Infantry: February 14, 2003

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American infantry units in the Persian Gulf, or headed there, are concerned about having enough of the right equipment for urban fighting. There is a shortage of the ceramic plates for the new "Interceptor" protective vests. By themselves, the Kevlar vests will protect troops from shell fragments and pistol bullets, but insert the ceramic plates into the vests, and you are protected from rifle bullets. Other items in big demand are GPS laser range finders for quickly getting the right target locations for JDAM smart bombs. Also on the way are a dozen or more of the 60 ton armored D-9 bulldozers and more BDM (Bunker Defeat Munitions, a 17 pound one shot rocket). The BDMs are in short supply because not many (6,000) were made in the first place. Anti-tank missiles can also be used for blasting bunkers, but these are a lot more expensive.