20% Ordnance Gelatin (NATO Protocol)
Definition
Gelatin at 20 g per 100 mL water, at 10°C. Higher concentration produces greater penetration resistance, modelling the full human body including denser tissue and bone. Used by NATO member-state defence science bodies including DSTL Porton Down and the German Bundeswehr.
- Concentration
- 20 g gelatin per 100 mL water
- Test temperature
- 10°C
- Purpose
- Models denser tissue and bone across the body
- Users
- NATO defence bodies incl. DSTL Porton Down, Bundeswehr
Common questions
Why does the NATO protocol use a higher gelatin concentration than the FBI's?+
The higher 20% concentration increases the block's density and penetration resistance, which is intended to represent a wider range of body tissue, including regions closer to bone, rather than soft tissue alone.
Can penetration results from the FBI and NATO protocols be compared directly?+
Not without conversion. The two use different gelatin densities and conditioning temperatures, so a penetration depth measured in one protocol is not numerically equivalent to a depth measured in the other.
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