Point Blank Enterprises Introduced last week a new range of high-performance, ballistic protection vests offering the lightest-weight and highest-performing levels.
Point Blank Enterprises Inc. has introduced the ‘Alpha Elite’ Series NIJ Level II and IIIA tactical and concealable body-armor systems at the Shot Show in Las Vegas last week. The new body armor features the Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology released by DSM at Milipol 2013. The ballistic material used with ‘Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology’ was designed to defeat high-velocity handgun rounds and fragmentation with minimal backface deformation. According to Point Blank, the protection systems based on this innovative material are complying to NIJ Standard 0101.06 Level II and IIIA ballistic standards and meet or exceed FBI multihit test protocol. Point Blank collaborated closely with DSM to become the first trademark licensee in law enforcement personal protection. The new body armor is designed to meet the needs of Law Enforcement, Military and U.S. Special Operations.
“Rigorous testing by independent labs has shown the Level II and Level IIIA Alpha Elite products are the best performing and lightest-weight products on the market today, and we are able to offer them at a cost that is comparable to other soft-armor ballistic solutions,” said Michael Foreman, vice president of government and international sales and head of product-line management at Point Blank Enterprises.
The new series is available in both concealable and tactical configurations. Independent testing has confirmed that the Alpha Elite Level II and Level IIIA offer the lightest and highest performing NIJ 0101.06 body armor in the world today. Level III tests included maximum velocity approaching or exceeding 2,000 fps. According to Point Blank “Test-lab personnel stated that they had never seen this level of performance in a package of this weight and thinness during the testing of soft-armor ballistic solutions. The company quoted V50 for the Level II armor at 1,761 fps (.357 MAG test) and 1,794 fps for 9mm. For Level IIIA, V50 for 44 MAG was 1,744 fps and 1,870 fps for .357 MAG. (V50 is the maximum speed of projectile the vest could stop at least 50% of the bullets fired it. The higher V50 is, the better protection the armor provides.) The vests tested to these levels were also very – as they came at aerial weight of 87psf (pounds per square foot) for the Level IIIA and 63psf for Level II. The thickness was also unprecedented – 0.20 inch (5mm) and 0.18 inch (4.5mm) respectively.
The new Alpha Elite Level II system was proven to be 20 percent lighter and six percent higher performing than the best NIJ .06 Level II models previously on the market. According to Foreman, even the heavier Alpha Elite III meets NIJ Level IIIA performance yet offers comfort levels more typical of Level II body armor. “Compared to Point Blank’s previous lightest Level IIIA vest, the Alpha Elite Series is a full 12 percent lighter. It is also 31 percent thinner than the average of the best Level IIIA packages in the industry.” Foreman concluded.
