Plate Inserts for US Body Armor: SAPI, ESAPI, XSAPI (2004-2012)

IOTV: key features(click to view full) When reading about modern body armor one often hears about small arms protective inserts (SAPI) or Enhanced SAPI (ESAPI) ceramic plate inserts. While these inserts are more fragile than past generations of inserts, they offer a significant improvement over their 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. The Army itself has introduced the Improved OTV. Privately developed body armors like Blackwater Gear were also present in theater. All of these designs rely on a “vest and plates” approach that uses a similar set of inserts to give the vests most of their bullet-stopping power. This DID spotlight article covers the USA’s purchases in this area from mid-2004 to the end of 2012. ESAPI & XSAPI, Explained Boron Carbide(click to view full) Current US body armor plates are made of boron carbide ceramics, a material whose properties are used in a number of applications, including nuclear reactors. For various reasons, China is a significant boron carbide producer. Plate manufacturer Ceradyne is vertically integrated […]