Body Armor & Ballistic Panels
NIJ IIIA certified soft armor panels, hard plates rated NIJ III through RF3, concealed vests, and plate carriers. Designed and manufactured in Canada for law enforcement, military, and government agencies.
Tier 1
NIJ Tested — Certified Laboratory
Armor ballistically tested to NIJ protocols at independent accredited laboratories. Meets NIJ performance standards, but not listed on the NIJ Compliant Products List (CPL). Ideal for agencies requiring performance compliance without a mandatory official listing.
Tier 2
NIJ Certified — CPL Listed
Armor tested and officially listed on the NIJ Compliant Products List. Full certification recognized by U.S. and Canadian law enforcement and government agencies. Required for certain institutional procurement tenders.
For questions about the compliance tier required for your agency or procurement tender, contact our team via the Dealer page.
Hard Ballistic Plates — III / III+ / IV / RF1–RF3
UHMWPE & ceramic composite plates. Legacy NIJ 0101.06 and new NIJ 0101.07 RF standards.
Tatou Armor hard ballistic plates cover the full NIJ protection spectrum — from lightweight NIJ Level III UHMWPE plates to high-threat NIJ Level IV ceramic composites. Our lineup also covers the new NIJ 0101.07 Rifle-Face (RF) standards: RF1, RF2, and RF3. Whether you need a lightweight patrol plate or a high-threat ceramic for special operations, we have the right solution for your mission profile.
Key specifications
Sales to authorized dealers, LE agencies & government only
Legacy standard — NIJ 0101.06
NIJ Level III
UHMWPE · Lightweight
Standard patrol plate. Lightweight UHMWPE construction. Ideal for extended wear.
NIJ Level III+
UHMWPE enhanced · Lightweight–Medium
Industry designation (not official NIJ). Stops M855 green tip and M193 — common patrol and military rounds.
NIJ Level IV
Ceramic + PE composite · Medium–Heavy
Highest legacy NIJ rating. Single-hit rated. Ceramic composite stops armor-piercing rifle rounds.
NEW STANDARD — NIJ 0101.07 (RF)
The NIJ 0101.07 standard introduces the Rifle-Face (RF) designation, replacing the legacy III / IV numbering for hard plates. RF levels are more rigorous — they include multi-hit requirements and updated velocity protocols.
NIJ RF1
≈ Legacy IIIEntry-level rifle plate. Replaces legacy Level III in the new standard.
NIJ RF2
Between III+ and IVCovers M193 and M80 — the most common patrol and military rifle threats.
NIJ RF3
≈ Legacy IVHighest RF rating. Replaces legacy Level IV. Ceramic composite. Stops AP rifle rounds.
Legacy NIJ 0101.06 → New NIJ 0101.07 crosswalk
The 3 types of ballistic ceramic
Ceramic is the active component of a hard ballistic plate: it fragments and deflects the projectile before the UHMWPE or aramid backing absorbs the residual energy. Three materials dominate the military and LE market — each with a distinct performance/weight/cost profile.
Alumina
Aluminum Oxide
Density
~3.9 g/cm³
Hardness
~1,500 HV
Cost
$ Economical
AVANTAGES
- Lowest production cost
- Worldwide availability
- Proven ballistic ceramic with excellent cost-to-performance ratio
- Suitable for multi-hit armor designs depending on plate construction
LIMITES
- Higher density resulting in heavier armor systems
- Requires greater areal density for demanding AP threats
- Lower weight efficiency compared with SiC and B₄C
APPLICATIONS
Cost-effective ballistic armor systems, including NIJ Level III / RF2 and Level IV / RF3 designs where weight is not the primary constraint.
Silicon Carbide
Silicon Carbide
Density
~3.1 g/cm³
Hardness
~2,500 HV
Cost
$$ Mid-range
AVANTAGES
- Excellent weight-to-protection ratio
- Higher hardness than alumina
- Strong balance between ballistic performance, weight and cost
- Widely used in high-performance military and law-enforcement armor systems
LIMITES
- Higher cost than alumina
- More complex manufacturing
- Ceramic components require proper handling and protection from mechanical damage
APPLICATIONS
NIJ Level III+ / RF2, Level IV / RF3 and other high-performance armor systems. Commonly selected for military, law-enforcement and weight-sensitive ballistic applications.
Boron Carbide
Boron Carbide
Density
~2.5 g/cm³
Hardness
~2,800–3,000 HV
Cost
$$$ Premium
AVANTAGES
- Lowest-density ceramic among common ballistic ceramics
- Extremely high hardness and excellent weight efficiency for demanding ballistic armor designs
- Enables very low areal density and lightweight armor constructions
- Ideal for weight-critical high-performance armor systems
LIMITES
- Very high cost
- More complex material behavior under certain high-energy impact conditions
- Limited and specialized supply chain
APPLICATIONS
Premium lightweight NIJ Level IV / RF3 and military armor systems where reducing weight and areal density is a primary design objective.
CERAMIC COMPARISON // RELATIVE WEIGHT (250×300 mm plate, equivalent thickness)
* Indicative values — Tatou Armor internal data. Actual weight varies by thickness and backing.
Technical datasheet
Hard Ballistic Plates — III / III+ / IV / RF1–RF3 — Full Specifications
Premium raw materials.
Manufactured in Canada.
Every Tatou Armor vest, soft panel, and plate carrier is designed and manufactured in our Canadian facilities. We source exclusively from certified suppliers in Canada and the United States.
Canada
Final assembly, technical fabrics, Cordura®, nylon straps
United States
UHMWPE fibres, high-performance polyethylene
Certified Suppliers
High-tenacity aramid fibres — certified for ballistic applications
Independent ballistic testing
Our soft panels undergo independent ballistic testing through OBL. NIJ IIIA certification verified on every production run.
Proven formulations. Competitive edge.
Years of R&D and extensive testing across multiple solutions have given us refined, field-validated formulations — and a decisive edge in a demanding, competitive market.
5-year service life guarantee
All Tatou Armor products carry a 5-year service life guarantee from date of issue. Built to last in the field.
Proudly Canadian. Built for operators.
Tatou Armor supplies law enforcement agencies, military units, and government organizations across Canada and internationally.