Body armor plates are protective elements, which are added to the body armor and provide additional mechanical protection of the body against striking elements (cold weapons, shot, bullets, fragments of bombs and shells). They are usually detachable, added to the body armour pockets depending on the mission and the type and strength of the possible munitions.
Originally armour plates were made of particularly hard “44” steel or titanium alloy of different thickness, from 1 to 15 mm. The thickness of the plate depended on the body armor protection class (I – 1 mm, II – 2.4 mm, III – 4.3 mm, IV – 5.8 mm, V – 6.5 mm, VI – 15 mm). Considering that each class of armor plate is designed to protect against certain types of weapons and withstands its own level of mechanical stresses, the thickness and number of armor plates is in direct correlation with the strength of the impact elements.
Although metal armor plates are durable and reusable, they are quite massive and heavy, giving the body armor an additional weight (up to 15 kg) and rigidity. Today, metal is used in class 2-6 body armour, designed for direct close combat with automatic firearms.
To make police and security body armour (protection class 2-4) lighter and more flexible, the use of lighter and more flexible materials as body armour plates has been initiated:
- Kevlar (aramid fabric) is a soft, flexible and very strong material, which is used in body armour for concealed wear (security guards, bodyguards, mobile special forces). Good protection against splinters, but usually used in class 1 or 2 waistcoats.
- Ceramic is an optimum protection against armour-piercing bullets, absorbing a very high impact energy. The only disadvantage is that it shatters if hit by bullets, and cannot be reused.
- Metal-ceramic is an improved reusable armor-piercing protection (if the ceramic layer cracks, the sheet metal underneath will provide the desired protection). These armour plates are used in open-wear BCs.
- Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a lightweight but very dense polymer, with the same characteristics as Kevlar, but used mainly in armor plates of class 1-2 (the “higher” classes require thicker plates).
The Kevlar and ceramic armour plates are available in many online shops, both American-made and made in China:
- ceramic and metal-ceramic armor plates;
- soft kevlar plates and packages;
- assault rifles;
- armour packs into backpacks.
Presented products are original, produced by renowned brands Survival Armor, TYR Tactical, PrimeArmor “TEMP-30003” and contract manufacturers of equipment for the US Army.
The products meet the established class of protection and technical standards for tactical goods, are certified and protected by manufacturers’ warranty.
Armour plates with the required characteristics and dimensions can be ordered directly from the catalogue of any shop.