ADF trialling new soft body armour
An initial $1 million contract with Craig International Ballistics will see the ADF receive 750 soft armour inserts to replace in-service armour.
FILE PHOTO (March 2020): Sergeant Dean Jennings, Leading Seaman Rowan Campbell, Corporal Istvan Gonda and Corporal Dylan Stanley from Joint Military Police Station – Perth at the Sunset Military Spectacular at the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia in Fremantle. Photo by Leading Seaman Ernesto Sanchez.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said Gold Coast-based Craig International Ballistics had pioneered world-first body armour technology that would provide superior protection and greater comfort for Australian troops.
“Craig International Ballistics is able to deliver this technology through the innovative use of new materials,” Minister Price said.
“The Australian Army will be the first military in the world to be issued body armour made with this new Kevlar material.”
Minister Price said the new armour would deliver greater levels of protection and be significantly lighter than current soft armour.
Craig International Ballistics (CIB) has been producing Australian-made body armour systems since the late 1990s and, in 2015, secured a $49million contract to manufacture some 20,000 sets of hard body armour for use by the Australian Army in training and on combat operations.
Defence today clarified for CONTACT that under this new order, Craig International Ballistics would deliver soft body armour only, to replace the in-service soft-armour capability.
“ADF combatants wear protective equipment – such as hard and soft body armour – based on the operational environment, factoring in individual roles, and threat scenarios and levels,” a Defence spokesperson said.
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Will this technology be offered to Law Enforcement Agencies. Given that State Police who deal with violence everyday, I believe this new Light Body Armour should be trailed also by Law Enforcement.
Hi Mick. That’s a question best asked of Craig International Ballistics.
That said, looking at their web site, I’d say they are a police- and security-focused business, more than military. So (and I don’t actually know this – I’m guessing), I’d say this body armour was developed for police and then the ADF took a look at it – not the other way around. In which case, it probably isn’t all that ‘new’ in your sphere.