Originally Posted by nigegilb
Words of Gp Cpt Bennett RAAF
"The ballistic matting is intended as a protection against small arms rounds that might penetrate the aircraft, as occurred in an incident earlier this year when a US civilian died in a Hercules hit by small arms fire. The matting acts as a form of armour, similar to the underfloor and seat armour fitted to helicopters in Vietnam."
Believe me the Aussies do their homework.
This is correct. When I was researching what body armour (the MOD were going to refuse funding for) for the Brize aircrew I got to various parameters. The ceramic plates do the hard work, but good quality Kevlar/Ballisitc matting can still stop a bullet on it's own.