More Body Armor Headed to Warfighters on the Battlefield

For more than four decades, BAE Systems has partnered with customers worldwide to develop affordable, practical solutions to protect warfighters in harm’s way and bring them home safely.

Under several recently issued contracts valued at a total of nearly $18 million, BAE Systems will continue to provide hard armor inserts for soldiers on the battlefield.

“The body armor is designed with the specific purpose of stopping armor-piercing bullets,” said Ashoo Agarwal, a quality engineer at BAE Systems. “Our team of engineers works hard to ensure every plate we make meets a rigorous set of requirements and standards. This commitment to quality helps protect warfighters around the world."

Among the contracts issued is a $10.2 million order from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency for Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts (ESAPI); an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract award for up to $6 million from the U.S. Department of Defense for SPEAR BALCS inserts and a $500,000 research and development contract from the U.S. Marine Corps for Enhanced Concealable Small Arms Protective Inserts.

Hard armor inserts are worn inside the fronts, backs, and sides of outer tactical vests and provide advanced torso protection against increased threats on the battlefield. They are fully qualified by the U.S. government through arduous and independent physical, environmental, and ballistic testing.

Since 1998, BAE Systems has produced more than 1.2 million hard body armor inserts, including ESAPI and other SAPI derivatives, under various Department of Defense contracts. BAE Systems manufactures body armor at its Phoenix, Arizona facility. Deliveries on these orders are expected to be complete by April 2015.

Source : BAE Systems