BAE Systems said it has received a $35 million contract from the Army for 60,000 Improved Outer Tactical Vests that provide enhanced protection from ballistic threats at lighter weight.
BAE Systems is a leading provider of IOTVs and has produced more than 800,000 tactical body armor vests for U.S. troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world.
“This order represents the continued confidence the U.S. Government has in our ability to consistently produce and deliver body armor that meets all of the quality and ballistic requirements set forth by the U.S. military for our servicemen and women,” said Joe Coltman, vice president of BAE Systems’ Personnel Protection Systems business.
Introduced in 2007, the IOTV replaced the Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) as the Army’s standard issue body armor. The IOTV provides increased coverage against ballistic threats, but because it’s lighter and more comfortable than its predecessor, it also affords greater life-saving mobility to soldiers on the battlefield, the company said in a recent statement. The IOTV also features an emergency quick-release system, which provides soldiers with the ability to remove the vest with a single pull of a cord.
“When you’re in theater, the unexpected often happens, and soldiers frequently find themselves in a number of emergency situations where seconds count. What’s especially innovative about the IOTV is with just one tug of the quick-release system, the vest and body armor can instantly be removed, providing medics with immediate access to an injured soldier,” said Greg Kraak, director of U.S. military programs for BAE Systems’ Personnel Protection Systems business.
The IOTV features multiple adjustment points to improve fit, is compatible with all auxiliary components, such as yoke/collar, throat and groin protectors, and is designed to accept a variety of body armor plates, including Small Arms Protective Inserts (SAPI), Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts (ESAPI), and Next Generation Small Arms Protective Inserts (XSAPI).
The vests will be produced at BAE Systems’ facility in Jefferson City, Tennessee, with deliveries scheduled through July 2011.