Latest NIJ Certified Lab and Field Testing Results
BEFORE you read ballistics test reports, please familiarize yourself with the terminology below.
Some NIJ-certified laboratories use different terms to indicate a successful test. Under "Penetration" columns, you will notice several possible terms. Of note, "None" and "Partial Penetration" mean exactly the same thing. "NIJ certified lab" does NOT mean NIJ certified.
Under the Penetration or Notes columns:
NONE (same as PARTIAL PENETRATION): This occurs when the projectile (bullet) breaks the ceramic and is caught by the backer. PP will always have a backface deformation (BFD) measurement. The NIJ requires a BFD of 44mm or lower (when there are 6 shots per plate, BFD is measured on shot 6 and three other shots). Sometimes partial penetration information above 44mm will be included to show that the armor will stop the projectile/threat.
PARTIAL PENETRATION (PP): A more accurate term than “none” and describes the entry of the bullet into the armor plate where the fragments are trapped. This occurs when the projectile (bullet) breaks the ceramic and is caught by the backer. PP will always have a back face deformation (BFD) measurement. The NIJ requires a BFD of 44mm or lower. Sometimes partial penetration information above 44mm will be included to show that the armor will stop the projectile/threat.
COMPLETE PENETRATION (CP): This occurs when the projectile (bullet) or a fragment passes through the armor. This will not have a BFD measurement and is considered an armor failure. You may notice a CP on test reports, especially after one or more successful PPs. CPs are important tools during research and development and we use data from CPs to adjust material types and layering.
Under testing notes or other:
MECHANICAL TESTING or DROP TESTING refers to plate drop testing. SUBMERSION testing refers to armor submerged under water. Those conditions are described on the test report.
CROWN TESTING: The crown of the armor plate (highest point) is the most vulnerable location. If your provider is not testing the crown, then the plate is not being adequately tested. For example, you may see a manufacturer provide a test report showing two shots of .30 M2AP. One of the shots may be in the lower right quadrant. The other shot may be in the upper left quadrant. Or, the shot locations may not even be described accurately. These locations are easier to resist because they are not crown shots. Remember, look for crown shots when making purchasing decisions because armor is only as strong as its crown resistance.
You can also refer to the ballistics reports below and contact the labs directly with questions about their terminology and/or process.
We do our best to maximize performance. However, ballistics is about management of energy and sometimes projectiles can do crazy things. Even though we try to put our best foot forward, everyone should understand that we cannot expect armor to resist the same number of projectiles during every test. A lot about performance rests on shot placement, velocity and design. No armor (including ours) should ever be expected to perform flawlessly and independent of shot placement and velocity variations.
Note that we do not always decide to produce an armor model after Research and Development work.
For more information about ballistics testing, read here.
Table below is always in process as new results are received.
| Model | Protection Level | Testing Link(s) |
Tested Threat |
| 9490 with ARMORFILM™ | RF3 |
9490 uses Model 1023 layup (slightly different size) |
.30 M2 AP All RF1, RF2 threats |
| 9969 with ARMORFILM™ | RF3 |
RF3 .30 M2AP, NIJ Drop Tested All RF1, RF2 threats. Fragmentation (spall) control added after field video. |
|
|
1023 with ARMORFILM™ (also matches RF3 Fort Defender 2 material layup) |
RF3 |
ETL Lab November 2024 Test Report |
RF1, RF2, RF3, .30 M2AP, NIJ Drop Tested |
| 1969 with ARMORFILM™ | RF3 |
ETL Crown Test Video July 2025 SMS Vertical Crown Test Video 1 July 2025 SMS Vertical Crown Test Video 2 July 2025 SMS Vertical Crown Test Video 3 July 2025 SMS Crown .30 M2AP M80A1 Video July 2025 SMS Test Report July 2025 .30 M2AP M80A1 All Model 1023 test reports are generally applicable to Model 1969 since 1969 uses the same material layering, but thicker than 1023. |
RF1, RF2, RF3,.30 M2 AP, M80A1, NIJ Drop Tested |
| 8001 (currently not offered) | RF3 |
RF1, RF2, RF3, .30 M2AP, NIJ Drop Tested |
|
| 8002 with ARMORFILM™ | RF3 |
SMS Carbon CAP Test Report June 2025 |
RF1, RF2, RF3, .30 M2AP, Swiss P AP (196g), .308 Winchester, M993, NIJ Drop Tested Same test: Crown shot M993 + another crown shot Swiss P AP .308 Winchester (not 5.56) 196g (paper shot labels seen airborne in video). Shows the multi-hit strength of the mosaic style. |
| 0425 with ARMORFILM™ |
RF3 |
Field Test Video and Discussion
|
RF1, RF2, RF3, .30 M2AP, NIJ Drop Tested |
| 1948 with ARMORFILM™ |
RF3 7.1 pds |
Field Test Video and Discussion |
RF1, RF2, RF3 .30 M2AP, NIJ Drop Tested |
| 6001SRT with ARMORFILM™ |
SRT 5.1 pds |
Field Test Video and Discussion Lab Report M855 (6 shot sample) Lab Report M193 (6 shot sample) |
SRT 3+ shots M193 3+ shots of 7.62 x 39mmm MSC 3+ shots of M855 1 CROWN shot with M80 under 44mm BFD, 3+ shots of M80 but BFD exceeds 44mm on shots 2/3. No ICW plate needed. Notice low ceramic fragmentation on shots. NIJ Drop Tested |
| 6001 with ARMORFILM™ |
RF2 5.4 pds |
Field Test Video and Discussion Lab Report M855 (6 shot sample) Lab Report M193 (6 shot sample) |
RF1, RF2, NIJ Drop Tested |
|
Fort Defender 2 Russian Armor RF2 Protection Level Model 6908 (currently not offered) |
RF2 |
RF1, RF2, M855A1, NIJ Drop Tested |
|
| 6911 with ARMORFILM™ | RF2 |
RF1, RF2, M855A1, NIJ Drop Tested |
|
| Thinnest UHMWPE Production Backing Plate for Ceramic Armor Models | HG2 |
HG2 (.44 MAG), NIJ Drop Tested is N/A (PE plate) |
LEGAL NOTE: Any use of our testing documentation without prior permission is expressly prohibited. Absolutely no misuse or reuse of our testing documentation for other armor plates will be tolerated. If our reports are used to misrepresent other armor performance, we will take legal action and other industry-related action.
Please remember that the below reports do not necessarily show a Model's endurance or total performance limit. Sometimes, we test particular areas of the plate or performance characteristics that we are implementing (crown strength or crack arrestors). Note on the reports if the armor has been dropped and / or submerged. If we have tested the drop and submersion previously, it is possible that some reports will not show this. Most will show this conditioning. We use the same ceramic across some, certain models. Remember that we can always build a increasingly "stronger" plate, but this must be tempered by marketability and wearability.