Ukraine Develops Full-Body Protective Armor That NATO Armies Do Not Currently Field

Ukraine is introducing a new layer of body protection for frontline troops, centrally procuring 4,700 fragmentation-resistant suits for the first time, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on October 15.

The roughly two-kilogram protective system consists of a specialized jacket, trousers, and pteruges designed to shield the pelvis and upper thighs.

The pteruges include an adjustable belt and seven sections containing soft ballistic inserts: two frontal, four lateral, and one rear.

Unlike rigid armor plates, the soft ballistic packages are designed to conform to the soldier’s body while providing protection against fragments and bullets. The sections can be repositioned for fit, while the rear section includes additional padding for troops operating while seated. The suit can also be worn with a standard body armor vest, extending protection to areas that are normally left exposed.

“Our task at the Ministry of Defense is to listen to the needs of the troops and supply exactly what our warriors really need,” Deputy Defense Minister Mstyslav Banik stated. The design underwent military testing among personnel whose combat duties require high mobility before the final model was approved.

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War in Ukraine

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The armor is intended primarily for assault troops, medics, and other personnel operating near the line of contact, where artillery shells and drones create persistent fragmentation threats. The Ministry noted that comparable protective suits are not currently fielded by NATO countries and that a prototype of the Ukrainian design was provided to Western partners for evaluation.

Ukraine's pace of battlefield adaptation has drawn growing attention from its Western partners. Earlier in October, former US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll called it “humiliating” to watch Ukraine field better weapons despite a far smaller budget.

He argued that the US procurement system was too slow to keep pace. In May 2025, Driscoll created the 600-soldier Unmanned Assault Battalion, an experimental drones-first unit in Italy that worked alongside Ukrainian advisers.

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