing I know of that is totally, completely bullet-proof would be 100 feet of water. And the faster the bullet, the less it travels.

And that's just the inaccuracy about the shelter being "bullet-proof". Let's talk about this "blast-proof" he's talking about. Sure, it might stop a grenade or RPG, but what about a shaped charge or an artillery round (used as an IED) or what not. Shaped charges can and have disabled Abrams tanks, which have some of the thickest and most advanced armor composites yet invented. I don't really know what this Lego armor is made up of, but if a stream of molten copper can burn through an Abrams, I'm pretty sure it can cut through this stuff like butter. Nevermind an artillery round. One of those would just ruin the day for anyone standing behind this Lego wall wondering if he'll survive.

I'm pretty sure that bullet-proof is about as misunderstood as "water-proof." You don't have to be a soldier to know that. Just in high school... or an English major. Or be interested in any random information.

Also, after checking the linked references before b*tching, here is a quote from the national defense link.

"The product offers protection from mortars, grenades, rockets and improvised explosive devices. It has aluminum frames that connect using steel pins, and the units can be arranged in several formations: U-shape, V-shape, J-shape or a wall."

And here are some statistics from what appears to be the manufacturers.

"Stopping Power

• McCurdy's Armor™ Protects Against:
– 5.56, 7.62 AP, 0.50 Caliber AP-M2
– Frag from mortars, grenades, rockets, suicide bombers, and IED's."

After looking at the provided references, I'd gladly trade sandbags out for this. Let's see you set up an outpost with sandbags in around 10 minutes.

while rpenri's comment has merit, This is not replacing 100ft of water, it is replacing sandbags.

@Chief. I wonder what their criteria for Suicide bombers was. Ones that can't run around walls or climb?

chieffranky

Did you even read my comment? Seriously, please re-read it and ask yourself if I was really questioning the Lego armor's capabilities or the author's lack of knowledge on the subject.

Even still, the info you provided only says it protects against 5.56, 7.62, .50 cal...all small arms caliber weapons. Technically, most insurgents don't have access to heavier caliber rifles, but he still shouldn't say it's "bullet-proof" when it's not. Saying so insults the intelligence of the readers especially those like me who DO know the difference.

Also, protecting from frag from mortars, grenades and so on is a bit different from what the author claims. Which is that this Lego armor can take a direct hit from a mortar, grenade, RPG, etc, which it cannot.

quote:
"The panels then snap together like bomb-proofed Legos secured with steel pins to form a blast- and bullet-proof shelter."

-How would the average American without much knowledge of the military, war, or things of that nature take this statement as?

My "bitching" isn't just for the sake of bitching. Something like this makes the general population believe soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are safer than they really are. The reality is that of course this stuff is better than filling up sand bag after sand bag, but it's not a magical wall that protects against EVERYTHING, which the author tries to convey in his article. Moms, dads, wives, sons and daughters who read this article may get a false sense of safety should this be implemented in the future. They should know the honest truth about this thing should the unthinkable happen to them and their family. They don't need a crack-pot journalist trying to make things sound "cool" to get readers, especially when this stuff can potentially save lives or fail under fire.

PS...most people who read articles here at PopSci tend to be more knowledgeable about science and related stuff here at PopSci, but that doesn't mean every person who comes here does. So forgive me for trying to advocate for those who aren't up to their noses in "knowledge" like you.

rpenri: Fair enough. I apologize for reacting harshly. If you'll notice from my post it was about 4:30 in the morning and I was in a bad mood. I don't try to look like a know-it-all arse-hat. I just thought that it was fairly understood that bullet-proof was about as common as a water-proof watch for under 10 bucks. And I did find your ratings of kevlar rather informative. Generally my posts aren't all that "up to my nose" with knowledge either. I tend to say random and stupid stuff, generally, but not always, on purpose. I also didn't consider families reading this and finding comfort in this product for their soldiers. I can quite clearly see now why one wouldn't want to say blast-proof, etc. Anywho, no hard feelings. Thanks for the info.

i like Legos to :P

Yea, the "frag from grenades, rpg's, etc" is a bit different. Also, Some kind of hieght scale would be nice. I mean, is that wall 4 feet high or 7? I would imagine in the field this would eventually have a sandbag wall outside of it as well if it were ever under regular siege.

