Improved Versions Replacement
Aside from replacing the SAPI vital plates with the improved E-SAPI plates, the body armor vests have also been redesigned, improved and enhanced with the introduction of the Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or "IOTV" (which began to be issued to ground combat units in late 2007), in the U.S. Army.
After initially using the OTV as their main body armor system, the Marine Corps developed a completely new armor system, the Modular Tactical Vest, which was their primary body armor system in Iraq. On September 25, 2006, the Marine Corps announced that Protective Products International won a contract for 60,000 new Modular Tactical Vests (MTV) to replace the Interceptor OTV vests. The MTV provides greater coverage, superior weight distribution, and additional features such as a quick-release system. Some United States Navy ground force personnel (such as the Seabees and Corpsmen) use the Modular Tactical Vest. Other Navy personnel on Individual Augmentee assignments use the Army's body armor systems.
Not adapted for the mountainous environment of Afghanistan, the Modular Tactical Vest(MTV) was replaced by the Scalable Plate Carrier (SPC), a lighter alternative, which is their primary body armor system for Afghanistan.
Since January 2009, the Marine Corps is seeking for replacements for both MTV and SPC commonly issues. The MTV has received top ratings by many US Marines; although a few Marines have complained about minor elements of it and an updated version will soon be released which deals with these elements. Improved Modular Tactical Vest (IMTV) and Improved Scalable Plate Carrier (ISPC) are the new models. "The IMTV will be the main body armor system for Marines, the Corps plans to order about 70,000 of the improved plate carriers, far more than the estimated 10,000 to 14,000 plate carriers in use today".
Read more about this topic: Interceptor Body Armor
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