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Point Blank Solutions Collaborates with DuPont Protection Technologies to Launch New NIJ .06 Body Armor Solutions Featuring DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™

—January 14, 2010.
Point Blank Solutions, Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: PBSO.PK), a leader in the field of protective body armor, today announced that it will be exhibiting several of its new ballistic models certified under the latest NIJ Standard-0101.06 at the 2010 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference (SHOT Show). Considered the largest and most comprehensive event for professionals involved with the shooting sports and hunting industries, SHOT Show kicks off on January 19th and runs through the 22nd at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“SHOT Show is a great forum to showcase our new, NIJ .06 solutions and meet with many of our key customers and partners,” stated Mike Foreman, SVP of Sales and Marketing. “We are very excited about our 2010 line-up, which includes 15 newly certified ballistic models designed to provide officers with the greatest level of protection against increased threats. Working with partners such as DuPont Protection Technologies, we continue to develop and integrate the most innovative technologies, and remain committed to delivering solutions to our customers when they demand them. Already, we have a number of federal, state and local agencies adopting NIJ .06 systems with DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™ technology, and look forward to sharing our insights on user trends with attendees.”

The Company’s subsidiaries, Point Blank Body Armor and Protective Apparel Corporation of America (PACA), will display some of the most advanced lines of concealable and tactical body armor and accessory products, including newly enhanced packages for female officers. Among the products to be showcased are:

PBBA’s Vision®, a high-performance concealable body armor system designed to suit personal needs for thinness and flexibility, with the optimal combination of comfort and protection.

PACA’s Blue Steel™ concealable vest featuring the same advanced ballistic capabilities as Visionâ, coupled with a temperature-regulating carrier construction to keep officers exceptionally cool and dry.

PBBA’s Hi-Lite™ vest which offers the ultimate fusion of protection and comfort. This concealable carrier comes with a new design that provides greater range of motion, flexibility and adjustability.

PACA’s Perform-X concealable vest which provides optimum protective coverage with ergonomically-enhanced materials that keep the wearer cooler, dryer and more comfortable.

PBBA’s Dragon Fire™, a performance-driven, side-opening tactical armor system that combines ultimate coverage and maneuverability.

PACA’s Four Star tactical vest which provides maximum protective coverage, extreme versatility in fit and enhanced adjustability for greater mobility.

With more NIJ .06 certifications than any other body armor manufacturer in the industry, the Company will have on display, several new ballistic packages including Hi-Lite XP™ and Perform XP™, constructed of 100% DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™, a new patented woven fabric technology. These latest solutions with Kevlar® XP™ were specially developed to protect against growing threat levels and to deliver incredible bullet-stopping power under various extreme field conditions (heat, humidity, cold, and mechanical wear). DuPont independent lab tests have illustrated that Kevlar® XP™ consistently stops most bullets within the second or third layer of a ballistic panel. The remaining layers absorb the bullet’s energy and tests have shown that the fabric decreases back face signature (BFS) by 15% or more, thereby reducing potentially serious ballistic and trauma injuries. It is also up to 10% lighter than other commercially available technologies designed to defeat the most challenging NIJ Level IIIA ballistic threat -- the 44 Magnum. Other flagship products such as the Assault-One and SPIDER® vests, Rapid Response Plate Carrier, Multi-Component Plate Harness, Stretcher, as well as the Company’s exclusive ThorShield™ electroshock weapon protection technology will also be exhibited. Attendees are invited to view solutions and speak one-on-one with the PBBA and PACA team at booth #11163.

ABOUT POINT BLANK SOLUTIONS, INC.
Point Blank Solutions, Inc. is a leader in the design and production of technologically advanced body armor systems for the U.S. Military, Government and law enforcement agencies, as well as select international markets. The Company is also recognized as the largest producer of soft body armor in the U.S. With state-of-the-art manufacturing and laboratory testing facilities, strategic technology and marketing alliances, and an ongoing commitment to drive innovation, Point Blank Solutions believes that it can deliver the most advanced body armor solutions, quicker and better than anyone in the industry.
The Company maintains facilities in Pompano Beach, FL and Jacksboro, TN. To learn more about Point Blank Solutions, Inc. visit our website at www.PointBlankSolutionsInc.com

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: THE STATEMENTS WHICH ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHICH ARE BASED LARGELY ON THE COMPANY'S EXPECTATIONS AND ARE SUBJECT TO VARIOUS BUSINESS RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, CERTAIN OF WHICH ARE BEYOND THE COMPANY'S CONTROL. WORDS SUCH AS "EXPECTS," "ANTICIPATES," "TARGETS," "GOALS," "PROJECTS," "INTENDS," "PLANS," "BELIEVES," "SEEKS," "ESTIMATES," VARIATIONS OF SUCH WORDS, AND SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS ARE INTENDED TO IDENTIFY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE ONLY PREDICTIONS THAT SPEAK AS OF THE DATE HEREOF AND ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. THEREFORE, ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY AND ADVERSELY FROM THOSE EXPRESSED IN ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. FACTORS THAT MIGHT CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH DIFFERENCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, (1) CHANGES IN THE COMPANY'S INTERNAL CONTROL STRUCTURE OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING, (2) UNCERTAINTY OF FUTURE FINANCIAL RESULTS, (3) ADDITIONAL FINANCING REQUIREMENTS, (4) DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTS, (5) GOVERNMENT APPROVAL AND CONTRACTING PROCESSES, (6) THE IMPACT OF COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS OR PRICING, (7) TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES, (8) THE EFFECT OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, (9) THE OUTCOME AND IMPACT OF LITIGATION TO WHICH THE COMPANY IS A PARTY AND THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND OTHER INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THE COMPANY, (10) TURNOVER IN THE COMPANY'S SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND (11) OTHER UNCERTAINTIES DETAILED IN THE COMPANY'S FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE UNCERTAINTIES AND RISKS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN "RISK FACTORS," IN THE COMPANY'S PERIODIC REPORTS ON FORMS 10-K AND 10-Q. THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO REVISE OR UPDATE PUBLICLY ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT ANY CHANGE IN THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR MANAGEMENT WITH REGARD THERETO OR ANY CHANGE IN EVENTS, CONDITIONS, OR CIRCUMSTANCES ON WHICH ANY SUCH STATEMENTS ARE BASED.

