A ballistic face mask, also known as facial armor, is a type of personal armor designed to protect the wearer from ballistic threats.
Ballistic face masks are usually made of Kevlar or other bullet resistant materials and the inside of the mask may be padded for shock absorption, depending on the design. Due to weight restrictions, protection levels range only up to National Institute of Justice Level III A.
In its October 2010 issue Slate magazine reported that while ballistic face masks were sometimes employed by law enforcement officials, they were not seen as worth using by combat soldiers.
Brian Palmer further reported they were only capable of protecting the wearer’s face from relatively small shrapnel fragments, and from the commonly used shot in shotgun shell intended to be used against birds, or small game.
He particularly noted the masks would be worthless against a bullet from an AK-47.