1125 NE 8th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32601 | 352.727.4884 | www.PhalanxSystems.com

What is it and why does NIJ Certification matter? The National Institute of Justice is the government agency responsible for establishing certification and protection standards for body armor. Phalanx Defense Systems armor undergoes routine testing at an NIJ approved laboratory, allowing us to guarantee its protection against specific threats.

Level IIATested to stop 9mm and .40 S&W ammunition fired from short barrel handguns. No rifle ammunition protection.

Level IITested to stop 9mm and .357 Magnum ammunition fired from short barrel handguns. No rifle ammunition protection.

Level IIIATested to stop .357 SIG and .44 Magnum ammunition fired from longer barrel handguns. No rifle ammunition protection.

Level IIITested to stop 7.62 mm FMJ (full metal jacket) lead core rifle ammunition.

Level IVTested to stop .30 cal steel core armor piercing rifle ammunition.

Understanding NIJ 0101.06 Armor Protection Levels

The above is a snapshot of select threat projectiles and classifications of armors related to these general threats. Refer to NIJ 0101.06 standard for details.

Special considerations5.56mm ammunition comes in a variety of constructions. The rounds with lead cores typically used for hunting and target shooting can be stopped with Level III hard armor plates.

5.56mm ammunition (M855), designed for military use with a steel or partial steel core, needs a ceramic or metallic component to the hard armor plate.

9mm

FMJ

RN

.357

Mag

JSP

Level II

9mm

FMJ

RN

.40

S&W

FM

J R

N

Level II A

.357

Sig

FM

J FN

.44

Mag

SJH

P

Level III A

7.62

mm

NA

TO

FM

J

Level III

.30

cal

M2

AP

Level IV

1125 NE 8th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32601 | 352.727.4884 | www.PhalanxSystems.com

What is Body Armor?The term body armor is usually associated with vests designed to provide ballistic protection to the vital organs in the torso. Usually, a vest contains two armor panels held in place by a carrier. Each armor panel contains a ballistic panel (i.e., the protective material), sealed inside a ballistic panel cover. One armor panel protects the front of the torso; the other protects the rear. To protect the sides of the torso, the vest is worn with the front armor panel overlapping the rear armor panel. The armor panels can typically be removed from the carrier.

The armor panels consist of the ballistic panel with an integral cover that protects the ballistic materials in the panel from the environment. Panels come in multiple sizes and can be flat or curved to accommodate the different shapes and sizes of potential wearers. Typically, neither the panel cover nor the carrier is intended to provide ballistic protection. The principal purpose of the carrier is to support and secure the panels to the wearer’s body

There are two basic kinds of body armor: soft armor and hard armor.

NO ARMOR IS BULLET PROOF!

Different armor models are

meant to protect against specific types

of ammunition. No body armor will stop

every threat. Units should select armor

designed to protect against the threats

most likely to be faced by their team. At

a minimum, armor should be selected

that will protect against handguns.

Soft ArmorSoft body armor consists of flexible panels of ballistic material. Soft armor is designed to offer protection against assaults with handguns. It is intended to be used for extended daily wear. It is the type of body armor that officers would typically wear while executing their daily duties. It can be worn under a uniform or other clothing in an external carrier. If it is worn under a uniform, it is called concealable armor.

Soft armor panels are constructed of multiple layer of ballistic-resistant materials. The number and order of layers influence overall performance. Additional energy is absorbed by each successive layer of material. When a handgun bullet strikes the panel, it is caught in a web of strong fibers. These fibers absorb and disperse the impact energy, causing the round to deform or “mushroom.“

While soft armor is most often seen in the form of panels for carriers or concealment vests, it can be cut to practically any shape, for multiple uses, keeping the layers and sew pattern the same to maintain protection integrity.

Soft armor is constructed of multiple layers of flexible ballistic materials. Concealed soft armor; meant to be worn under a

uniform shirt.

1125 NE 8th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32601 | 352.727.4884 | www.PhalanxSystems.com

Hard ArmorHard armor consists of rigid panels, or plates, of ballistic-resistant material and is designed to offer greater protection against higher threats than soft armor. Hard armor plates are used in tactical armor. Tactical armor is not typically worn for extended periods. It is donned for wear by First Responders entering high-risk situations.

Hard armor plates may be constructed from ceramic, compressed laminate sheets, metallic plates, or composites that incorporate more than one material.

Basically, hard armor plates work in one of two ways: they can capture and deform the ammunition round or they can break it up. In both instances, the armor then absorbs and distributes the force of the impact.

10 rounds of 5.56x45mm M193 ammunition shot from 7 yards. The DKX M3 plate is our lightest weight, NIJ certified Level III Plus multi-hit hard armor plate.

Hard armor is comprised of multiple types of material layered together with proprietary engineering and processes.