RDECOM, or the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, along with other industry-related partners, is making strides in the Advanced Body Armor Project. The project stemmed from recent conflict trends in hotter, drier climates.

"Soldiers, especially those stationed in hot climates and facing rough terrain, are always looking for alternatives for lighter gear," Shaun Ward, VestGuard innovator says. "Every ounce makes a difference when you're hiking through a desert, which is why body armor companies are constantly innovating their designs in order to create solutions that protect soldiers and police from bullets, shrapnel, heat, and movement restrictions."

At the Army Research Laboratory, project leader Shaun Walsh announced that the new small arms insert plate dropped almost half a pound in weight and now clocks in at 4.9 pounds.

Other branches like the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force will benefit from the Army's recent body armor innovations. According to the article, Walsh says that United States soldiers are wearing the best armor they can make.

He also says that the number one comment from soldiers is a piece of body armor's weight, though few complain about the myriad benefits of stopping a bullet. The main concern with the weight question is how to cut ounces without compromising a piece of body armor's protective rating. Another issue with innovative body armor is that it is expensive to produce on a massive schedule, one reason why the RDECOM project focused on manufacturing techniques.

"Three goals of body armor are to reduce a bullet's momentum, prevent trauma from incurring on the soldier, and eventually stop a projectile," Shaun Ward, VestGuard entrepreneur says. "Body armor has come a long way since bulky plate suits hundreds of years ago, but every year there are new and exciting things keeping the world's soldiers and police safe from harm."

The weight reduction experienced by the U.S. Army project is credited to advanced composite materials, ceramics, and how the body armor is designed. According to the piece, every step in body armor production needs to work in tandem in order to maximize production and minimize weight.

Another holdup on new body armor production is that the Army does not produce the equipment. Instead, it utilizes its research methods to provide material analysis and development techniques for other body armor companies to manufacture.

Because of how far-reaching the industry is, it is important for military branches and industries involved with body armor to work together. Shaun Ward, VestGuard founder, says that body armor production is an international effort and requires cooperation between different agencies to ensure that every soldier and officer is protected.