The article says "6.5-foot-tall", so the lego pieces are two-foot squares.
I'm guessing that the "bunker" one soldier can assemble in an hour will be 6' x 6' x 6.5', that will be 4' x 4' inside.

I assume the slots are removable, so they can be used to fire weapons through.

@rpenri's P.S.

I'd have to disagree that people who come here are more knowledgeable, from the comments i read on this sight oh man.. haha.

fyi to all *light humor*

Imagine the ricochet in these things...

My idea is that this won't fly in reality. It'll work great when it's brand new, but as soon those panels get hit, they'll deform somewhat, making it probably impossible to reassemble them at another position, should the need arise to move the construction. The beauty of sand bags is that the base material is cheap and the shape of the bag is mallable. It will adjust itself in shape, making stacking them a chore but yielding an effective wall or barriere. As I said, sandbags are cheap, this thing will cost. In the end, that's what going matter in the end.
For a more permanent solution, I think the steel wire constructs that are later filled up with rocks and brick that are currently in use in Iraq (and probably Afghanistan) are the most effective

You now i think i now were this Lego barricade thing mite have started a man from New Orleans on a show to promote his idea to make homes that were easy to build and similar to Lego bricks so after a disasters people can easily rebuild.

It looks tiny in the picture

This could be used as a protection - better not to hurt/kill someone else. :s

Wow, this looks really good. I wonder if those panels are related to that earthquake resistant wall paper from one of the older articles? Although most materials aren't completely bullet proof and can only withstand a few hits before failing, this looks like a quick and easy system to setup. I am a former soldier and setting up bunkers with sand bags is long hard work. The thing that military personnel are really going to like about this is its easy setup, teardown, and mobility. Infantry has to be light and fast so this will make a great asset for them to own.

It's about time

i wish i had some of those for paintball

This sounds like more very expensive, unproven equipment the tax payers are going to be footing the bill for. All of this "high-tech" bullshit won't mean jack diddly when it gets wet, short circuits, or the batteries run out. There was actually a general in the Pentagon recently who said that they were going to stop bayonet training because it was waste of time in his opinion.

Sandbags can take hundreds of rounds fired at them,don't need to be trucked in, airdropped or carried by humvees or mules. Stacked, they can also withstand multiple hits from RPG's.And they don't cost the taxpayers $800,000.

I highly doubt that this wall contraption can take multiple hits from the new RPG thermobaric warheads or the new RPG tandem, shaped warheads. And what happens when you loose the pins to secure the walls ?

As usual, the higher ups in control of the troops and the money have their heads up their asses. Why not put the $800K to provide ultralight, reliable body armor using nanotechnology. Also why not provide a rifle that doesn't jam up like the M-16 and all of it's variants. Any HK, FN SCAR, or Barett REC7 would work. Give the damn troops what they need to get the job done !

The ideal expeditionary set-up. Would be a conex-based force with tailored modules (barracks, maintenance, c4i, medical, shower-toilet, etc.).

The fob can be armored with either stacked hesco or stacked conex filled with dirt. Which would stop an rpg.

The modules can be armored-insulated with dirt or hesco.

Conex can be emplaced vertically as gun towers.

Cost is really not the critical issue.

Each death costs $250k.

Each casualty requiring lifetime care and benefits could easily exceed that by several factors.

Any wall system whether this or hesco or filled conex can only stop direct fire. Any high angle trajectory weapon can go over the wall. You could minimize mortar or rpg in indirect fire mode by additional interior hesco or berms.

Forts or castles are not new ideas and neither are the modern equivalent of catapults.

100ft of water would be nice, but how would you contain it in the form of a wall?