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MSA's TRP3A body armor meets new NIJ standard

08 Jun '09
5 min read

• Tougher limitations for blunt force indentation made by a projectile during testing - referred to in the industry as a "backface signature" - as measured with a clay backface.

"Clearly the NIJ has put forth a challenging standard to meet, and that's a welcome accomplishment," said Ron Herring, MSA's Vice President of Global Product Leadership. "Ultimately these changes are going to better protect those who protect us with products that deliver superior performance and greater reliability. With almost 900,000 police officers in service throughout the U.S., we're proud to be among the first to receive certification and provide the next level of advanced protection to those who need it most."

Mr. Herring noted that MSA's team of materials scientists eagerly supported the NIJ throughout the entire development process of this new standard. "While some body armor manufacturers opposed toughening the NIJ standards, because of the difficulty and costs associated with achieving certification, MSA fully supported this initiative and, in fact, provided input into the recommended changes. Our team views the new NIJ standard as an important step to improve the overall level of protection for law enforcement officers everywhere."

While the new standard places more emphasis on the number of rounds a ballistic package can withstand during testing, Mr. Herring noted that MSA has always maintained a more rigorous testing procedure for all of its products, including ballistic protection packages. "MSA has always utilized a 96 shot protocol during testing, which is higher than the new requirement of 72 rounds outlined in the NIJ standard, as well as applied an aging procedure during the internal verification procedure," he said.

According to FBI data, more than 500 police officers have been killed in the line of duty over the past 10 years. Of those 500-plus fatalities, more than 300 officers were wearing body armor at the time they were shot. The FBI data additionally shows that more than 20,000 officers were injured with a firearm during this same time frame. "These facts alone, combined with the recent and tragic shootings involving officers in Oakland, Cal, and here in Pittsburgh, are evidence enough of the importance of this new standard, and we at MSA are proud to support it," Mr. Herring concluded.

MSA

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