Company Contact:
Mike Foreman
Tel: 800-413-5155
Email: mforeman@pbsinc.com

Media Contact:
Glenn Wiener or Dionne Manchester
Tel: 212-786-6013 / 212-786-6068
Email: gwiener@GWCco.com Email: Dionne@GWCco.com

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Point Blank Solutions Collaborates with DuPont Protection Technologies to Launch New NIJ .06 Body Armor Solutions Featuring DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™

—July 28, 2009.
Point Blank Solutions, Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: PBSO.PK), a leader in the field of protective body armor, today announced a new line of high-performance ballistic armor systems, utilizing 100% DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™, a new patented woven fabric technology.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has awarded Level IIIA certification for the Company’s KXPIIIA ballistic model which is available in both Point Blank Body Armor’s Hi-Lite XP™ and Protective Apparel Corporation of America’s (PACA) Perform XP™ models. These protective solutions are constructed of 100% Kevlar® XP™ and meet the most demanding requirements of global body armor standards while offering virtually the lightest weight protection available to law enforcement officers today.

Hi-Lite XP™ and Perform XP™ were developed in collaboration with DuPont Protection Technologies to protect against increased threat levels faced by officers and to deliver incredible bullet-stopping power under a variety of extreme field conditions (heat, humidity, cold, and mechanical wear). According to independent laboratory tests conducted by DuPont, Kevlar® XP™ consistently stops most bullets within the second or third layer of a ballistic panel. The remaining layers absorb the energy of the bullet and tests have shown that Kevlar® XP™ decreases back face signature (BFS) by 15% or more, thereby reducing potentially serious ballistic and trauma injuries. It is also up to 10% lighter than other commercially available technologies designed to defeat the most challenging NIJ Level IIIA ballistic threat -- the 44 Magnum.

These two body armor systems have more than satisfied NIJ’s .06 rigorous testing requirements for certification which for one, mandate increased test muzzle velocities for handgun caliber ammunition. Both systems are also engineered to protect against "special threats" ammunition including 9mm SXT 127 grain and FN 5.7x28, among others. Additionally, they successfully passed shot pattern and frequency requirements which have changed to include closer groupings (three shots in a four inch circle); impacts closer to the edge of the armor (two inches rather than three inches away); and 144 shots to be fired versus .04’s 48 shots.

“We continue to collaborate closely with partners and suppliers such as DuPont to integrate the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art materials and technologies into our ballistic systems,” stated Michael Foreman, SVP of Domestic and International Sales. “With new products coming to market, distributors and law enforcement agencies will receive the latest advancements from both Point Blank Body Armor and PACA. I look forward to growing our partnership with DuPont Protection Technologies, bringing together the strengths of two industry leaders.”

Providing the ultimate fusion of protection and comfort, Hi-Lite XP™ and Perform XP™ will be offered with new ergonomically enhanced carriers which provide greater range of motion, flexibility and adjustability. Point Blank’s ballistic engineers and garment design team have seamlessly integrated vital protective features such as the Company’s patented Self Suspending Ballistic System™ (SSBS) with several adaptive comfort features, designed to ensure comprehensive coverage that naturally flexes to the contours of the body for exceptional maneuverability.

“We have enjoyed a strong working relationship with Point Blank for years, partnering with them to develop the most advanced ballistic technologies for the U.S. Armed Forces, law enforcement community and various government agencies. This latest alliance is another significant opportunity to fulfill market requirements and continue to advance industry solutions,” said Dale Outhous, Global Marketing Leader, DuPont Protection Technologies.

Company Contact:
Mike Foreman
Tel: 800-413-5155
Email: mforeman@pbsinc.com

Media Contact:
Glenn Wiener or Dionne Manchester
Tel: 212-786-6013 / 212-786-6068
Email: gwiener@GWCco.com Email: Dionne@GWCco.com

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Point Blank Solutions Receives ‘NIJ .06 Seal of Approval’ for Advanced Body Armor Systems Enhanced Hi-Lite™ and Perform-X Series Among Solutions Certified Under New Rigorous Standard

—July 14, 2009.
Point Blank Solutions, Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: PBSO.PK), a leader in the field of protective body armor, today announced that three of the Company’s flagship ballistic armor systems have been certified as meeting new rigorous performance standards set forth by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

The NIJ has granted Levels IIA and II certification, respectively, to Point Blank’s BIIA and BII ballistic models, which will be available under the Hi-Lite™ Series from Point Blank Body Armor and Perform-X Series from Protective Apparel Corporation of America (PACA), the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries. Additionally, the NIJ has granted Level IIIA certification to the Company’s KXPIIIA ballistic package, to be sold under the Hi-Lite XP™ and Perform XP™ brands accordingly. These systems combine the latest state-of-the-art technologies and cutting-edge materials which meet the most demanding requirements for high-performance and protection, while satisfying critical comfort needs with ultra-flexible and light-weight designs.

Marking one of the most significant updates to ballistic protection requirements in years, the new NIJ Standard-0101.06 (released in July 2008) establishes tougher performance mandates and test methods for the ballistic resistance of personal body armor, with the goal of improving and ensuring that the highest possible life-protecting capabilities are provided. It reviews NIJ body armor classifications, details requirements (i.e., acceptance criteria, workmanship, armor backing material, etc.), and addresses test methods including velocity measurement equipment, wet conditioning, test preparation, etc.

Point Blank’s newly approved models underwent complex testing procedures which included testing with ammunition calibers at higher velocities and increased frequencies (NIJ 06 requires 144 shots to be fired versus 04's 48 shots) than previously required. Another significant performance requirement concerned energy/trauma transfer, also called ‘backface’ measurement. The requirements of backface are no more than 44mm in indentation. Models also had to withstand an artificial aging process involving exposure to high temperatures and humidity. This indicates the armor's ability to maintain ballistic integrity after exposure to extreme field conditions such as heat moisture and mechanical wear.

“We’re pleased to have a piece of the certification process behind us and now look forward to getting our leading-edge solutions to the law enforcement men and women who rely on Point Blank for life-saving protection,” stated Michael Foreman, SVP of Domestic and International Sales. “Receiving NIJ .06 approval underscores our dedication to developing, testing and delivering the kind of technologically-advanced body armor systems that ensure officer safety is never compromised. These new certified products will headline our commercial offering, with others slated for introduction later this year pending NIJ .06 approval.”

