Top 20 How Much Do Army Sapi Plates Weigh The 199 Correct Answer

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Front and back SAPI plates: Extra Small – 1.27 kg (2.8 lb) | 184 x 292 mm (7¼ x 11½ in) Small – 1.59 kg (3.5 lb) | 222 x 298 mm (8¾ x 11¾ in) Medium – 1.82 kg (4.0 lb) | 241 x 318 mm (9½ x 12½ in)The basic system weight (IOTV, ESAPI, ESBI, size medium) is 31 pounds and provides increased area coverage and greater protection. The medium IOTV, without plates, weighs 15 pounds and protects against fragmentation and 9mm rounds.Altogether the full system weighs some 16 pounds (7.25 kg), but it provides protection against 7.62-mm full-metal-jacket rifle bullets—a level of protection that earlier versions of body armour could not provide.

Interceptor Body Armor
Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System
Produced July 1998 – present (production to conclude in April 2020)
Specifications
Weight 16.4 lb (7.4 kg) (with SAPI plates used; everything in Interceptor) 8.4 lb (3.8 kg) (Outer Tactical Vest)

How heavy are military armor plates?

Interceptor Body Armor
Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System
Produced July 1998 – present (production to conclude in April 2020)
Specifications
Weight 16.4 lb (7.4 kg) (with SAPI plates used; everything in Interceptor) 8.4 lb (3.8 kg) (Outer Tactical Vest)

How heavy is an army Iotv?

The basic system weight (IOTV, ESAPI, ESBI, size medium) is 31 pounds and provides increased area coverage and greater protection. The medium IOTV, without plates, weighs 15 pounds and protects against fragmentation and 9mm rounds.

How heavy is US Army body armor?

Altogether the full system weighs some 16 pounds (7.25 kg), but it provides protection against 7.62-mm full-metal-jacket rifle bullets—a level of protection that earlier versions of body armour could not provide.

What size are military SAPI plates?

Lastly, it’s important to note that commercially made SAPI/ESAPI medium sized plates are typically made in a 10″ x 12″ size despite their military counterparts being 9.5″ x 12.5″. Plate carriers made by Spartan Armor Systems™ can accept military issued SAPI plates despite the added .

How much do Army training plates weight?

Available in 5.75lb, 8.75lb & 15lb, these Training Plates fit all plate carriers designed to accept 10” x 12” body armor or larger. Ergonomically designed to mimic armor by the form of a common shooter cut.

How much does a US Army plate carrier weigh?

The Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS), known commercially as the KDH Magnum TAC-1, is a plate carrier developed for the U.S. Army which provides protection in accordance with if not greater than, the Improved Outer Tactical Vest.
Soldier Plate Carrier System
Specifications
Weight approx. 22 lbs (about 10 kg)

How much does an Army ACH weigh?

The Army adopted the Advanced Combat Helmet in 2003, which cut the weight of an extra large helmet down to 3.88 pounds. The new ACH II helmet cuts the weight even further, with an extra large version weighing just 2.94 pounds.

How much does an Army ruck weight?

Also known as “forced marches” or “humps,” these events are basically walking at a fast pace over rough terrain with a backpack at least 45 pounds in weight.

How much do bulletproof plates weigh?

Light ballistic plates weigh as little as 2.4 kilograms while the heavy ones weigh 6 kilograms. You can also get a composite one that weighs 3.6 kilograms. When choosing the kind of ballistic plate to wear, there are several factors that you have top consider.

How much does a military flak jacket weigh?

It consisted of two pieces of steel inserted into the pockets of a regular black military vest. Versions for infantry weighed 3 ½ pounds while a version for cavalry and artillery weighed 7 pounds. They sold for $5–7. A more medieval-looking type of armor was made by the Atwater Armor Company, also of New Haven.

What level plates does the army use?

