Product Review: The Ranger Body Armor

The Ranger Body Armor, also known as the RBA, is a ballistic vest that is issued by the U.S. Army. The armor is specifically designed for the Soldiers of the United States Army 75th Ranger Regiment (“Rangers”) in the 1990s and 2000s. Hence, the name.

Although the RBA was later replaced by other specialized body armor systems adopted by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), it remains one of the high-performing gears in the body armor and plate carrier market.

Designed by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts, the RBA was made up of two key components. One, the flexible soft armor vest panels, and then the rigid ceramic plates. Like the concept of the plate carrier, the RBA was designed for with both components providing some ballistic protection to the upper torso of the wearer.

On a closer look, the flexible soft armor vest panels of the RBA are made up of an aramid (Kevlar KM2) filler encased in a nylon Woodland camouflage-printed carrier. Approximately, the RBA weighs around 8 pounds in size medium. Its heavy weight might be attributed to its Level IIIA NIJ ballistic protection rating. Wearers also enjoy fragmentation protection like that of the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT) vest.

The 8-pound Ceramic Upgrade Plates are fabricated of 2″ x 2″ aluminum oxide ceramic tiles. The vest can protect about 10″ x 12″ area from 5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62×51mm NATO full metal jacket rounds when the upgrade plates are inserted into the pockets of the vest. This is more than some plate carriers out there.

When used with the two standard aluminum oxide ceramic plates, the RBA vest would weigh approximately 11.4 kg (25.1 lbs.) This is to provide wearers with added protection from ballistic threats.

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