Body Armor Plates Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Level, By Application (Defense, Law Enforcement Protection, Civilians), By Material (Steel, Aramid, Composite Ceramic), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027

Report Overview

The global body armor plates market size was valued at USD 1.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% from 2020 to 2027. The body armor plates function as a shield and provide a protection layer in protection suits. They are typically made from a combination of ceramics and bullet-resistant fabrics or materials. These are often used in bullet-resistant vests to provide additional protection from rifle and pistol bullets. In recent years, the demand for armor plates has been surged significantly due to the growing number of territorial disputes between countries around the globe.

Moreover, the rising demand for protection shields among civilians has also created several industry growth opportunities. This high demand for civilian use can be attributed to the rise in crimes, burglaries, home invasion, and similar activities. CITIZEN ARMOR, a U.S.-based protection equipment manufacturing company, offers ballistic plates for civilians. The relatively low cost of steel plates has led to their re-emergence in manufacturing body armors for civilian use in the American market. Besides, metal plates are advantageous over ceramic plates since they can protect against multiple hits.

The growing number of soldiers' casualties and inflicting fatal injuries due to the rising terrorism and hostile activities around the world propels the need for ballistic protection suits for safeguarding armed forces. The rise in asymmetric warfare activities and cross-border tension worldwide pushes several governments to go for soldier's modernization program to increase soldier's survivability. The program includes the acquisition of modern protection equipment and shields for the armed forces. The modernization program has also created several opportunities for industry participants, leading to alliances with military agencies in a contractual environment. For instance, in July 2019, KDH Defense Systems, a U.S.-based body armor manufacturer, received two separate delivery orders worth USD 40.0 million from the U.S. Armed Forces.

Furthermore, the growing demand for soft shields or plates globally boosts the investments in various research and development activities to improve these plates' operational efficiency. Moreover, these research and development activities mainly focus on providing the material with various properties, such as low density, high tenacity, high tensile modulus, and low elongation at break, which is of paramount importance for soft body armor plates. Meanwhile, the companies focus on producing protection suits with different materials complying with NIJ standards to provide efficient soft body armor plates and maintain competitiveness in the market. For Instance, In November 2019, Honeywell Corporation announced the expansion of Spectra Fiber's production, which enables the growth of high performing ballistic material and lightweight suit.

The technological advancements and the increasing availability of lightweight body armor globally are expected to drive the market for body armor plates over the forecast period. For instance, Kevlar vests' liquid armor is an enhanced technology innovated at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to safeguard soldiers' lives. It is flexible and light, allowing soldiers to move more and with ease while running or aiming their weapons. It turns into a rigid material once the bullet knocks the armor and, thus, protects soldiers from being shot. Further, to ease discomfort and reduce the fatigue that reduces the soldier's tactical effectiveness, enhanced body armor systems are being developed. Sensor Products Inc. is developing a body mapping pressure system called Tactilus that will help designers and engineers build ballistic protection suits capable of optimally distributing the soldiers' load.

Level Insights

Level IV body armor plate led the market for body armor plates and accounted for the largest revenue share of over 25.0% in 2019. This segment is anticipated to grow at a noticeable rate over the forecast period. This growth is attributable to the fact that the introduction of the final version of NIJ (National Institute of Justice) Standard 0101.07 is anticipated to improve the test methods and the performance requirements for the ballistic resistance levels. Besides, the new NIJ standard is expected to bring new threat levels for rifle protection levels. The increased vulnerability to the rifle protection levels is expected to contribute to the growth of the level IV armor plate.

The Level ll segment is anticipated to grow at a noticeable rate over the forecast period. This high growth is attributable to the fact that it offers one of the highest levels of protection. Level II body armor plates are developed to stop a 0.357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) at 1,430 ft/s and a 0.9mm FMJ at approximately 1,245 ft/s. They are conventionally light, soft, and comfortable to conceal. The segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period.

