NIJ STANDARD FOR BALLISTIC RESISTANCE OF PERSONAL BODY ARMOR

1.PURPOSE AND SCOPE

   The purpose of this standard is to establish minimum performance requirements and test methods for the ballistic resistance of personal body armor intended to protect the torso against gunfire. This standard is a general revision of NIJ Standard-0101.03, dated April 1987, updating the labeling requirements, acceptance criteria, test ammunition,procedures, and other items throughout the standard. Revision A of NIJ Standard-0101.04, dated June 2001, provides clarification to the text, methodology and test procedures of NIJ Standard-0101.04.

   The scope of the standard is limited to ballistic resistance only; this standard does not address threats from knives and sharply pointed instruments, which are different types of threat.

2.NIJ BODY ARMOR CLASSIFICATION

   Personal body armors covered by this standard are classified into seven classes,or types, by level of ballistic performance.The ballistic threat posed by a bullet depends, among other things, on its composition, shape, caliber, mass, angle of incidence, and impact velocity.Because of the wide variety of bullets and cartridges vailable in a given caliber and because of the existence of handloaded ammunition, armors that will defeat a standard test round may not defeat other loadings in the same caliber. For example, an armor that prevents complete penetration by a 40 S&W test round may or may not defeat a 40 S&W round with higher velocity. In general, an armor that defeats a given lead bullet may not resist complete penetration by other bullets of the same caliber of different construction or configuration. The test ammunition specified in this standard represent general, common threats to law enforcement officers.

   As of the year 2000, ballistic resistant body armor suitable for full time wear throughout an entire shift of duty is available in classification Types I, IIA, II, and IIIA, which provide increasing levels of protection from handgun threats. Type I body armor, which was first issued during the NIJ demonstration project in 1975, is the minimum level of protection that any officer should have. Officers seeking protection from lower velocity 9 mm and 40 S&W ammunition typically wear Type IIA body armor. For protection against high velocity 357 Magnum and higher velocity 9 mm ammunition, officers traditionally select Type II body armor. Type IIIA body armor provides the highest level of protection available in concealable body armor and provides protection from high velocity 9 mm and 44 Magnum ammunition.

   Type IIIA armor is suitable for routine wear in many situations; however, departments located in hot, humid climates may need to carefully evaluate their use of Type IIIA body armor for their officers. Types III and IV armor, which protect against high powered rifle rounds, are clearly intended for use only in tactical situations when the threat warrants such protection (see app. C).

   The classification of an armor panel that provides two or more levels of NIJ ballistic protection at different locations on the ballistic panel shall be that of the minimum ballistic protection provided at any location on the panel.

2.1 Type I (22 LR; 380 ACP)

   This armor protects against .22 caliber Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets, with nominal masses of 2.6 g (40 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 320 m/s (1050 ft/s) or less, and 380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 6.2 g (95 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 312 m/s (1025 ft/s) or less.

2.2 Type IIA (9 mm; 40 S&W)

   This armor protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 332 m/s (1090 ft/s) or less, and 40 S&W caliber Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets, with nominal masses of 11.7 g (180 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 312 m/s (1025 ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in section 2.1.

2.3 Type II (9 mm; 357 Magnum)

   This armor protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 358 m/s (1175 ft/s) or less, and 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) bullets, with nominal masses of 10.2 g (158 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 427 m/s (1400 ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in sections 2.1 and 2.2.

2.4 Type IIIA (High Velocity 9 mm; 44 Magnum)

   This armor protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 427 m/s (1400 ft/s) or less, and 44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets, with nominal masses of 15.6 g (240 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 427 m/s (1400 ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against most handgun threats, as well as the threats mentioned in sections 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3.

2.5 Type III (Rifles)

   This armor protects against 7.62 mm Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets (U.S. Military designation M80), with nominal masses of 9.6 g (148 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 838 m/s (2750 ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4.

2.6 Type IV (Armor Piercing Rifle)

   This armor protects against .30 caliber armor piercing (AP) bullets (U.S. Military designation M2 AP), with nominal masses of 10.8 g (166 gr) impacting at a minimum velocity of 869 m/s (2850 ft/s) or less. It also provides at least single hit protection against the threats mentioned in sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5.