IOTV: Interceptor’s Incremental Improvement
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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 were 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, whose Generation II model is now in production…
- The IOTV: Improvements [updated]
- Contracts & Key Events [updated]
The IOTV: Improvements
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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 ahead on system improvements to a broad range of items. Whether the improvements have been timely enough can also be argued. What is inarguable is that the US military is moving faster than it used to – and also faster than most other militaries around the world.
The IOTV began with a body armor industry day in the spring of 2006, which subsequently attracted revised designs from vendors. The US Army’s PEO Soldier announced the new vest in April 2007, and issued the first order in June 2007.
The new vest 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 etc. 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.
In September 2009, DoD releases began referring to “IOTV Generation II.” This was actually a series of incremental revisions, led by Lt. Col. Rickey of PEO Soldier, with assistance from Point Blank. The changes were added to production vests over time, and finally attracted the official designation of “Generation II” after enough changes were made.
If you held the Generation I & II vests side by side, it might be hard to tell the difference. For operators in the field, however, even a set of subtle changes can have far-reaching effects. For example, one change set involved expanding vertical adjustment of the side plate carriers, and allowing horizontal changes. This allows IOTV to properly fit a wider variety of soldier sizes, including women. The other major Generation II change involves 2 D-Ring attachments on the front, to make additional gear easier including a load-bearing system (Tactical Assualt Panel) that goes beyond MOLLE velcro’s holding capacity.
As befits a product in more or less continuous development by the Army and Point Blank, minor changes of various sorts have also accumulated due to feedback from the field. The IOTV Gen II design converted back to Cordura® for mesh, because the previous material was so “aggressive” that it was damaging the uniform underneath. One can imagine what that meant to the soldier’s body underneath the uniform. Another change involved streamlining the quick release cable handle to reduce pinch-points or friction, so it can weigh less and work better.
Going forward, Point Blank expects to continue working with the Department of Defense community to make changes to IOTV. The design itself is treated as a “DoD community” design, and while the Us DoD has made some efforts to make the previous Interceptor OTV system available beyond the US military, they have yet to do so with IOTV.
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Unless otherwise specified, the The U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (ARDEC) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD issues any contracts related to the IOTV. Orders for plate inserts to the IOTV are handled in a separate DID article, as they are common to other vest designs as well.
Dec 29/09: Point Blank Body Armor, Inc. in Pompano Beach, FL receives a $26.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 44,501 more IOTVs. Work is to be performed in Pompano Beach, FL, with an estimated completion date of April 30/10. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web, with 3 bids received (W91CRB-09-C-0124).
Sept 9/09: Point Blank Solutions, Inc. in Pompano Beach, FL announces a $38.5 million contract to produce the New, Generation II IOTV. Under the terms of the contract (W91CRB-09-C-0124), the Company will begin production in October 2009 and expects to complete the order by January 2010. The firm’s release adds that this contract award is not part of the IOTV Main Buy, which is W91CRB-07-0079.
Feb 5/09: BAE Systems Security & Survivability Systems announces that it will be manufacturing 75,000 IOTV vests under a $43.7 million contract.
The contract will restore 100 jobs at the Grainger County, TN plant, and BAE Systems officials anticipate returning to full production at the Jefferson and Grainger county, TN facilities by the end of March 2009. Production is expected to be complete by the end of 2009’s third quarter, with a peak monthly production rate of 25,000 vests per month.
Aug 18/08: Interceptor vest production continues. Point Blank Solutions, Inc. announces a $22.2 million contract from the Defense Supply Center, Philadelphia for 45,000 of the old model Outer Tactical Vests. Pursuant to the terms of the contract, the Company expects to complete production by January 2009, at the latest.
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.
Nov 20/07: BAE Systems formally opens a 33,000 square-foot facility in Grainger County, eastern Tennessee, to manufacture IOTV vests. The company has more than 1,000 employees located at the Jefferson City and Kingsport, Tennessee facilities. To date, IOTV shipments exceed 70,000 vests, with approximately 400 vests to be produced at the Grainger facility per day.
The facility creates 185 new jobs, and during 2008, a $700,000 grant secured by the Douglas Cherokee Economic Development Authority will expand the Grainger facility from 33,000 to 53,000 square feet. The new facility also qualifies the Grainger community for a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce and Economic Development Administration, in order to support the development of a new local wastewater treatment facility. BAE release.
June 14/07: BAE Systems receives a $112 million contract for IOTVs. The June 8/07 contract is awarded at the same time as its competitors Specialty Defense Systems and Point Blank – but the contract is not announced on the Pentagon’s DefenseLINK per regulations, and related announcements note only 2 bids received. Source.
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 GAO (Oct 16/09) – Warfighter Support: Independent Expert Assessment of Army Body Armor Test Results and Procedures Needed Before Fielding
- 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.
- US GAO (April 26/07, #GAO-07-662R) – Defense Logistics: Army and Marine Corps’ Individual Body Armor System Issues