Company Contact:
Mike Foreman
Tel: 800-413-5155
Email: mforeman@pbsinc.com

Media Contact:
Glenn Wiener or Dionne Manchester
Tel: 212-786-6013 / 212-786-6068
Email: gwiener@GWCco.com Email: Dionne@GWCco.com

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF BODY ARMOR

— By Frances Romero Tuesday, Apr. 07, 2009.
On April 3, Vietnamese immigrant Jiverly Wong, 41, walked into an immigration-services center in Binghamton, N.Y., and opened fire, killing 13 people in the worst mass shooting in the U.S. since the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre. The following day, three Pittsburgh, Penn., police officers responding to a domestic disturbance were killed by 23-year-old Richard Poplawski. In both cases, the suspects were wearing body armor. Wong ultimately took his own life; police eventually took Poplawski into custody after a four-hour standoff, charging him with three counts of criminal homicide and nine counts of attempted homicide as well as charges stemming from his use of body armor in a criminal act. (See pictures of the scene in Binghamton.)
The two perpetrators are the latest examples of what investigators have begun calling "pseudo commandos" — criminals who prepare for a showdown with law enforcement by strapping on bullet-resistant vests before battle. (Technically, body armor isn't considered bulletproof; depending on the vest, high-powered weapons can still cause life-threatening injuries). In one of the most famous cases, in 1997, bank robbers Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Matasareanu faced off against police outside a Bank of America branch in North Hollywood covered in body armor and toting high-powered weapons. After injuring 11 officers and six civilians, both men were killed: Matasareanu by shots outside the coverage of his armor and Phillips by his own hand.
Body armor, by its very nature, is meant to protect the wearer from flying bullets, and in most circumstances outside a war zone it's tough to argue that they should be available for civilian use. For that reason, some states including New York ban their purchase by private citizens — although Poplawski was permitted to buy armor under Pennsylvania law. Federal statutes also block convicted violent felons from buying body armor — which can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000 — but as far as investigators have found, neither Wong nor Poplawski previously fit that criterion. With laws varying from state to state, the gear can often be bought off the Internet or at specialist retail outlets. (Posh London department store Harrods recently began carrying a line of "high-security fashion" by Colombian designer Miguel Caballero.)
Still, some manufacturers, like Florida-based Point Blank Body Armor Inc., make it their policy to provide gear only to licensed security, law-enforcement, corrections and military personnel. "We certainly would endorse and support any efforts to pass laws with tighter controls or limit body armor falling in the hands of people who should not have it," says Michael Foreman, senior vice president of sales for Point Blank and a 35-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. But the fact is, laws against civilian use and purchase are sparse and often difficult to enforce.
Almost as long as humans have used offensive weapons, they've thought defensively as well. The very first types of armor were animal hides that cushioned the blows of clubs. Chinese warriors in the 11th century B.C. clad themselves in rhinoceros skin; ancient Greek warriors carried round, flat shields of bronze, reinforced with layers of hide and wax. In medieval Europe, knights and lords rode to battle in chain mail, a heavy, fantastically expensive armor forged from thousands of tiny links of steel. By the mid–14th century, advances in technology — namely, the high-velocity crossbow and longbow — necessitated steel-plate armor that covered from head to toe.
The first versions of armor to protect against gunshots appeared in the 18th century, made of layers of cotton and sufficient enough to protect against rudimentary firearms. In the 1870s, Australian outlaw Ned Kelly famously crafted entire suits from steel for himself and his gang members for the final, ill-fated standoff with police that led to his capture. During the Korean War of the 1950s, U.S. forces used armor made of fiberglass, nylon and heat-treated aluminum. Today an array of protective gear is available including the soft ballistic vests favored by police and S.W.A.T. team members, often made out of Kevlar, a lightweight fiber five times stronger than steel. Hard armor plates, on the other hand, are made of thick ceramic or metal engineered to withstand high-powered assault weapons and are more often used in the military.
Body armor can be highly effective when worn properly; some analysts cite its use as standard equipment for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan as reasons why troop fatalities in those conflicts have remained at historically low levels (even as a larger proportion of soldiers return home injured or maimed by wounds that previously would have killed them). But the same evolution that has likely saved thousands of lives is now raising the question of whether tighter regulation would save even more. When laws vary so widely from place to place and the civilian purchase of body armor becomes more common, the lines get more difficult to draw. "There's a challenge and a balance between giving consumers protective solutions and protecting those who serve," says Foreman. "I would not want to discount that there are others who may feel the need for protective solutions for their own safety."

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Dozens of great law enforcement products debuted in the aisles of the Orange County Convention Center.

-—By POLICE Magazine Staff - March 2009
For years now, the law enforcement section of the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) show has been growing. This January, the LE section was literally growing out the door ofthe Orange County (Fla.) Convention Center.
There were law enforcement exhibits in the lobby, in the hallways, in the meeting rooms from one end of the rambling convention center to the other. And they had a lot of great products on display.
Here's a look at our favorites from this year's SHOT.
5.11 Tactical
Select Carry Pack
Designed by a European cop for plainclothes and VIP protection duties, the 5.11 Tactical Select Carry Pack looks like a stylish triangular backpack. But when you flip it around and unzip the main compartment, a subgun is at your finger tips and an identifying panel that says "Police" deploys. Unzip the secondary compartment and your handgun is ready to go. The pack features MOLLE attachments for securing magazines and gear. It can even accommodate a ballistic panel. A larger version for small M4s is in development.
Want FREEInfo? Visit 5.11 Tactical Online

Accutest
Identa Kit
The Accutest Identa system from Jant Pharmacal is one of the easiest to use drug and explosives identification tools on the market. The company says the system is extremely accurate and inexpensive compared to other similar products. It detects trace amounts in seconds and disposal is simple and environmentally safe. The explosives kit can identify TNT/PETN, RDX/Nitrate, TATP, and more. The drug kit includes tests for cocaine/crack, heroin, marijuana, ecstasy, LSD, methamphetamine, and many more.
Want FREEInfo? Visit Accutest Online

ALS Technologies
Tactical Blast Strip
Flat and almost as flexible as a piece of corrugated cardboard, ALS Technologies' Tactical Blast Strip is an electronically detonated distraction device that can be easily inserted under most doors. This innovative flash-bang produces a stunning 175 decibels of noise. Care should be taken to ensure that this device is not deployed within five feet from subjects.
Want FREEInfo? Visit ALS Technologies Online

ASP
Triad Elite 2
ASP showed its latest Triad LED flashlight, the Triad Elite 2. Featuring Cree high-intensity LEDs, the Triad Elite 2 has a foamed vinyl grip and a three-position switch. The rotary tail cap switch can be locked in the off mode, the constant-on mode, or in intermittent mode. Each light has an individual serial number. Want FREEInfo? Visit ASP Online

Avon Protection
NH15 Escape Hood
This mask is ideal for evacuating non-sworn personnel or other civilians from a CBRN event. It does not need to be fitted and it will buy the wearer 15 minutes of survival during a gas or bio attack.