The U.S. military wears only NIJ-Listed Level 4 plates in active combat environments, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and small conflicts in Africa and South America. The reason they always wear 4 is the protection it offers versus Level 3 plates.

How much does Level 4 body armor weigh?

Level IV Plates
Model Threat Level Weight
Product Details In-conjunction with level IIIA soft armor. 6.40 lbs based on 10″x12″
Product Details Stand Alone 7.5 lbs based on 10″x12″
Product Details Stand Alone 7.8 lbs based on 10″x12″
Product Details Stand Alone 5.8 lbs based on 9.5″x12.5″

What SAPI plates do the military use?

Standard SAPI plates used by the military are made out of ceramic materials like boron carbide or silicon carbide, whereas an ESAPI plate is made out of boron carbide. Military SAPI armor panels are designed to be used with a specific plate carrier, like the IOTV, which itself has soft body armor in it.

How much do army medium plates weigh?

The Army’s Research Laboratory reduced the weight of a size medium Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert plate from 5.45 pounds to 4.9 pounds as part of the Advanced Body Armor Project.

What plates do special forces use?

For short missions, especially in the open field or when the strength of the enemy is well known, having NIJ Level III+ hard plates with limited auxiliary armor is the best. It lets the soldiers hit fast and strong without allowing much return fire at all.

How much does an armor plate weigh?

AR500 steel is a material that has been used by the military, armored car companies, and several body armor manufacturers and retailers such as ourselves. Although, only 1/4” -5/8” thin, steel core body armor plates can weigh anywhere from 5lbs – 11lbs depending on the size, cut and coating. your body shape and size.

How much do bulletproof plates weigh?

Light ballistic plates weigh as little as 2.4 kilograms while the heavy ones weigh 6 kilograms. You can also get a composite one that weighs 3.6 kilograms. When choosing the kind of ballistic plate to wear, there are several factors that you have top consider.

How much do large Army plates weigh?

Large – 2.09 kg (4.6 lb) | 260 x 337 mm (10⅛ x 13¼ in) Extra Large 2.40 kg (5.3 lb) | 280 x 356 mm (11 x 14 in)

How much does a soldier’s gear weigh?

U.S. ground troops today carry an average of 27 pounds of personal protective equipment (body armor and helmet). This weight comes on top of an already heavy burden consisting of a weapon, ammunition, water, batteries, and other gear.


How Much Weight Do Soldiers Have To Carry?!
How Much Weight Do Soldiers Have To Carry?!


Small Arms Protective Insert – Wikipedia

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XSAPI[edit]

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Interceptor Body Armor – Wikipedia

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Overview[edit]

History[edit]

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how much do army sapi plates weigh

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armour – Modern body armour systems | Britannica

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for armour – Modern body armour systems | Britannica Updating In the 1980s the U.S. Army developed the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT), which was composed of a newly designed Kevlar helmet and a Kevlar vest. Although the vest weighed 9 pounds (4 kg), slightly more than the M-1969 vest it replaced, it provided superior protection against shell fragments. In 2003, coinciding with the beginning of the Iraq War, the army replaced the PASGT with the Interceptor Body Armor, or IBA, system. The IBA consists of an “outer tactical vest” made from layered Kevlar, which provides protection against shell fragments and most handgun bullets as large as 9armour, encyclopedia, encyclopeadia, britannica, article
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armour - Modern body armour systems | Britannica
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What is SAPI and ESAPI Body Armor? – Spartan Armor Systems

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BulletProofME.com Body Armor – Rifle Plates – E-SAPI

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Small Arms Protective Insert | Military Wiki | Fandom

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about Small Arms Protective Insert | Military Wiki | Fandom The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is a ceramic trauma plate used by the United States Armed Forces. It was first used in the Interceptor body armor, … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Small Arms Protective Insert | Military Wiki | Fandom The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is a ceramic trauma plate used by the United States Armed Forces. It was first used in the Interceptor body armor, … The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is a ceramic trauma plate used by the United States Armed Forces. It was first used in the Interceptor body armor, a ballistic vest. It is now also used in the Improved Outer Tactical Vest as well as the Modular Tactical Vest, in addition to commercially…
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Physics

