Taiwanese soldiers wearing ballistic masks look like ‘the cavalry from hell’

Came across this earlier today and thought this was a pretty good idea. The article speaks of these being used by soldiers not police but I don't know how long that will last.

Seems to me if you're going to be in a position where you could get shot in the face one of these would be handy. Any current vets out there who confirm whether any other countries are using these and what usability is like?

Taiwanese soldiers wearing ballistic masks look like ‘the cavalry from hell’

Images of Taiwanese soldiers decked out in black body armour and ballistic masks have gone viral thanks to exposure on Japanese news sites, where viewers compared the look of the officers to something out of a video game or comic book.

The photographs, originally part of a series taken during a 2011 ceremonial parade in Taipei, depict Taiwan’s Armed Forces, including both male and female special operations soldiers and military frogmen.

All of the soldiers in the photos wield heavy weaponry including assault rifles, bulletproof shields and submachine guns, but the images that especially captivated netizens were those that showed the elite forces wearing ballistic face masks.

Japanese Twitter users said that these elite force units looked like something out of a video game. Photo: DDN Japan

“They look like the calvary from hell,” wrote a blogger on Japanese news portal DDN Japan

reply to post by Bassago


Like out of a movie eh?

Make the armies go back to swords and shields, then these masks make sense .

Actually, I can see why they'd wear them, but it's not very functional. Seems like it would cut your peripheral vision by quite a bit.

Any resident Army folk wanna chime in?

~Tenth

reply to post by Bassago


Objective: Intimidation
Outcome: Completed

Sheesh.
Domo arigato Mr. Roboto...

reply to post by Bassago


They really look pretty cool!

However, I would like to see how ballistic they really are when hit with a simple 12 gauge slug!!!

I am just wondering how long it will take for someone in Homeland Security to see these and want to spend millions more, just because of how intimidating these masks look......

Kinda sucks since Uncle Janet has left, I don't have anyone to specifically point my finger at anymore....

reply to post by tothetenthpower


The article indicated the masks could withstand a short range shot from a .44 magnum but damage to the skull is possible.

Wonder who they got to test them?

That is really disturbing.

Really sucks that last bit of humanization from a soldier, it may as well be a machine under there and from some perspective that may be already the case.

EDIT: i wonder what the people think who have to wear it? They dont even know the person next to them! Must be pretty weird.

seeker1963
reply to post by Bassago

 

They really look pretty cool!

However, I would like to see how ballistic they really are when hit with a simple 12 gauge slug!!!

Yeah they do look cool. Probably need some super-plexiglass lenses to protect the eyes from the shotgun blast.

Matte black is perfect for that "custom paint job" too.

reply to post by Bassago


Pretty soon we'll see this.
I'm surprised they didn't use a ballistic eye cover.

Reminds me of these idiots from Bolivia:


The UTARC.

Disbanded after drawing down on reporters filming them botching an arrest.

The "ballistic mask" is like a moron badge.

Bassago

seeker1963
reply to post by Bassago

 

They really look pretty cool!

However, I would like to see how ballistic they really are when hit with a simple 12 gauge slug!!!

Yeah they do look cool. Probably need some super-plexiglass lenses to protect the eyes from the shotgun blast.

Matte black is perfect for that "custom paint job" too.

Golly Gee I would hate to wear something like that on even a comfortable day much less a hot day. I saw no filter or outside air entrance so every breath you take you are heating the mask.

All the ballistic body and head armor is fine for something's, especially for frightening unarmed civilians but that mask getup IMO sucks unless I am missing something.

If I were going against something like that all shots would be to arms, Boots, and anyplace else expose or not armored. Although I can guarantee a well placed round to that mask and head area would make the wearer think twice before sticking his head back up.

Wonder if the green tipped 62gr 5.56 M855 would penetrate? If not there are newer improved rounds or heavier calibers that will stop/penetrate just about anything; of course only police or military can own such rounds.....

I suppose the concept of hyperventilation never crossed anyone's mind? Those look like quite a sight when the men are lined up on parade or for a demo photo.

I wonder what they look like after hours of vigorous action in the field and breathing into a solid barrier? Obviously air would come from around the sides and edges. There are probably channels to help that on the inside.... (Anyone go hunting specs on these?) Still.. people have issues in open air sometimes. The armor is worthless if people are tearing it off to breathe.

I also saw where they noted it's bullet resistant to a .44 magnum at close range. Ooookay. I have another question then and it's a doozy........

