Safariland announced an exclusive agreement with Hardwire, LLC (“Hardwire”), an armor systems company, offering market-changing soft armor ballistic panels with an unprecedented combination of stopping power and weight – 15 percent lighter than any soft armor available on the market today. Together, Safariland and Hardwire are introducing the first NIJ 0101.06 Level IIIA compliant product with an areal density of just 0.68 lbs. per sq. foot.
Pressed using 25 million pounds of force at precise temperatures, multiple layers are turned into a single system, resulting in millions of fibers that once acted independently, now acting as one. This has set a new standard in shock dissipation physics, momentum transfer efficiency, and ultimately, ballistic properties.
“The key is in shock wave physics,” stated George Tunis of Hardwire. “A typical .44 magnum round would have the energy of a 330 mph major league fastball, but it also has the sharp tip of an arrow. The key is to spread that energy out, so you walk away with a bruise, not a hole. Spreading that energy is how armor works, and material wave speed is the key. The faster that energy can travel in the armor material, the faster the shock can be spread over a large area, and the faster the bullet can be flattened and stopped.”
This solution is a revolutionary new armor system that outperforms the hardest steels, yet is light enough to float. This new type of armor is a combination of perfectly interlaced multi-functional fibers and the finest polymer chemistry available. Made of Dyneema fibers, it is pure carbon and hydrogen, with not a single atom of wasted weight.
“The impressive scientific engineering in Safariland’s new Hardwire ballistic package is unlike anything ever produced before in soft armor,” said Todd Mackler, Vice President, Armor. “The disruptive technology of these panels offers record stopping power with the undisputed lightest weight body armor on the market. We are extremely proud to be bringing this breakthrough technology to the men and women who protect us.”