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how much do army sapi plates weigh

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Army Cuts Body Armor Plate Weight | Military.com

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How Heavy Is Military Body Armor? – UARM™

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Small Arms Protective Insert

For other uses, see SAPI

A pair of SAPI ceramic plates from 2004

The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is a ceramic ballistic plate used by the United States Armed Forces. It was first used in the Interceptor Body Armor, a ballistic vest. It is now also used in the Improved Outer Tactical Vest as well as the Modular Tactical Vest, in addition to commercially available “plate carriers”. The Kevlar Interceptor vest itself is designed to stop projectiles up to and including 9×19mm Parabellum submachine gun rounds, in addition to fragmentation. To protect against higher-velocity rifle rounds, SAPI plates are needed.

ESAPI [ edit ]

ESAPI and ESBI plates are visible with the components of a Modular Tactical Vest

In May 2005, the U.S. Armed Forces began replacing the standard Small Arms Protective Insert plates with the Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert (ESAPI).[1][2] An ESAPI provides protection from .30-06 Springfield M2 armor-piercing (AP) with a steel[3][4] penetrator in accordance with the NIJ Level IV standard, but costs about $600 per plate, 50% more than SAPI plates.[2] They are produced by Ceradyne, BAE Systems, and ArmorWorks Enterprises.[5]

XSAPI [ edit ]

A call for a next generation plate, to stop even greater velocity threats than the ESAPI plate was issued by the U.S. Army in 2008.[5] The X Threat Small Arms Protective Insert plates are specifically allowed scalar or flexible systems, and asked for better coverage, with less than a pound of additional weight.[6][7] XSAPI did in fact offer slightly better protection, at the cost of more weight and thicker armor profile.[8]

The XSAPI is intended to protect against an “X-Threat”,[9] which is able to be inferred from another source to be the M993 7.62 NATO armor piercing projectile.[10] In addition, there is record of the FBI utilizing the plate for their purposes in May 2011.[11]

The plates were developed in response to a perceived threat of AP projectiles in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over 120,000 inserts were procured; however, the AP threats they were meant to stop never materialized, and the plates were put into storage.

Materials and capabilities [ edit ]

The standard plate for the Interceptor body armor is made of boron carbide[12] or silicon carbide ceramic.[1] The standard plates are not given an NIJ rating, as they are tested in accordance with specific protocols for the military and not the NIJ’s testing. Military testing calls for survivability of three hits from the round marked on the plate – for standard SAPI, of a caliber up to 7.62×51mm NATO M80 ball and of a muzzle velocity up to 2,750 ft/s (840 m/s). For ESAPI, a .30-06 Springfield M2 armor-piercing (AP) (.30-06 black-tip armor-piercing) cartridge. This performance is only assured when backed by the soft armor of the OTV (or any soft armor which meets military requirements for protection). The ceramic plate is backed with a shield made of Spectra, a material up to 40% stronger than Kevlar,[1] to trap any fragments of either plate or projectile and prevent them from injuring the wearer.

Sizes and weights [ edit ]

SAPI plates meant for body armor come in front and back plates which are identical, and smaller side plates. The front and back plates come in five sizes. Their dimensions are the following:[1][13]

Front and back SAPI plates:

Extra Small – 1.27 kg (2.8 lb) | 184 x 292 mm (7¼ x 11½ in)

Small – 1.59 kg (3.5 lb) | 222 x 298 mm (8¾ x 11¾ in)

Medium – 1.82 kg (4.0 lb) | 241 x 318 mm (9½ x 12½ in)

Large – 2.09 kg (4.6 lb) | 260 x 337 mm (10⅛ x 13¼ in)