Lets say you put this mask on a physical representation of a person, like Buster in Mythbusters. Then, fired a full cylinder of .44 into the mask? Is what is left behind the mask, in real life, going to appreciate having survived it ..if they do survive it ...or would they have honestly been happier with the lights just winking out on the unlucky hit to the head, like mere mortals?

I really wonder if the whole protection aspect goes a bit too far at times? That, aside from the pure intimidation purpose here.

reply to post by Biigs

I think it looks creepy as hell-sort of LOTR x Star Wars-just really robotic and creepy,they really don't look human.If I had to see a personnel carrier loaded with those guys drive by,it would scare the bejeezus out of me,that's for sure.

727Sky

Wonder if the green tipped 62gr 5.56 M855 would penetrate? If not there are newer improved rounds or heavier calibers that will stop/penetrate just about anything; of course only police or military can own such rounds.....

Nope. At least not the ones I've seen for sale. The highest rated ones I can find are IIIA.

So handgun rounds to the face may be stopped. A 5.56 or 7.62 will sail through.

Its odd that there are no EA*RTH based service suits that carry certain friction repel attributes so that a soldier would be transporting / walking inside a slightly if not totally invisible barrier that would interact with any friction distributed or projectiles emitted at it. It would work or look like an aura surrounding soldiers and craft even under feet for IED / mine attacks. Perhaps the intimidation factor is at play so these look intimidating to some...

aura suits

tothetenthpower
reply to post by Bassago

 

Like out of a movie eh?

Make the armies go back to swords and shields, then these masks make sense

.

Actually, I can see why they'd wear them, but it's not very functional. Seems like it would cut your peripheral vision by quite a bit.

Any resident Army folk wanna chime in?

~Tenth

Close quarter urban contact, also used to hide the soldiers/officers, it is also intimidating. They are not very functional though. As you can see it restricts breathing and line of sight.

Very scary looking if you were facing them would you not be intimidated. Lol

The Bot

727Sky

Wonder if the green tipped 62gr 5.56 M855 would penetrate? If not there are newer improved rounds or heavier calibers that will stop/penetrate just about anything; of course only police or military can own such rounds.....

Might deflect or stop a 5.56 but I can pretty much assure you it won't stop my Mauser.



reply to post by Wrabbit2000

Lets say you put this mask on a physical representation of a person, like Buster in Mythbusters. Then, fired a full cylinder of .44 into the mask? Is what is left behind the mask, in real life, going to appreciate having survived it ..if they do survive it ...or would they have honestly been happier with the lights just winking out on the unlucky hit to the head, like mere mortals?

I really wonder if the whole protection aspect goes a bit too far at times? That, aside from the pure intimidation purpose here.

I think these are mainly going to be useful on glancing shots or flying debris. They'd probably have have lifetime brain and spinal damage if they took a .44 to the head and it didn't kill them.

That said though intimidation is a soldiers friend (cops not so much.) I've always wondered why they didn't go whole hog like grey580 posted above. Imperial storm trooper armor, we gotta have it!

dlbott

Very scary looking if you were facing them would you not be intimidated. Lol

The Bot

thinks of

Bassago

That said though intimidation is a soldiers friend (cops not so much.) I've always wondered why they didn't go whole hog like grey580 posted above. Imperial storm trooper armor, we gotta have it!

That's open to interpretation I guess. Making them faceless only makes it easier to pull the trigger on them IMO.

Humans.....hard to shoot unless you're a psycho.
Robots, zombies and miscellaneous faceless hordes? Easy peasy by comparison. Especially when they're threatening and yelling at you.

The masks and the dark colors make them look just like the silhouettes we all shoot at the range weekend after weekend.

thisguyrighthere

That's open to interpretation I guess. Making them faceless only makes it easier to pull the trigger on them IMO.

The masks and the dark colors make them look just like the silhouettes we all shoot at the range weekend after weekend.

Hmm... that's actually a really good point that I hadn't considered. Looks like the Taiwanese and Bolivians didn't consider it either.

Bassago

Hmm... that's actually a really good point that I hadn't considered. Looks like the Taiwanese and Bolivians didn't consider it either.

Happens all the time. The British didnt consider their bright red and white uniforms were a bad idea until all the colonists started shooting at them from behind the tree line.

Looking "cool" too often trumps reality.

Militaries are supposed to be dehumanizing their enemies. Not their own people. I'm sure the ballistic mask fad will go down in history in the pile with bad camouflage patterns and troops lining up to volley.