Technical textiles for military applications

Operation of Armed Forces personnel in harsh military terrains for extended tenure period necessitates protection from elements and battle hazards. Harsh military terrains exert profound effects on the physical and physiological performance of the soldiers and can impart serious health hazards on inadequately protected soldiers resulting in mission failure and avoidable loss of lives. Harsh military terrains can be Mountain environment characterized by treacherous terrains with extreme cold and hypoxia, Deserts characterized by extreme heat stress, Depths of underwater that can pose life threatening situation in case of a distressed submarine, Aviation hazards (such as deadly G-forces faced by fighter pilots during G-manoeuvres and fire hazards that may result from crash) etc. Clothing being the first layer of protection for the wearer, forms an important protective measure in military operation against combat and environmental hazards. A great deal of research is being carried out by military/defence research laboratories worldwide in collaboration with industries to develop technical textiles incorporating suitable smart material finishes for the alleviation of the dangers associated in the combat terrain. Extended Cold weather clothing ensemble, High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema chambers, Anti-G suits, Flame retardant overalls, Submarine Escape Sets, Chemical warfare protection ensemble, liquid cooled garment for protection against hyperthermia etc., are fabricated from variety of technical textiles having special material properties. Technical textiles are used worldwide to provide protection from the hazards of battlefield to the military and paramilitary forces, as ‘man behind the machine’ is the most important entity in a war theatre. This review focuses a collective account of harsh military environment faced by war fighters during War & Peacetime and material development to develop desired technical textiles to lower the attrition due to harsh environment and battle hazards.