The Laptop That Saved a Soldier’s Life.
Filed under: Computers, Laptops | By: Daniel
Posted on: February 10, 2007 | 32 Comments
We have heard of U.S. soldiers taking a bullet for a fellow soldier, but now a new friend took a bullet for a U.S. soldier in Iraq.
The CF-M34 Toughbook laptop you see in the photo above has a bullet hole which shows just how tough it is as it took a bullet for a U.S. soldier in Iraq.
The BULLETPROOF laptop from Panasonic was the constant companion of one soldier and was taken through the mountains of southeastern Turkey and into the war of Iraq.
The need for rugged laptops is growing, used by the U.S. armed forces (the 82nd Airborne Division) and it was one of these laptops that saved a soldier’s life,
An estimated market of $858 million in 2007 is expected for the need of the toughest laptops, people want toughness and the need is growing.
CLICK HERE to keep updated with the latest news, share a comment or problems with products and services. Follow us on twitter or read more news.
I don’t know guns but I think Tony is right on one thing- it looks like a small caliber round, and aside from that these “hardened” laptops are designed to withstand alot. To testmonkey- You’re right. It most likely went through, but probably dropped alot of inertia going through the laptop. The condition of the keyboard indicates to me that significant energy was absorbed. Any soldier (or anyone who watches mythbusters) knows- NOTHING is “bulletproof”, only “bullet resistant”. I would say that it is fair to say that the laptop saved the soldier’s life if this slowing effect was enough turn turn a lethal shot into a non-lethal one.
Actually, a closer look will show that the laptop was closed when shot, as the keyboard corresponding to the bullet hole is damaged.
I remember seeing this from the 1’st iraq war (still have a poster from a pcmag)its not a b/s pic but it is very old…if i remember right the soldier was sitting in a humvee and got shot through the door with an AK and the door and laptop absorbed the round.. supposedly the toughbook still worked except the screen and keyboard…I bet the ancient gRID fully tempest brick/laptop computers could stop a bullet …maybe not an AK round ….
Hey Tony, they have whatever the latest and greatest was 10 years ago when the USA was selling them arms!
He’s even more lucky the laptop didn’t burst into flames!
Tony, you would be suprised at what the insurgents have. 7.62 AP rounds are very common on the battle field. The SVDs are a sound sniper rifle and most that have them are very well trained in their use.
As for the bullet stopping laptop, the hole looks more like a fragment from and IED to me. Probably a small peice of metal that entered the vehicle they were riding in and hit the laptop traveling at very low speed at the time of impact.
To be fair to Test Monkey, there have been quite a few of these stories that have turned out to be BS.
It was probably friendly fire seeing as you idiots are a little trigger happy and can’t stop shooting anything that moves including yourselves. (Oh btw. What moron would throw their pc off a building in the first place.)
Maybe they threw the bullit?
Or maybe it is just a small rock shot with a sling?
Dang Tony you must be one of those new “psychic” CSI guys.. You can tell what type of projectile weapon was used just from a picture showing the entry hole! I wish you were around for the when my car got scratched, I could have gotten the a$$hat that did it using your super sleuth skills!
You and and Test Monkey are both lame and likely just some punk kids behind a keyboard. You should be glad regardless that the laptop saved one of our soldier’s life! period!
Atleast the laptop can be replaced…