A new scandal has erupted in the United Kingdom concerning the country's actual defense capabilities. This time, the issue revolves around the Enhanced Combat Body Armour (ECBA), which has been found to have microcracks that may compromise their protective properties. As a result, all existing samples, totaling 120,000 units, have been recalled for inspection.
The Guardian reports that this has sparked severe criticism from the new Labour government towards its predecessors. From the perspective of Defense Express, it's worth noting that the ECBA, introduced back in 1991, has become so outdated that the real question is why they haven’t been discarded long ago.
ECBA is a lightweight fragment-resistant vest made from ballistic nylon, enhanced with a small plate in the chest area. At the time of Operation Desert Storm, it was relatively suitable for the era.
During the operations in Afghanistan and the second Iraq War, British forces utilized the newer Osprey body armor, followed by the Virtus, which remains the latest model. However, as the publication states, plans to fully phase out the ECBA
were initially set for 2023, but due to insufficient funding for new "armor" for all military personnel, the timeline has been pushed back to 2027.
On the other hand, the concerns regarding the protective capabilities of the ECBA, along with their recall and inspection, should also be viewed in the context of political infighting in London. Although the ECBA is still occasionally used by the Navy and the Marines.
Nevertheless, the situation for the British military is far from positive. In terms of providing body armor, it is crucial not only to supply the current personnel, which numbers 144,000, but also to maintain an adequate stockpile for reserves, which in the UK exceeds 70,000.