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Stopping Stun with ThorShield.

— By Arizona News - December 04, 2008
ThorShield completes a circuit before electricity makes it through a person. Its creators say only police or military can buy it.

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Officers at risk by resisting armor

— By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY - October 24, 2008
More than one-third of police officers murdered last year were not wearing body armor, and law enforcement analysts estimate that up to half of all officers don't wear bullet-resistant vests regularly while on duty.
Trainers, police officials and equipment dealers say the FBI statistics tracking murdered officers represent only part of a troubling phenomenon at a time when police confront suspects armed with higher-powered weapons. They worry officers will be put at increased risk.
TWICE WOUNDED: Officer no longer resists body armor
The vast majority of the nation's 700,000 officers own or have access to bullet-resistant vests, says Ed Nowicki, executive director of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. Yet he estimates thousands — up to 50% — choose not to wear them all or part of the time. The risk of dying by gunfire is 14 times higher for officers not wearing armor, Congress found in 2001.
"It's like playing Russian roulette," Nowicki says. "We know we have a problem. The question is, 'What are we going to do to make this right?' " The economy is partly to blame for slightly lagging sales of vests this year, says Michael Foreman of Point Blank Body Armor, one of the largest manufacturers. He says police agencies often don't emphasize body armor in their training.
No national count tracks how many officers wear vests, which cost $500 to more than $1,000 each. Yet there is broad agreement over why thousands don't: comfort. Miami Police Chief John Timoney says the heat is the primary reason up to 85% of his officers do not regularly wear body armor. Every graduate from the training academy gets a vest, but there is no policy requiring them to be worn at all times.
In Philadelphia, police Lt. Frank Vanore says the department mandates use of body armor, but enforcement is difficult. At least two of the five officers killed there in the past two years were not wearing protective vests.
Earlier this month, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey approved a plan to let officers wear vests over their uniform shirts to make them more comfortable and easier to remove.
Over the past decade, 43% of the 1,671 officers who died of any cause in the line of duty — including traffic fatalities — weren't wearing vests, reports the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. In 2007, 27% weren't wearing them, the third straight year in which the percentage declined. The FBI statistics, though, show the percentage of officers murdered who weren't wearing vests has stayed between 33 and 44 over the past decade. Access to vests is a concern in rural departments, says Robert Mowery, who heads Fraternal Order of Police efforts that provide protective vests to needy departments throughout Tennessee.
In August, Justice Department officials issued new standards for the vests aimed at improving their power to stop bullets. Yet officials worry the new standards also could result in costlier and heavier products, possibly discouraging future use. "We don't know how the (armor makers and police are) going to react" to the new standards, says John Morgan of the agency's National Institute of Justice.

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PROTECTION against IMMINENT :

The new NIJ Standard 0101.06 for ballistic body armor has manufacturers going to even greater lengths to ensure officers' safety

— By Sara Schreiber - Ocotber 1, 2008
A little over two years ago, Beacon, New York, police officer Anthony Hopper was dispatched to a suspicious person in a vehicle complaint. It was a 1:50 in the afternoon on a beautiful, sunny autumn day. That's how Hopper remembers it.
"It's not the time that you'd figure you'd be in the middle of a gun fight," recalls Hopper, "But that's what took place."
Almost immediately after Hopper engaged the driver, the driver produced an automatic handgun and shot him point-blank through the driver's side window. The bullet struck Hopper in the center of the chest. Doctors told him that had the bullet penetrated the armor and gone through, it most likely would have killed him.
In an effort to continue to serve all those in the line of fire, the U.S. Department of Justice is currently working to unveil a newly updated standard for all body armor. Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard 0101.06 will test ballistic materials against the most rigorous requirements. In partnership with all body armor manufacturers, the revised NIJ Standard 0101.06 aims to review armor classifications, detail requirements and discuss test methods in order to produce the safest ballistic wear yet.

Weighing in
Despite having survived the shooting, Hopper was not without physical scars. Shards of glass flew from the window and created over 60 lacerations to his face and neck. Hopper also says it took him a long time to heal from the soreness created by impact. Soft material vests capture rounds and prevent them from going any further. But as Hopper points out, "expelled energy from the round has got to be absorbed somewhere. It's possible the blunt trauma, depending on the round, can kill an officer if the round doesn't penetrate the vest;" which is why he thinks it's imperative that manufacturers and the NIJ continue to explore what they can do to dissipate that energy.
Personal armor covered by the new standard is classified into five types: (IIA, II, IIIA, III and IV), by level of ballistic performance. New vests will be heavier, bulkier and more expensive than before. But a heavier vest doesn't necessarily mean officers will be more weighed down. Tom Dragone, vice president of research and development at Point Blank Solutions, feels heavier armor will cause some wearers to shift levels in order to keep the feel of what they normally use. In general, a IIA vest will weigh the same as a current level II, and will stop the same threats as before.
"It's kind of an adjustment of what level you really need, and a trade-off between protection and comfort. In the past when armor was too heavy officers just didn't wear it. And armor that's not worn can't protect you," says Dragone.
Georg Olsen, general manager of U.S. Armor, agrees. He stresses that the new design will not cancel out older models that may still be in use. "It's a phase-in. It doesn't mean the other [models] are bad," says Olsen. He adds that he's "still challenged to find a safety product with that many years of unmitigated success [as ballistic vets]." Hopper doesn't care how heavy or uncomfortable his vest is, as long as it protects. "It hurts a lot more when you're shot than it does sitting in a car and having the unfortunate eight hours of sweating and being uncomfortable," says Hopper. "Obviously, the lifetime ramifications of actually being shot, and certainly death, override any discomfort. It comes along with the job, and that's the price of doing business."

