Neutral Buoyancy Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert (ESAPI) Protection Level Body Armor

There is no known body armor plate design that is neutrally buoyant and provides the same level of ballistics protection as the current Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert (ESAPI). ESAPI body armor plate is the standard issue for military personnel and weighs up to 7.1 lbs. Helicopter aircrews that have ditched at sea must immediately remove their ESAPI plates and carrier from their bodies to prevent drowning. The purpose of this project is to develop a neutrally buoyant body armor plate that meets the ballistic protection level of ESAPI, while optimizing weight, volume and buoyancy performance in water of varying salinity.

11/23/20: Request for White Papers Released
12/18/20: White Papers Due
02/22/21: Solution Selected
03/24/21: Request for Proposal Released
04/07/21: Proposal Submitted
05/20/21: Awarded