Body armor and platform carriers are two standard combat gear. In the United States, body armor began to be used during World War I, although other countries used similar protective gear until the twentieth century. The Brewster Body Shield was one of the first items of personal protective equipment used by the US military. In modern times, the improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) and the modular tactical vest of the United States Marine Corps (MTV), used with small-body protective inserts (SAPI), are common parts of protective combat equipment. These tactical vests protect against ballistic projectiles and strikes, and the plates protect against rifles and sharp objects.
Ballistic vests, which belong to any armor that protects against bullets, are made of strong fibers that capture shells and spread their power over a large surface area. The energy from the projectile is absorbed by this large area of the vest. However, the user may still experience some form of blunt injury while wearing this piece of body armor.
Body armor, such as ballistic vests, has penetration resistance requirements and limits on the amount of impact energy for which it can stand. However, a ballistic vest provides very minimal protection against sharp objects — knives, arrows, and ice axes — as they cut through the fibers that smooth most bullets. Each vest, intended for use as military equipment or law enforcement, must comply with different standards. In the United States, they are indicated by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). NIJ standards and UK Office standards for the development of an internal UK office are commonly used for body armor around the world.
NIJ standards use a system that classifies from type I to type IV based on various penetration resistance tests and transmitted impact energy. A typical test consists of a projectile fired into a vest and the measured depth it contributes to the material. Types III and IV offer resistance to shooting, but vests for this type of protection must be supplemented with protective inserts for small arms.
Plates, such as protective inserts from light weapons, support body armor through metal, ceramics, or polyethylene over vital organs. Adding these plates makes the body armor completely effective against pistols and rifles. Together the vest and plates are standard for military purposes.
Protection against impact and other sharp objects requires a different set of materials. The body armor in this case is complemented with coated and laminated para-aramid textiles or metal. The standards for this type of vest are based on the standards of the British Police, PSDB. However, a combination of armor and ballistic protection can be won in law enforcement.
Another term for body armor is a carrier. Not to be confused with tactical cases, carriers belong to the visible part of the vest with pockets for ballistic plates and belts for installation on the user. Like conventional military equipment, carriers are used by both military and law enforcement personnel. Military body armor, more specifically, have straps with a series of hooks, loops and snaps in front and behind. This allows you to attach different parts of the gear to the front of the holder.