Breaking down the fibers
In November 2003, the U.S. Attorney General announced the U.S. Department of Justice's Body Armor Safety Initiative in response to concerns from the law enforcement community about the effectiveness of armor then in use. The concerns followed the failure of a relatively new Zylon-based vest worn by a Forest Hills, Pennsylvania police officer. The officer survived the shooting, but sustained severe injuries. The Forest Hills shooting was the first case ever reported to NIJ in which body armor compliant with the NIJ standard failed to prevent penetration from a bullet it was designed to defeat.
In August 2005, NIJ released a report stating that "Although results do not conclusively prove that all Zylon-containing body armor models have performance problems, results show that armor containing Zylon fibers show a systematic loss in tensile strength, and ballistic performance correlated with the breakage of specific bonds in the chemical structure of the material; [and vests] may not provide the intended level of ballistic resistance."
Since these findings, court-ordered replacements were issued to approximately two of every three police officers in the country (these replacements are now due to expire within the next 12-18 months). Companies have since moved away from the use of Zylon and are experimenting with a range of alternative materials. Dragone says that at Point Blank, they begin production by first understanding the available materials and how they perform. Companies are now working more with woven aramids like Kevlar and Twaron; as well as laminate structures GoldFlex and Spectra Flex. All of these systems are hybridized, meaning a variety of materials is used depending on the threat and what they're trying to defeat.

More rigorous testing
After the proper material is selected, vests are put to the test. The main goal of the redesign, after all, is to make ballistic systems more robust. To that end, manufacturers must implement complex testing procedures. This includes actual ballistics testing (NIJ 06 requires 144 shots to be fired versus 04's 48 shots), at higher velocities than required with the previous 0101.04 standard.
One significant change includes performing an additional trauma transfer measurement, or 'backface signature' in the clay. "The requirements of backface are no more than 44mm in indentation into the clay medium used to measure energy transfer," says Dragone. "Because of the stringency vis-à-vis more shots, higher velocity and being closer to the edge, we have to design vests that can meet these requirements."
Models must also undergo an artificial aging process involving exposure to high temperatures and humidity. First Choice Armor has recently added the custom environmental chamber to its existing labs. Dale Taylor, senior vice president of products at First Choice, says that the conditioning protocol set in NIJ 06 is not intended to predict the service life of a vest or its exact time in the field, rather it can provide some indication of an armor's ability to maintain ballistic performance after exposure to conditions of heat moisture and mechanical wear. Vests are exposed to 149 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 percent relative humidity, and a large drum simulates mechanical wear. This sort of testing doesn't come cheap. Certification alone now costs companies an average of $20,000 to $25,000 per model under the 06 standard, compared with the previous $5,000-a-piece. And this number doesn't factor in the research and design, in-house testing, etc. that occurs at manufacturers' facilities before a model is submitted for certification.
Dragone sees a benefit to this. He says that in addition to safety, it's simply too costly for companies to cut corners and fail as a result. In fact, he says it's common for all manufacturers [to allow for] an additional margin of safety. "They know there's a loss of performance as vests gets older, and they want to make sure they always opt for being safe. From a business perspective, you don't want to submit samples that fail and have to do it over again," says Dragone. "So you've got a safety concern, and also a financial concern."

Changing over
To ensure maximum protection, agencies must replace their body armor on time. Sgt. Marc Butler with the New Carrollton (Maryland) Police Department says he's been taught to replace the equipment every four years. "I know the manufacturers say five, but we don't want to be near that deadline, have a miscalculation and have it fail the officer," says Butler.
Realistically, it can be difficult for civilian administrators trying to keep a budget to put a price on an article that, to officers, is priceless. It may become even more difficult now that the cost of body armor is on the rise. But avenues other than direct purchase are sometimes available. If agencies are lucky enough to obtain vest grants, it helps significantly. When Butler received a matching vest grant through the DOJ a few years back, the opportunity freed up any price concerns he may have had and let him focus more on the overall make and quality of the product.
"There are several variables that we put together," Butler says, "but it's basically built on comfort and whether or not it will offer the protection level that we expect, because [officers] have to be in that vest minimally eight to 12 hours — if not longer."
Some companies will provide agencies with models for testing and evaluation before they make a buying decision. Alex Cejas, director of corporate research and development with Protective Products International, says they like to "promote shoots in the field so officers can feel comfortable with the performance of the vest." Cejas adds that they plan to make their new NIJ 06 line available for testing as well.

Vest must be worn … to protect
Olsen urges all law enforcement officials to visit the NIJ Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/223054.htm) and learn as much as they can about the new ballistics standard, as "there's an amount of curiosity [among end-users] about what the new NIJ standard is, what it will mean, what the final form will be and what it will do." Not everyone is ready and willing to run out and replace their old armor. Some worry that cost and comfort issues might spell trouble for departments who are already trying to stretch their last dollar.
Cejas says he "knows there are a lot of detractors who feel that wear rates are going to decline and vests are going to be heavier and more expensive. He adds that some manufacturers may be dreading the release as well. Regardless, he welcomes the change.
"It's up to us as manufacturers to become educators, and convey the correct message to the end-user. The purpose of this standard is to actually save lives by making armor more reliable and higher performing."
For anyone who's ever survived a near-fatal shooting, the choice is obvious: wear it or lose. As Hopper puts it; "I have two kids who need me and a wife who needs me. [They] could care less about how much [the vest] costs. Life is priceless."

Companies that offer "Makes and Models in Approved NIJ Standard 0101.06 Applications," as listed by the U.S. Department of Justice:
American Body Armor and Equipment Inc.
Armor Express Inc.
ArmorShield USA
Atlantic Body Armor
Bianchi Body Armor LLC
Bodyguard Inc.
Custom Armor Technologies
First Choice Armor and Equipment
ForceOne LLC.
Gall's Inc.
Gator Hawk Armor Inc.
Hawk Protection Inc.
HighCom Security Inc.
Mine Safety Appliances Company
PACA (Protective Apparel Corp. of America)
PT Armor Inc.
Pacific Safety Products
Paraclete Armor & Equipment Inc.
Pinnacle Armor
Point Blank Body Armor Inc.
ProTech Armored Products
Protective Products International
RBR Armor Inc.
SMITH & WESSON BODY GUARD
Safariland Ltd. Inc.
Second Chance Armor Inc.
Survival Armor Inc.
TG FAUST
U.S. Armor

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Body Armor Technology: New designs in armor vests