Extra Large 2.40 kg (5.3 lb) | 280 x 356 mm (11 x 14 in)

ESAPI plates are the same size but slightly greater in weight.[13]

Extra Small – 1.70 kg (3.75 lb)

Small – 2.08 kg (4.60 lb)

Medium – 2.50 kg (5.50 lb)

Large – 2.85 kg (6.30 lb)

Extra Large – 3.25 kg (7.20 lb)

Side SAPI (SSAPI) torso side plates, and their replacement, the Enhanced Side Ballistic Inserts (ESBI), have identical weights and dimensions. ESBI plates can be replaced with size X-Small ESAPI plates (by unfolding an extension built into the bottom of the ESBI Carrier assembly), if permitted by the unit commander.[14][15]

1 kg (2.3 lb) | 150 x 200 mm (6 x 8 in)

Physics [ edit ]

The mechanism of effect lies in absorbing and dissipating the projectile’s kinetic energy in local shattering of the ceramic plate and blunting the bullet material on the hard ceramic. The Spectra backing then spreads the energy of the impact to a larger area and stops the fragments, reducing the likelihood of fatal injury to the wearer. The same principle is used for the ceramic tiles used for the armored cockpits of some military airplanes, and the anti-spallation liners used in modern armored personnel carriers.

It is a false assumption that eliminating the penetration of a projectile into the body by using a personal armor system ensures that the wearer will not experience serious injury or death. Blunt force trauma can cause fatal damage to internal organs.[16]

See also [ edit ]

Interceptor Body Armor

The Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System (IBA) is a bullet-resistant body armor system that was used by the United States Armed Forces during the 2000s, with some limited usage into the mid-2010s. IBA and its design replaced the older standardized fragmentation protective Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT) body armor system that was designed in the late 1970s and introduced in the early 1980s.

The IBA system consists of its core component: the outer tactical vest (OTV), which can optionally be worn with a throat protector, groin protector, and biceps (or deltoid) protector. The latter three auxiliary protectors are removable from the main vest, which can be worn alone.

IBA was designed in the late 1990s as a replacement for the PASGT vest and the essentially-improvised ISAPO supplemental armor plate carrier, a combination widely criticized by US troops for its immense weight. It comes in a variety of color schemes and camouflage patterns depending on who the vest was produced for. It was used by most of the U.S. military’s branches during much of the 2000s, and was even seeing limited use as late as 2015 among some National Guard units.

Beginning in 2007 the Improved Outer Tactical Vest began to replace the OTVs in the United States Army’s service and since then it has been mostly replaced in its inventory, with the exception of a few OTVs still in service with the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. The U.S. Marine Corps has replaced the OTV with the Modular Tactical Vest (MTV) and Scalable Plate Carrier (SPC), although IBA is still used by the U.S. Navy for sailors aboard its warships as of 2017 and by the U.S. Army Reserve as of 2018. Though IBA has been mostly replaced in U.S. military service, it is still used by the militaries of some other countries that have diplomatic relations with the U.S., such as Ukraine, Iraq, and Moldova. As such, the OTV, which has been in production since the late 1990s, is scheduled to be produced by the U.S. until 2020, for sale to foreign customers.

Overview [ edit ]

Basic system [ edit ]

The IBA system consists of an Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) and two Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) ballistic plates. The OTV features a carrier shell, and three main ballistic panel inserts (left and right side panels, and a rear back panel), which are made with a finely woven Kevlar KM2 fiber. These two parts of the vest are both bullet and heat resistant and offer protection similar to the earlier PASGT flak jacket. The soft ballistic panels are produced in five different sizes (S-XXL), which are installed into their respective pocket on the OTV carrier shell.

The Interceptor armor also has a PALS webbing grid on the front of the vest which accommodate the same type of pockets used in the Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) backpack/carry vest system. This allows a soldier to tailor-fit his MOLLE and body armor system. While not specifically designed for it, the loops can also easily attach All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE)-based equipment, as well as many pieces of civilian-made tactical gear, and also features a large handle on the back just below the collar which can be used to drag a wounded person to safety in an emergency.

