Army designs new vest for female combatants

Female combatants in the Israeli Army will receive new military vests especially designed for women, the army said. Still in its development stages the vest is lighter than those handed out to male soldiers and is designed to fit the female body, Captain Yoav Gelster in charge of military equipment said. A number of vests have already been tested by female soldiers in the Caracal Battalion he said. The new vest has narrower straps and fits the female pelvis, its pockets can be dismantled and additional ventilation openings were added Gelster said. The new vest weighs 1.6 kilograms and allows female soldiers to insert the protective plates into the vests independently. Vests used by male combatants weigh approximately 2.54 kilograms.