Body Armor - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts 2019 - 2029

The Body Armor Market size is estimated at USD 2.88 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.60 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.49% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The rising geopolitical conflict and increased acts of violence and terrorism have necessitated the adoption of body armor by military and law enforcement agencies to ensure their personnel's safety in various situations. However, the level of protection offered by the body armor differs based on the threat assessment of the end users.

Modern-day warfare practices include counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and guerrilla warfare operations that may injure soldiers or cause fatal injuries. Similar scenarios exist in law enforcement wherein criminals, felons, and law offenders can fatally injure corresponding officers, thus necessitating investment in personal body armor and related equipment.

Body armor is specifically developed to shield the wearer from the effect of firearm rounds on human organs. Body armor saves several lives and provides additional protection during car accidents and other assaults on police officers. Most law-enforcement body armor and helmets are designed to defeat attacks from handgun firing.

Investments in advanced body armor equipment have increased in recent years, driven by the government's focus on bridging the gaps between the requirement and the existing supply. Hence, the market is witnessing several procurement and development activities related to the latest body armor. This development in body armor is expected to drive the market's growth in the coming years. In comparison, stringent government regulations limit body armor adoption in the civil sector, hindering the market's growth.

Body Armor Market Trends

Soft and Hard Armors Segment Will Showcase Remarkable Growth During the Forecast Period

The soft and hard armor segment is anticipated to show significant market's growth during the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the increasing defense spending and rising focus on soldier's security. Soft body armor is made of ballistic panels with highly specialized fibers. Body armor up to National Institute of Justice (NIJ) level III is considered soft. NIJ Level III is designed to stop or handle six 7.6251 NATO round shots traveling at a speed of up to 2780 feet per second. A level IIIA bulletproof vest is the most effective soft body armor for protecting against handgun bullets.

Hard body armor is made of ceramic and metal plates. New National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard NIJ 0101.07 ruled out NIJ IIA protection level soft body armor. The Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) also established test standards for bulletproof vests. HOSDB 2017 standards feature the minimum testing requirement for stab and bulletproof vests. The UK Police have followed the HOSDB standard since it was first established in 1993. Periodic In-Life Monitoring (ILM), Production Quality Testing (PQT), Formed Armor Testing, and others are a few tests in the HOSDB standard.

As per a Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) study, body armor has saved the lives of more than 3,000 police officers since 1990 in the United States alone. Thus, increasing contractual agreements and continuous procurement from regulatory authorities are expected to supplement the demand during the forecast period.

North America Dominates the Market During the Forecast Period

North America held the highest shares in the market and is expected to continue its domination during the forecast period. The growth is due to increasing spending on the defense sector and the presence of a large number of military personnel in the United States. The country was the largest defense spender in the world, with a defense budget of USD 877 billion. The US armed forces have 1,832,000 military personnel, of which 1,390,00 are active and 442,000 are reserved. The US law enforcement agencies had approximately 660,288 full-time federal officers in 2021.

Rising procurement of advanced body armor to improve soldier's security drives the market's growth. For instance, in September 2023, Ace Link Armor (US) partnered with Glágio do Brasil (Brazil) to introduce ballistic protection body armor products to the US market. Ace Link Armor launched its new NIJ Certified hard armor plate, which is expected to protect against shots from high-powered rifle caliber rounds, including 7.6251 M80, 5.56x45mm M855, and 7.62x39MSC. Prominent economies considered under the study scope have increased their helmet procurement for armed forces. Also, in April 2021, Avon Rubber PLC, a British company specializing in engineering and manufacturing protection equipment, gained a contract of USD 18.9 million from the United States. The contract was awarded for modifying the US Special Forces' existing Head Protection System. Thus, growing investment in enhancing defense capabilities and increasing the number of military personnel are anticipated to drive the market's growth during the forecast period.

Body Armor Industry Overview

The body armor market is semi-consolidated, with some local and global players holding significant shares in the market. Some prominent players in the market are Safariland LLC, 3M, Honeywell International Inc., Survitec Group Limited, and BAE Systems plc. The key players in the market are highly focused on developing advanced solutions for military forces.

Body armor OEMs such as TenCate and others are manufacturing products that cater to a broader spectrum of protective standards, such as the Association of Testing Agencies for Attack-Resistant Materials and Constructions (VPAM), which has a harder completion standard procedure for certificates. For instance, in February 2021, the Safariland Group released two new highly customizable armor systems under the brand name Safariland, the SHIFT 360 Scalable Plate Rack System and the FAV (Fast Attack Vest). The company has stated that these armor systems would be more versatile and flexible.

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