Originally the entire IBA system weighed 16.4 pounds (7.4 kg),[2] with the vest weighing 8.4 pounds (3.8 kg), and two plate inserts weighing four pounds (1.8 kg) each. This is much lighter than the previous Ranger Body Armor fielded in Somalia which weighed 25.1 pounds (11.4 kg), as well as the PASGT/ISAPO combination, which weighed even more.

Due to the increased dangers of improvised explosive devices, newer versions of the vital plates and components have been developed. The Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts (ESAPIs) and Enhanced Side Ballistic Inserts (ESBIs) have become available, along with the Deltoid and Axillary Protector System (DAPS). These new systems are becoming the standard for forward deployed troops. The E-SAPI plates offer increased protection from 7.62mm armor-piercing ammunition. The ESBIs is an attachable MOLLE ballistic panel with a pouch for a 8×6 side-SAPI, for protection of the side of the torso/under the arm. DAPS consists of two ambidextrous modular components, the Deltoid (upper arm) Protector and the Axillary (underarm) Protector, and provides additional protection from fragmentary and projectiles to the upper arm and underarm areas. With the OTV, E-SAPI plates (10.9 pounds), ESBIs (7.75 pounds), DAPS (5.03 pounds) and with the neck, throat and groin protectors installed the armor is significantly heavier at 33.1 pounds (15 kg).

Additional components [ edit ]

Mannequin of a U.S. Marine wearing a coyote-brown OTV and an additional corporal full protection called “Quadgard IV”. This kind of protection was used by turret gunners during the Iraq War, to protect them against small arms fire and fragmentation.

To increase overall protection, separate accessories can be added to the OTV:

Collar device that is divided in two parts, a neck and collar protector and a throat protector

Groin protector.

The MOLLE II’s Fighting Load Carrier component can be donned over an OTV to increase magazine and ease equipment carrying capacity, though it is not part of the IBA system proper.[3]

With the need for additional accessories to protect troops, some were produced for the ground:

Deltoid and axillary protection system (DAPS, pauldrons). [N 1]

Side plate carriers

Back extender

Upper Legs protector, a kind of kevlar short

Lower Extremity Body Armor (LEBA)

Combat diapers (for example the “Tier 2 Pelvic Protection System” that was issued to U.S. Marines in Afghanistan)[4][5][6]

Ballistic plates [ edit ]

The Interceptor vest was tested to stop a 9×19mm 124-grain FMJ bullet at 1,400 ft/s with minimal backface deformation, and it has a V-50 of roughly 1,525 ft/s. This means that the bullet in question must travel faster than 1,525 ft/s for it to have more than a 50% chance of penetration. (An unlikely prospect, given the muzzle velocity of a typical 9mm handgun or submachine gun). The Interceptor cannot, however, be called a Level III-A vest, since military standards do not require protection against heavy .44 Magnum ammunition. The vest will stop lower velocity fragments and has removable neck, throat, shoulder, extended back and groin protection.

Additionally, two ceramic plates may be added to the front and back of the vest, with each capable of stopping up to three hits from the round marked on the plate. For SAPI, this is a caliber of up to 7.62×51mm M80 FMJ. For ESAPI, this is a caliber of up to 30-06 M2 AP.[7] This performance is only guaranteed when backed by the Interceptor vest, or any other soft armor which meets military requirements for protection. SAPI and ESAPI are the most technically advanced body armor fielded by the U.S. military, and are constructed of boron carbide ceramic with a Spectra shield backing that breaks down projectiles and halts their momentum.

History [ edit ]

A USMC sniper wearing an IBA vest while practicing with an M82A3 anti-materiel rifle at Camp Pendleton, California in April 2001. U.S. soldier (left) in Kosovo in May 2001 wearing an IBA vest.