— By Kevin R. Davis - September 25, 2008 - Law Officer Volume 4 Issue 9

One of the main concepts of modern body armor is that it should protect officers from the very weapons they carry. This has caused some problems with Taser-armed officers in the past. Point Blank and P.A.C.A. have recently introduced ThorShield to protect officers from the Taser and other conducted-energy weapons.
The proprietary material used by Point Blank and P.A.C.A. prevents officers from being disabled from an electronic control device if one or both probes impact the vest area. The ThorShield material is so effective you can lay the material on your hand and not be affected by a drive stun.
The Vision vest and the new Blue Steel vest are also available from P.A.C.A and Point Blank. According to the manufacturer, the Blue Steel vest incorporates advanced temperature regulating as well as new ballistic technology. Both the Blue Steel and Vision focus not only on advanced ballistic coverage, but also on improving comfort by using space-age materials in the carrier. The carrier systems are cooler to wear as well as wicking moisture away from the skin.
Since the advent of weaponry, there has been a need for personal armor and enterprising designers who develop it using the technology of the time. From animal skins and sea shells to chain mail and metal breastplates, from the samurai of feudal Japan to today's warriors pressing our country's interests in the Middle East, personal body armor has been continually developed throughout the centuries. From steel plates to modern woven fiber armor, the leaps in technology have been tremendous. Armor that once weighed down the wearer and had limited ability to stop penetrating rounds is now fractions of the weight and has continually saved officers from threats it wasn't even designed to stop.
Kevlar was first introduced as a ballistic vest material in the 1970s. The material allowed officers to wear a vest throughout their tour-of-duty with acceptable levels of discomfort. Ballistic vests disperse the energy of the incoming projectile through the weave and layering and resist penetration.
Nevertheless, designs and thickness levels at the time led to a stiff and bulky vest, so other fibers and designs such as Spectra Shield were developed. Manufacturers rushed to get thinner and lighter with the motivation that more officers would wear their vests if they were more comfortable. Over the years, vests have stopped everything from .44 Magnums fired at point-blank range to 1-oz. rifled 12-gauge deer slugs.
Warnings about the dangers of back-face deformation and death due to blunt-force trauma on the thinner vests were proven to be largely overstated (prior to airbag technology in police vehicles, untold numbers of officers were saved when their vests protected them from crushed chests on steering columns in crashes). The rush to get thinner and lighter vests has had bumps along the road, however. Several years ago when the Toyobo-manufactured Zylon material was used for ballistic vests, it was found to degrade with wear and several incidents of vest failure were reported, including Officer Tony Zeppetella of the Oceanside (Calif.) Police Department who was killed while wearing a Zylon vest. This led to the recall of more than 130,000 vests.
Host a Vest-Shoot Demo
To learn more about the capabilities of ballistic armor, you can easily host a shooting demo. Most manufacturers have representatives who are more than willing to come to your facility to shoot a variety of ammunition on their vests. Normally, this can be coordinated through a vest distributor in your area. Vest companies would like to have as many attendees as possible and range facilities (indoor or outdoor) available. The standard is a mannequin or wooden box filled with clay backing material on which the vest panel is affixed. The representative will fire several rounds into each vest, then indicate penetration (or lack thereof) and back-face deformation by removing the panel and showing the disruption of the clay surface. These vest shoots are enlightening, and I recommend you attend one in the future.
New Designs in Armor
What amazed me as I researched this article were the new manufacturers that are in the armor business—such as SAVVY's Armor for Women—and the amazing carriers and lightweight armor all the manufacturers sell. The new fiber technology and new designs make wearing concealable and tactical vests even more comfortable. The following is a glimpse of the vests available to protect today's law enforcement.
NIJ Standards
The U.S. government through the Justice Department oversees body armor testing and classification through a voluntary compliance program run by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) supervises the testing, which is done by independent laboratories for the NIJ. The NIJ published new standards 0101.06, which require that three shots be placed within two to three inches from the edge of the vests. The NIJ hopes the edge shots extend the armor protection to a wider area. These new standards have not been placed into effect, so in 2005, an interim standard was developed to incorporate new armor technologies. Armor representatives I spoke with are concerned that this will lead to a stiffer, heavier and more expensive vest. The NIJ has made other changes, including a "wet" test where the vest will be submerged for 30 minutes prior to being shot and an "aged" test where a vest will be artificially aged to simulate ballistic breakdown over time. It remains to be seen if the new standards will result in a heavier and stiffer vest design.
Wrap Up
It's clear that modern armor materials and designs save lives. What's surprising is that some street officers and detectives engaging in street activities elect to go without. As one wise police trainer once said, "It's not the bullet with my name on it that I'm worried about, it's all the ones that say, 'To whom it may concern.'" Although officer line-of-duty deaths are down 35 percent from last year, more than 80 officers have been killed in the line of duty since January 2008, which reminds all of us that the streets are still very dangerous.
The streets are no safer, and there's every indication that they're substantially less safe for the men and women in blue. Throughout your tour-of-duty—regardless of the nature of the call—exercise sound judgment, use good tactics and always wear your vests. Modern ballistic armor is more flexible and lightweight than it ever has been. Train like your life depends on it (because it does), and protect your hide (the only one you got) by wearing your vest.
Kevin R. Davis is a full-time officer with 25 years experience. Assigned to the training bureau, he's a former team leader and lead instructor for his agency's SWAT team. Visit his Web site at www.advancedtacticalconcepts. com . Contact him at kd1@advancedtacticalconcepts.com

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Inch of fabric saves Hampton officer: "He was wearing his ballistic vest, and the vest saved his life," a police spokeswoman says.

