Other biological structures with the potential for ballistic protection have also been investigated, including crustacean exoskeletons and compact bone, which possess structures with important features and properties that may inspire the development of future soldier armours. In this paper, a systematic review is conducted to identify the structural-mechanical characteristics of selected biological armour systems such as nacre from mollusc shells, conch shells and fish scaled skin. Natural/biological armour materials and assemblies offer remarkable properties that can inspire the design of lightweight, flexible and tough body armours. There is an urgent need to reduce the weight and increase the flexibility of body armours without compromising their ballistic protection capability. Designing and manufacturing multi-functional, lightweight and high-performance body armour materials and assemblies have attracted intense attention recently due to fast-growing military applications.