A linguistic interpreter in June 2002 wearing DCU-patterned IBA in Afghanistan. A U.S. Army mortar crew in 2006 wearing IBA in the DCU camouflage pattern.

Green Bay in the “M81” woodland pattern. U.S. Navy sailors in June 2017 wearing OTVs aboard USSin the “M81” woodland pattern.

Development and production [ edit ]

Materials for the Interceptor vest were developed by DARPA in the 1990s, and a contract for production was awarded to DHB Industries’ Point Blank Body Armor, Inc., by the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center. IBA was announced on April 13, 1998,[8] and the contract to manufacture IBA was awarded to an Oakland Park, Florida-based company under a five-year contract in late July 1998,[9][10] and the body armor went into full production later that year.[11]

In 2007, news reports were being issued on the lack of protection from hard and soft plated body armor from lethal rounds. Due to the coverage of these reports, comparative studies were done on the effectiveness of U.S. Military body armor, included IBA. IBA’s performance was deemed inferior compared to other body armor designs and published on the news. The large coverage from this report led to Dean G. Popps, the Acting United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, to direct all first article testing (FAT) of IBA to the Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). The command headquarters are located at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) as a part of the Army Research Laboratory (ARL).[12]

The Interceptor Body Armor components come in a number of variants. Camouflage patterns include:

“M81” U.S. woodland, used by the U.S. Navy and foreign militaries

Three-color “DCU” desert (less common than woodland and coyote brown) [13]

The Universal Camouflage Pattern, used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, largely superseded by the IOTV and its components

Solid colors include:

Coyote brown (referred to by the DoD as “coyote tan”)

Grey, used by the Afghan National Police service.

The original Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) variant first began to be issued to the U.S. Armed Forces in 2000, though by September 2001 relatively few had actually been fielded.[14] The first OTV carriers were first produced in woodland camouflage pattern (one initial contractor for the early OTVs was Point Blank, Inc). Quickly, a coyote-brown variant was made for the USMC, seeing use during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Marines used OTVs in both woodland and coyote-brown camouflages in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the U.S. Army, the Woodland camouflage pattern was then superseded by the 3-color Desert Combat pattern, followed by the Universal Camouflage Pattern.

Later versions of the OTV made in the mid-to-late 2000s and the 2010s feature more PALS loops on the front and back of the OTV component, hook-and-loop “Velcro” fasteners on the front for nametapes and rank patches, whereas older models from the early 2000s did not. Said later version is commonly referred to as the “second generation” OTV.

As part of U.S. President George W. Bush’s $87 billion package for ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $300 million was earmarked for body armor. A complete Interceptor system costs $1,585.[15] The Interceptor system’s component ceramic plates currently cost about $500 each.

OTVs are still being made today, primarily for the U.S. Army, which then in turn sells them to foreign countries and international customers under the “Foreign Military Sales” (FMS) program. They have been made by convict labor provided the UNICOR company since 2008 and are scheduled to be made until at least April 2020.[16][17] OTVs in the woodland and desert camouflage patterns along with coyote brown color scheme were being made as late as early 2014.[18][19][20][21][22]

Replacement [ edit ]

U.S. Army [ edit ]

On May 10, 2006, the U.S. Army announced it was holding an open competition for companies to design an entirely new generation of body armor “to improve on and replace” the Interceptor Body Armor’s vest component. The Army said it wanted ideas from companies by May 31. Congressional investigators reportedly reviewed the Pentagon’s entire body armor program, including the OTV. Investigators expressed concern that the vests might not be adequate to protect troops.[23]

Aside from replacing the SAPI vital plates with the improved E-SAPI plates, the body armor vests have also been redesigned, improved and enhanced with the introduction of the Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or “IOTV” (which began to be issued to ground combat units from mid-to-late 2007), in the U.S. Army.