— By David Macaulay - August 15, 2008
HAMPTON - A day after attending the funeral of a former Hampton officer killed in the line of duty in Virginia Beach, the dangers of the job were brought home to the division when a traffic patrol officer's life was saved by an inch or so of synthetic fiber.
The officer, who has not been named, was shot twice in the chest at close range during a routine traffic stop on Mercury Boulevard near Armistead Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
"He is in good condition," police spokeswoman Paula Ensley said Thursday. "He was wearing his ballistic vest, and the vest saved his life."
The officer, who patrols Hampton's Coliseum area, was released from the hospital and was at home with his family Thursday afternoon.
"He's very sore and is trying to rest as comfortably as possible," Ensley said. "He was badly bruised. It's not uncommon in cases like this to suffer broken ribs, but it doesn't appear he has broken ribs.
"It's also very physically and mentally draining as well."
On Tuesday the traffic officer, who has worked in the Hampton Police Division for about five years, was one of more than 50 from Hampton who attended the funeral for Virginia Beach Detective Michael Smith Phillips, a former Hampton officer who was fatally shot Aug. 7.
The suspect in Wednesday night's shooting fled the scene but was tracked down on Armistead Avenue where he was shot after a standoff with police. He is in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.
Two other men in the car were being questioned Thursday. Their identities and any details of charges are unlikely to be released until today, Ensley said.
She described what led to the shooting: An officer pulled over a vehicle on Mercury Boulevard for a traffic infraction Wednesday night.
There was a driver, passenger and a back seat passenger in the car. All were adult males. Two officers were at the scene.
One of them wrote up a summons ticket. "At some point the officers went to re-engage with the people in the vehicle," she said.
"At that point a passenger jumped out of the vehicle and shot the officer twice in the chest," Ensley said. He was standing about five yards away from the officer when he opened fire.
Ensley said the officer who was hit was assisting the officer writing the ticket. After he was shot he retreated to the back of his vehicle and shot back at his assailant.
The shooter fled on foot down Armistead Avenue. The other two men were detained on Mercury Boulevard.
Ensley said a large number of officers "flooded" the area. "Every available officer in the city was there."
They located the suspect at the intersection between Armistead and Reese Drive.
She said it was unclear if the suspect fired at officers again.
The officer's life was saved by a ballistic vest made of Kevlar, a synthetic laminated fiber, and manufactured by PACA Body Armor.
Ensley said every officer and cadet on the force has a vest and must wear it on duty. She said the incident illustrates the unpredictability of police work.
"There is no such thing as a routine call or a routine traffic stop in this job. You never know what you will encounter on a day-to-day basis," she said. "You never know what may be running through a person's mind. We always use the minimum force necessary."
Ensley said the Hampton Police Division constantly trains personnel for potential armed incidents.
She said the mood in the division was somber after the death of Phillips whom she worked with when he was at Hampton. "We are still grieving over the loss of one of our brothers and this happens the next day."
The last time a police officer was shot in Hampton was in 1994 when Kenneth Wallace was killed.
Last December James City County police officer Andrew Baker was saved by his ballistic vest when he was shot in the abdomen at close range. But ballistic vests are not an absolute guarantee of safety for police officers. In 1994, Steven R. Rutherford, a Newport News police officer, was shot dead. His partner later testified that he was shot four times. Only two of the bullets were stopped by his vest.
Staff writer Mike Holtzclaw contributed to this report.

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Armor tips from a scaly era: MIT team is mining secrets of Cretaceous

— By Carolyn Y. Johnson - July 28, 2008
The next advance in body armor may come from the scales of a 96-million-year-old fish.
The grasping jaws and piercing claws of hungry predators may seem a far cry from bullets and shrapnel, but MIT researchers funded by the US Army reported yesterday that the rigid, interlocking scales of a primitive fish sometimes called the "dinosaur eel" could provide insights for protecting soldiers in the future.
The researchers aren't thinking of literally making body armor out of fish scales. Instead, they are studying everything from ancient fish to mother-of-pearl, plumbing millions of years of evolution for hints on how to construct tougher, lighter, more versatile materials.
"Materials scientists are looking at nature as a source of inspiration mainly because some natural materials exhibit structures and properties that our modern technologies have not yet been able to create," said Andre Studart, a materials scientist at Harvard University who was not in volved in the research. Natural "materials have evolved over millions of years, whereas even our most ancient technologies are hardly older than a thousand years."
Biology has long provided inspiration for new technologies. Burrs that snagged on a dog's fur and its owner's pants provided the inspiration for Velcro. The field of aviation took many of its cues from bird flight. But modern-day technologies that allow scientists to probe and imitate organisms at the nano-scale - billionths of a meter - are pushing such imitation further.
"Over the last five to 10 years, it's just kind of exploding - it goes way beyond materials design," said Christine Ortiz, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and coauthor of the paper published online in the journal Nature Materials. "Because of advances in tools and technology, we can see the structure of different things."
Often, the scientists find that nature has developed a clever and elegant solution to problems. For example, researchers have mimicked the tiny hairs on gecko toes that help the creatures scale smooth walls to create a prototype of a new kind of tape. Researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara examined squid beaks and discovered that a marvelous design allows the animals to exist with sharp beaks on a soft body without tearing themselves apart.
The MIT work reveals how organisms can turn simple ingredients into something much stronger.
"Seashells and armored fish are made of very weak materials - basically they're made of chalk," Ortiz said. "But they put them together with a design in such a way you get an increase in the toughness and strength by orders of magnitude."
Ortiz and her colleagues studied fish scales removed from the dinosaur eel, a fish that first appeared in the Cretaceous period and is still found swimming around African estuaries. The team discovered that the armored fish scales were lightweight and flexible, composed of four layers of different materials, and probably evolved to protect the fish's ancestors from territorial fights and a slate of prehistoric predators - including a scorpionlike creature with spines, claws, and grasping jaws. That could hold clues for improving human body armor. Today's state-of-the-art system for the military weighs about 30 pounds. While the armor is vastly better than the rigid, heavy sheathing of the past, there is still a constant search for improvement, according to Michael Foreman, senior vice president of sales at Point Blank Solutions Inc., which supplies body armor to the military. "Its primary purpose is as a life-saving tool - the first thing we look at is ballistic performance, but ultimately what we're trying to do is lower that weight," Foreman said.
The researchers discovered several intriguing natural properties that could be useful for human body armor. When the researchers mimicked an attack on the fish scale, for example, they found that the cracks spread in a circle around the impact, leaving the scale intact. That meant the scales could take multiple blows - a fundamental property that could be useful on the battlefield, too.
The next step will come as scientists experiment with mimicking the structure of the fish scales using sophisticated materials. Studart, who is working on creating a new material by following some of the design principles from mother-of-pearl, said that because of heavy interest in this area, it will probably take only a few years for a prototype to appear.
For decades, he said, materials scientists were interested in developing new synthetic materials, and left seashells and fish to the biologists. Now, they are increasingly realizing that many of the problems they face in the lab have already been solved by evolution.
Carolyn Y. Johnson can be reached at cjohnson@globe.com.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/07/28/armor_tips_from_a_scaly_era/

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Shockwave - Behind the scenes footage of the PBSI ballistic testing laboratory.

— By History TV Series - July 25, 2008
Shockwave-- a new groundbreaking series taking the best raw footage of headline-making events from all over the world--uses the latest in graphics technology to dissect the video, revealing astonishing 3-D views to show what really happened.

The Producers of Shockwave recently captured some dynamic behind the scenes footage of the PBSI ballistics testing laboratory and shooting range to support their compelling account about a “SAVE” in Iraq which occurred on June 2, 2005 - where our body armor successfully prevented fatal injury. This segment is airing tonight, July 25 at 10:00pm EST. on the History Channel.

Click here: http://www.cherisundae.com/chrisl/sniperflv/ for an exclusive sneak preview and watch the entire footage tonight – You won’t want to miss it!

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IOTV: Interceptor’s Incremental Improvement.

