From Palm Waste to Battlefield Armor: IPB’s Eco Bulletproof Vest Passes Indonesian Military Test

 

IPB’s Palm-Oil Anti-Bullet Vest Tested at 5-Meter Range, Passes Indonesian Military Trials

 

An environmentally friendly bulletproof vest suitable for use by Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) personnel has been developed using palm oil waste. Waste from oil palm, long regarded as having little value, has now demonstrated its potential as a strategic material for national defense. This innovation—a bulletproof vest made from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibers—is the result of research conducted by a team from IPB University.

 

Recently, the palm-oil-based vest was declared to have passed ballistic testing and received certification after undergoing rigorous trials at the Army Research and Development Service Laboratory (Dislitbang TNI AD) in Batujajar, Bandung, on Friday (December 19, 2025).

 

The biomaterials research carried out by the IPB University team has been developed over many years, with a specific focus on bulletproof materials since 2023, until it ultimately met military qualification standards. This innovation emerged from a multidisciplinary collaboration at IPB University, led by Dr. Siti Nikmatin, a researcher at the Palm Oil Study Center and a lecturer in the Department of Physics.

 

She emphasized the importance of strategic steps toward commercialization. According to her, the availability of palm fiber raw materials is very abundant; however, the production process still requires investment in machinery and capital, as many stages are currently performed manually. “Hopefully, this innovation can transform the potential of palm oil waste into a new strength for the sovereignty of Indonesia’s defense industry in the future,” she concluded, as quoted from the IPB University website.

 

Tested with Live Fire at a 5-Meter Distance

 

The OPEFB fiber-based vest was tested by the TNI using 9×19 mm caliber ammunition fired from a distance of 5 meters, covering both dry and wet firing conditions, as well as resistance tests against stabbing and slashing by sharp weapons. Based on the assessment of the testing team, the vest was declared to have passed because it was able to stop the projectile without penetration, with a backface deformation of less than 44 mm.

 

This performance is considered highly competitive within the current market price range for Level IIIA bulletproof vests. In addition to meeting protection requirements, the vest also stands out in terms of ergonomics, weighing under 2 kg and with a thickness of less than 2 cm.

 

The project was funded through the Matching Fund Program (Kedaireka) of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology for the 2024–2025 fiscal years.

 

Other members of the IPB University team include Dr. Irmansyah; Rima Fitria Adiati, MT; Dr. Agus Kartono (Physics); and Tursina Andita Putri, MSi (Agribusiness). The involvement of an industry partner, represented by Andika Kristinawati from PT Interstisi Material Maju, further strengthened the downstream commercialization of this research.

 

The certification process was witnessed directly by IPB University leaders, including Prof. Anas Miftah Fauzi (Head of the Institute for Advanced International Technological Research) and Prof. Budi Mulyanto (Head of the Palm Oil Study Center). The ballistic testing process was also directly monitored by senior Army research officers, namely Colonel Cpl Kries Kambaksono, Colonel Yayat Priatna P., Colonel Hiras M.S. Turnip, and Colonel Tri Handoko.

 

SOURCE:

Kompas.com, 25 Desember 2025, 17:31 WIB.

https://www.kompas.com/edu/read/2025/12/25/173100071/rompi-sawit-anti-peluru-ipb-dites-tembak-jarak-5-meter-lolos-uji-tni

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