U.S. Marine Corps [ edit ]

After initially using IBA as their main body armor system, the U.S. Marine Corps developed a completely new armor system, the Modular Tactical Vest, which was their primary body armor system in Iraq. On September 25, 2006, the Marine Corps announced that Protective Products International won a contract for 60,000 new Modular Tactical Vests (MTV) to replace the Interceptor OTV vests.[24] The MTV provides greater coverage, superior weight distribution, and additional features including as a quick-release system. Some U.S. Navy ground force personnel (such as seabees and hospital corpsmen) use the Modular Tactical Vest. Other Navy personnel on Individual Augmentee assignments use the Army’s body armor systems.

Not adapted for the mountainous environment of Afghanistan, the Modular Tactical Vest (MTV) was replaced by the Scalable Plate Carrier (SPC), a lighter alternative, which is their primary body armor system for Afghanistan.

Since January 2009, the U.S. Marine Corps is seeking for replacements for both MTV and SPC that are commonly issued. The MTV has received top ratings by many U.S. Marines; although a few Marines have complained about minor elements of it and an updated version will soon be released which deals with these elements.[25] The Improved Modular Tactical Vest (IMTV) and Improved Scalable Plate Carrier (ISPC) are the new models. “The IMTV will be the main body armor system for Marines, the Corps plans to order about 70,000 of the improved plate carriers, far more than the estimated 10,000 to 14,000 plate carriers in use today”.[26]

Effectiveness [ edit ]

An Interceptor vest with additional side SAPI plates and neck protector in 2005, with a set of full-body armor in the background.

Discussion [ edit ]

Body armor is always a compromise: mobility and comfort (and with it speed and stamina) are inevitably sacrificed to some degree when greater protection is achieved. This is a point of contention in the U.S. armed forces, with some favoring less armor in order to maintain mobility and others wanting as much protection as is practical. Troops who primarily ride in vehicles generally want the highest practical level of protection from IEDs and ambushes, while dismounted infantry often make the case that impaired mobility can prove just as fatal as inadequate armor.

Controversies [ edit ]

U.S. soldiers in 2003 wearing woodland-patterned IBA vests atop DCUs. Prior to the introduction of the Army Combat Uniform in mid-to-late 2005 most U.S. soldiers wore the woodland-patterned IBA; although DCU-patterned vests existed they were relatively rare.

Most OTVs were made in the “M81” U.S. woodland camouflage pattern initially.[13] As a result, during the Iraq War prior to the adoption of the Army Combat Uniform, most U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq were wearing woodland-patterned OTVs atop Desert Camouflage Uniforms,[13] resulting in them being easier to spot from a distance in a desert environment like Iraq.[13]

On 4 May 2005 the U.S. Marine Corps recalled 5,277 Interceptor OTVs made by DHB’s Point Blank unit after news reports about the vests’ inability to stop 9 mm bullets. In November 2005, the Marine Corps ordered 10,342 Interceptor Outer Tactical Vests pulled from the operating forces after media reports indicated some samples tested by the manufacturer and by the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland failed to fully comply with ballistics standards.

A U.S. Marine Corps forensic study obtained by DefenseWatch criticizes the Interceptor OTV body armor system. The report says: “As many as 42% of the Marine casualties who died from isolated torso injuries could have been prevented with improved protection in the areas surrounding the plated areas of the vest. Nearly 23% might have benefited from protection along the mid-axillary line of the lateral chest. Another 15% died from impacts through the unprotected shoulder and upper arm.”[27]

Alternatives [ edit ]

Private purchase of commercial body armor for combat use by soldiers is not authorized by the U.S. Army. A spokesman voiced concerns in 2004 about armor that had not been “tested, certified or approved” by the Army.[15] In 2005, the DoD, under severe pressure from Congress after the recalls, authorized a one-time $1,000 reimbursement to soldiers who had purchased civilian body armor and other gear.[28] In 2006 they gave orders not to wear anything but military issued body armor because of fears that inadequate armor could be purchased, mainly body armor that had inadequate blunt force trauma protection.[29]

