Black tier one pelvic protection underwear, 2010 (c)

The tier one underwear is the first layer of a three-tiered pelvic protection system designed to help mitigate the effects of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts on troops serving in Afghanistan (2001-). Developed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) as an urgent operational requirement, this ultra-light underwear is made from ballistic silk that prevents IED blast fragments from entering a soldier's body.

The ballistic silk underwear is forced inside the soldier's body (along with the soldier's genitalia) by the IED blast but as it cannot be penetrated by shrapnel and debris created by the explosion it prevents damage and infection as a result of the impact and the underwear (and genitalia) can be delicately removed undamaged from the soldier's body by medical officers.

The underwear is also coated in an anti-microbial agent that prevents the spread of wound infections. The pelvic protection system aims to balance protection with the necessary comfort and manoeuvrability for troops to undertake operations, enabling them to wear one or more of the protective layers depending on the task.