US Military is Gearing Up For War; Ordering Droves of Bulletproof Armor Plates

Preparing for war is not small feat, but the US military is actively preparing for war both with other countries, and it’s own citizens. The United States Military recently placed an order for an enormous amount of body armor.

The easiest way to know when war is closing in, track the militaries orders of equipment. Normally, it’s bullets and weapons, but there is another way to track when a significant deployment is coming, and that is to track is their gear.

The US Department of Defense revealed it had placed a $93 million order for 177,000 ballistic body armor plates from the US military’s traditional supplier of protective equipment, Ceradyne which several years ago was purchased by 3M.

Delivery and production of the body armor will be conducted over the next several months. Which can only mean one thing, they are gearing up for a full-on major deployment of troops to yet another country.

Ceradyne, Inc., a 3M company, has been awarded a $92.7 million body-armor contract by Defense Logistics Agency for delivery of 177,000 pieces. The plates are designed to meet stringent performance requirements outlined by the U.S. Department of Defense. Production and deliveries are expected to begin in 2016.

Body armor is worn by just about everyone in the US armed forces; U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, the lightweight enhanced small arms protective inserts (ESAPI) are inserted into outer, modular tactical vests to provide torso protection against small-arms fire. These body-armor plates routinely protect U.S. armed forces in battle.

Ceradyne, Inc., a 3M company, has been awarded a $92.7 million body-armor contract by Defense Logistics Agency for delivery of 177,000 pieces. The plates are designed to meet stringent performance requirements outlined by the U.S. Department of Defense. Production and deliveries are expected to begin in 2016.

Worn by U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, the lightweight enhanced small arms protective inserts (ESAPI) are inserted into outer, modular tactical vests to provide torso protection against small-arms fire. These body-armor plates routinely protect U.S. Armed Forces in battle.

“3M is pleased to win this contract, and we are honored to provide body armor for the U.S. military,” said Cheryl Ingstad, business manager, Advanced Ceramics Platform – Defense, 3M. “We continue to make it our mission to leverage innovation in advanced materials science and the manufacturing process to deliver highly engineered body armor that meets the exacting quality standards of the U.S. Department of Defense. We never forget that the primary purpose of every body-armor plate is to save the life of the military member who wears it.”

To date, Ceradyne has fielded over 2 million body-armor inserts and 100,000 enhanced combat helmets (ECH) to the U.S. Armed Forces. 3M has deep expertise in safety products used by the military, such as Peltor tactical communications systems, and head, eye, hearing and respiratory protection. Ceradyne body armor will be on display along with other 3M soldier-protection solutions at SOFIC, May 24-26 in Tampa, Florida, at 3M Booth 525.

Ceradyne has become the go-to provider to the DoD for virtually all armor-piercing protection: it has fielded orders for hundreds of thousands of body armor inserts and at least 100,000 enhanced combat helmets to the U.S. Armed Forces.

The last time Ceradyne announced a significant ballistic armor insert contract with the Pentagon, was last October when the DoD ordered some 28,000 armor inserts for a price of $34 million. This happened just as US troops were being covertly deployed in increasing numbers to Iraq and Syria.

The real question is; where are the troops going to be deployed?