Users [ edit ]

Iraqi soldiers in 2015 wearing woodland-patterned IBAs. Ukrainian soldiers (right) wearing the IBA in October 2015

Afghan police grey OTV, front view Afghan police grey OTV, rear view Afghan police grey OTV, detail of the label

See also [ edit ]

Notes [ edit ]

^ The U.S. Marine Corps adopted a similar system called Armor Protection Enhancement System (APES) around 2004 and 2005. This one was considered to be uncomfortable by its wearers and did not offer sufficient protection. The Oklahoma State University (OSU) Design, Housing and Merchandizing Department led by D.H. Branson developed a full protection system that covers both arms and legs called Quadgard that quickly replaced the APES made by Point Blank Body Armor. Around 4800 sets of the Quadgard IV were sent in Iraq to be used (mainly) by turret gunners inside humvees during convoy patrols.

References [ edit ]

armour – Modern body armour systems

Modern body armour systems

In the 1980s the U.S. Army developed the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT), which was composed of a newly designed Kevlar helmet and a Kevlar vest. Although the vest weighed 9 pounds (4 kg), slightly more than the M-1969 vest it replaced, it provided superior protection against shell fragments. In 2003, coinciding with the beginning of the Iraq War, the army replaced the PASGT with the Interceptor Body Armor, or IBA, system. The IBA consists of an “outer tactical vest” made from layered Kevlar, which provides protection against shell fragments and most handgun bullets as large as 9 mm, and two ceramic “small arms protective inserts,” or SAPI plates, which can be inserted into the vest to provide additional protection. Altogether the full system weighs some 16 pounds (7.25 kg), but it provides protection against 7.62-mm full-metal-jacket rifle bullets—a level of protection that earlier versions of body armour could not provide.

The basic IBA system protects the body’s most vital organs from injury, and the Kevlar helmet protects the head. Add-on components include a groin protector, a throat protector, and upper-arm protection. To counter a growing threat from improvised explosive devices and armour-piercing bullets, the U.S. military produced enhanced SAPI plates, enhanced side ballistic inserts, and deltoid and axillary protectors for the outer tactical vest, thus providing a greater area of body coverage and protecting against more-potent projectiles.

In the British armed forces body armour has gone through a similar evolution. Steel helmets, which had been standard-issue since World War I, were replaced in the 1980s by the first of a series of helmets fabricated of nylon. In the late 1980s a lightweight Combat Body Armour (CBA) was introduced, consisting of a vest with soft ballistic filler capable of protecting against fragments and 9-mm pistol rounds. The Enhanced Body Armour (EBA) version could be reinforced with ceramic plates for greater protection against higher-velocity projectiles. In response to combat conditions in the Afghanistan War, where troops found themselves fighting more often on foot than in armoured vehicles, the Osprey Assault body armour system was introduced. That advanced system used slimmer ceramic plates and was to be worn with a new helmet design that allowed greater range of movement in prone firing positions.

The use of IBA- and Osprey-type systems significantly reduced torso wounds and saved many lives in combat, but protection came at the cost of decreased mobility and increased weight (and therefore decreased comfort and stamina) for individual soldiers. A complete set of enhanced IBA with all inserts and add-on components weighs more than 33 pounds (15 kg), and the Osprey Assault kit weighs only slightly less at almost 28 pounds (12.5 kg)—perhaps acceptable for the driver of a cargo truck but a considerable burden for an infantryman patroling on foot in the extreme heat of a Middle Eastern or South Asian summer. Some infantrymen complain that too much body armour is detrimental to fighting lightly armed and mobile guerrillas. Nevertheless, the benefits in most cases outweigh the disadvantages, so that body armour will likely remain part of the soldier’s kit for the foreseeable future.

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