Application Insights

The defense application segment led the market for body armor plates and accounted for the largest revenue share of over 50.0% in 2019. This high share is attributable to the ever-increasing need for defense suits supported with enhanced ballistic and stabs resistance for soldiers. The defense agencies in developed countries, such as the U.S., France, and Canada, emphasize enhancing personal protection for armed forces, thus, focusing on upgrading the traditional body armor capabilities and protective headgears. The segment’s ongoing trend positively impacts the body armor plates market and is expected to dominate the market in terms of revenue in the forecast years.

The law enforcement protection application is expected to grow at a noticeable rate over the forecast period since NIJ has been pivotal in developing modern body armors for police officers. Besides, the rising crime and riot instances in a different part of civil society globally are fostering the body armor plates demand in various law enforcement agencies. For instance, the St. Clair police department has declared body armor mandatory for most police officers during the area patrolling. The segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period.

Material Insights

The composite ceramic material segment led the market for body armor plates and accounted for the largest revenue share of over 30.0% in 2019. This high share is attributable to the prominence of alumina ceramic among armor manufacturers as it offers better thermal stability. Hence, plates made from alumina ceramic are mainly provided to personnel deployed in areas where resistance to high temperatures is essential. In some cases, silicon carbide is also used to create ceramic plates. However, ceramic plates so designed tend to be more expensive as compared to alumina ceramic.

The steel segment is expected to witness a CAGR of 7.2% over the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to one of the most commonly used materials for protection shields and plates. Apart from being cost-effective, steel can offer protection against several types of rounds and projectiles. Moreover, a steel plate can also be concealed under the user's garment, thereby making it ideal for a Very Important Person (VIP).

Regional Insights

North America dominated the market for body armor plates and accounted for the largest revenue share of 30.0% in 2019. The government military programs, such as the Extremity Protection program and Soldier Protection System-Torso for providing full body armor to the armed forces, are anticipated to incite growth in the regional market.  Besides, the region consists of leading countries that dominate the global market in terms of military spending. For Instance, in 2019, the U.S has spent USD 732.0 billion on its military. Such a high budget for military applications and services has further fueled the development and adoption of armor plates in the North American market.

In Asia Pacific, the market for body armor plates is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 6.7% over the forecast period. The large-scale modernization activities of traditional systems and the rise in warfare and border disputes in the Asia Pacific region's emerging economies, such as China, India, and South Korea, drive the demand for protection equipment plates in this region. Also, the need for providing personal protection to the ground troops in the region, along with steady investments by the government for acquiring competitive arms and personal protection equipment, is expected to energize the regional market growth prospects.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market for body armor plates is highly concentrated and competitive due to leading vendors to offer advanced products, thereby driving internal rivalry. The key players are striving to increase their customer portfolio to gain a competitive advantage in the market. Hence, they are focusing on expansion activities such as collaborations, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions. For instance, in August 2019, Avon Rubber p.l.c. acquired 3M’s ballistic protection unit and rights to the Ceradyne brand. This acquisition was a strategic initiative to win the U.S. Army’s contract for body protection plates. Some of the prominent players in the body armor plates market include:

• Aegis Engineering Ltd

• Armored Republic, LLC

• BAE Systems

• Ballistic Body Armour Pty.

• Ceradyne Inc. (Subsidiary of 3M)

• Craig International Ballistics Pty Ltd

• Hellweg International

• Kejo Limited Company

• Pacific Safety Products

• Point Blank Enterprises, Inc

• Safariland, LLC

Body Armor Plates Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2027. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global body armor plates market report based on level, application, material, and region:

• Level Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Level IIA

  • Level II

  • Level IIIA

  • Level III

  • Level IV

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Defense

  • Law Enforcement Protection

  • Civilians

• Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Steel

  • UHMWPE

  • Aramid

  • Composite Ceramic

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Russia

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Australia

  • South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • Saudi Arabia

    • Israel

    • UAE