— By Joe Katzman - 07-Jul-2008
The USA’s Interceptor OTV (Outer Tactical Vest) Body Armor, and its SAPI/ESAPI ceramic plate inserts, offer a significant improvement over its 1990s predecessors in terms of both weight and protection. After episodic issues with production ramp-up and quality control, this gear is widely fielded with the US Army and several allied militaries (the US Marines replaced it with the MTV). In May 2007, controversy regarding the armor’s effectiveness boiled over in the wake of a TV news feature. The US Army responded with rare public claims about a competing product even as several high-profile legislators advocated independent civilian tests to ensure that US soldiers are really getting the best system.

Meanwhile, improvements were being made to the OTV system in response to feedback from the field. Hence the Improved OTV, which received a pair of contracts but has seen a large planned RFP stall. A state of affairs that led to the recent bridge order…

• The IOTV: Improvements
• Contracts & Key Events

The IOTV: Improvements
The IOTV is more than 3 pounds lighter than its predecessor, but provides an equal level of protection over an increased area by eliminating overlap and changing design features like the vest’s cut in the arm pit area, adding an integrated throat protector instead of an attachable version, and adding integrated side plate carriers. That, plus an overhead instead of a front-opening design, decrease the vest’s profile Overall but extends its coverage by 52 square inches.

Other IOTV features include a single-stage quick release added to the front of the vest that removes the vest in 2 pieces. This is very useful to medics, who can also use an opening on the left shoulder if maintaining protection is important. It’s even more useful to soldiers trapped in overturned or submerged vehicles, which has been a consistent issue in Iraq. An internal waistband moves more of the weight from the shoulders to the waist, long variants are now issued (surely a relief to the beanpole types), more MOLLE attachments for pouches et. al. in front now that the opening isn’t up front, vertically adjustable pouches for the ceramic plates within the vest, vertically adjustable side plate carriers, mesh lining, and channels/storage for those ubiquitous cables.

The IOTV began with a body armor industry day in the spring of 2006, which subsequently attracted revised designs from vendors. We’ll leave the question of which system is best to independent testing; what is clear is that the US Army procurement system is moving on system improvements across a broad range of items. Certainly faster than it used to – but also faster than most other militaries around the world.

Contracts & Key Events

Unless otherwise specified, the The U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD issues any contracts related to the IOTV. Note that orders for plate inserts to the IOTV are handled in a separate DID article, as they are common to other vest designs as well.

July 3/08: Point Point Blank Body Armor, Inc. in Pomapano Beach, FL wins an $86.2 million contract to produce 150,000 IOTVs at a rate of 25,000 per month for 6 months. Production will begin immediately, and will be complete by Dec 31/08. Two bids were solicited on March 18/08, and 2 bids were received by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (ARDEC) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (W91CRB-07-C-0085).

The order is actually the product of an important procurement delay. In mid- 2007, the US Army awarded 2 contracts for its initial fielding requirement of 230,000 IOTVs. The other 736,000 were slated for a follow-on full and open competitive solicitation, bringing the total to the desired 966,000 IOTVs. That solicitation was released in November 2007, but the RFP was delayed at the request of potential bidders. Hence the need for a bridge buy, to keep production going and units supplied while the larger RFP is delayed. At present, IOTV armor can be made by Point Blank or by Specialty Defense Systems. While the Army found that both companies had the manufacturing capabilities to meet the Bridge Buy IOTV production and performance requirements, the “best value” nature of the contract means that there is only one winner for the bridge buy. See also Point Blank release. June 14/07: Specialty Defense Systems in Dunmore, PA received an $112 million firm-fixed-price contract for improved outer tactical vests. Work will be performed in Dunmore, PA and is expected to be complete by March 31/08. There were 2 bids solicited on May 21, 2007, and 2 bids were received (W91CRB-07-C-0084).

June 14/07: Point Blank Body Armor Inc. in Pompano Beach, FL received a $52.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for improved outer tactical vests. Work will be performed in Pompano Beach, FL and is expected to be complete by March 31/08. There were 2 bids solicited on May 21, 2007, and 2 bids were received (W91CRB-07-C-0085).

April 2/07: The US Army’s PEO Soldier announces the Improved Outer Tactical Vest system.

Additional Readings

• US Army (Jan 25/08) – Soldiers Try out Improved Body Armor. U.S. Army Europe’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division is training with the IOTV, in preparation for a Spring 2008 deployment to Iraq.

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Exhausting Every Possibility

Arrest made in shooting involving two Schenectady officers

Point Blank Solutions to Showcase Latest NIJ .06 Body Armor at SHOT Show 2010 Company Will Demonstrate Newest “Special Threats Protection” Capabilities with DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™-

POINT BLANK SOLUTIONS COLLABORATES WITH DUPONT PROTECTION TECHNOLOGIES TO LAUNCH NEW NIJ .06 BODY ARMOR SOLUTIONS FEATURING DUPONT™ KEVLAR® XP™

POINT BLANK SOLUTIONS RECEIVES ‘NIJ .06 SEAL OF APPROVAL’ FOR ADVANCED BODY ARMOR SYSTEMS ENHANCED HI-LITE™ AND PERFORM-X SERIES AMONG SOLUTIONS CERTIFIED UNDER NEW RIGOROUS STANDARD

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BODY ARMOR

Dozens of great law enforcement products debuted in the aisles of the Orange County Convention Center.

Stopping Stun with ThorShield.

Officers at risk by resisting armor

PROTECTION against IMMINENT:
The new NIJ Standard 0101.06 for ballistic body armor has manufacturers going to even greater lengths to ensure officers' safety

Body Armor Technology: New designs in armor vests

Inch of fabric saves Hampton officer:
"He was wearing his ballistic vest, and the vest saved his life," a police spokeswoman says.

Armor tips from a scaly era: MIT team is mining secrets of Cretaceous

Shockwave - Behind the scenes footage of the PBSI ballistic testing laboratory.

IOTV: Interceptor’s Incremental Improvement.

Point Blank Solutions Collaborates with DuPont Protection Technologies to Launch New NIJ .06 Body Armor Solutions Featuring DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™

Point Blank Solutions Collaborates with DuPont Protection Technologies to Launch New NIJ .06 Body Armor Solutions Featuring DuPont™ Kevlar® XP™

Point Blank Solutions Receives ‘NIJ .06 Seal of Approval’ for Advanced Body Armor Systems Enhanced Hi-Lite™ and Perform-X Series Among Solutions Certified Under New Rigorous Standard