BAE systems to produce XSBI Side Body Armor for U.S. Army

PHOENIX, Ariz., