Levels of Body Armor Protection from Armored Republic
Wanting to know what body armor will protect against? What is the most protective armor plate? Or unsure of what body armor is right for you? Then read below for further details on the different body armor protection levels. Learn about Armored Republic's Body Armor Matrix and take a look at our Body Armor 101 page which will provide body armor basics and answers to commonly asked questions.
Levels of body armor protection are determined by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), a department for the U.S. Department of Justice, which is responsible for researching, developing, and evaluating crime and justice issues. The current ballistic resistance standard is 0101.06. For further details on body armor levels read below.
Our steel alloy AR500 Armor® Heritage Plate offers the most protection for your buck, and covers the most common threats one could encounter, including nearly all Military & NATO calibers up to the threat level below:
Independently tested and rated to NIJ 0101.06 standards to defeat six (6) rounds of 7.62x51 M80 NATO Ball from 51’ at 2,780 feet per second.
Special threat tested to defeat six (6) rounds of 5.56x45mm M855/SS109 (Green Tip) 62gr penetrator at 2,780 feet per second.
Level III Lightweight (Polyethylene) Rated Body Armor
For when ounces are pounds and mobility is everything, our polyethylene (PE) P2 body armor is the choice weighing at a mere 3.3 lbs per plate (10”x12”). Positively buoyant, stand-alone, and multi-hit capable, the P2 plate is a true contender for those who are willing to sacrifice the benefits of our steel alloy core body armor to save weight.
P2 armor covers up to the threat levels below:
Six (6) rounds of 7.62x51 M80 NATO Ball from 51' at 2,780 feet per second
Level III+ (High-Velocity Rifle Rated Steel) Body Armor
Our steel alloy A1 body armor features an improved, ultra-hard ballistic steel core, further enhancing performance over our Level III rated AR500 Armor® Heritage Plate. With nearly 30% increased core strength, the A1 is capable of defeating higher-level rifle threats.
The armor covers up to the threat level below:
Independently tested and rated to NIJ 0101.06 standards to defeat six (6) rounds of 7.62x51 M80 NATO Ball from 51’ at 2,780 feet per second.
Special Threat tested to defeat:
5.56 x45 M193 at 3,100 feet per second.
5.56x45 M855/SS109 (Penetrators) at 3,100 feet per second.
7.62x51 M80 NATO Ball (non-AP) at 3,000 feet per second.
Our A3 plate is a patent-pending alloy composite design, which joins a single plate of steel alloy, fixed in front as the strike face, with a polyethylene backer to catch the round. This plate provides Level III+ special rated protection. Combine the protective resilience of steel alloys with extremely lightweight polyethylene to support it for only 4.6 pounds.
Protection: 7.62 mm FMJ, steel-jacketed bullets (U.S. Military designation M80) with a specified mass of 9.6 g (147gr) and a velocity of 2,780 ft/s (+/- 30 ft/s). Special threat protection against M193, M855 and 7.62x39mm PS Ball.
Our steel alloy A2 body armor has a genetically similar ballistic core to our standard Level III+ rated A1 plate, except we made it thinner and lighter. The result is an evolved form of steel alloy body armor and is currently the lightest and highest-rated ballistic steel core body armor on the market.
This armor covers up to the threat level below:
Independently tested and rated to NIJ 0101.06 standards to defeat six (6) rounds of 7.62x51 M80 NATO Ball from 51’ at 2,780 feet per second.
Special Threat tested to defeat:
5.56 x45 M193 at 3,000 feet per second
5.56x45 M855/SS109 (Penetrators) at 3,000 feet per second
Our ceramic C2 Multi-Hit body armor is a cost-effective, multi-hit rated certified plate that offers excellent value and performance. This Level IV-rated plate is professionally wrapped, water-resistant, and manufactured 100% in the USA. The C2 Multi-Hit covers up to the threat level below:
Special Threat tested to defeat 30-06 APM2 at 2,880 FPS (7.62x63mm 165gr) Armor Piercing Black Tip Rounds, and all lesser level III and III+ rated threats.
Alloy: Our steel alloy armor offers heavily-reduced back face deformation when compared to ceramic and PE type armor. Armored Republic's steel alloy body armor offers stress fracture resistance, an amazing 20-year maintenance-free shelf life, and unparalleled stand-alone multi-hit performance with rated calibers. Guaranteed to outlast Ceramic, Polyethylene, and UHMWPE body armor in multi-hit capability and shelf life.
Trauma Pads: Designed to be worn in conjunction with and behind your body armor, our Trauma Pads reduce the amount of energy transferred to your body, reducing felt energy through your armor. Trauma pads are Non-Ballistic and offer no increase in ballistic protection.
FragLock Fragmentation Coating: All of our standard steel plates come with a base coat of our proprietary FragLock™ spall and fragmentation coating. Encompassing each steel alloy body armor plate, it adds resistance against the elements and other forms of abrasion. Suitable for hard use applications and storage in less than ideal conditions. With our Build-Up Coat applied, our steel alloy body armor is capable of containing rated rounds on impact, substantially mitigating fragmentation and spall, and significantly improving safety from bullet fragments.
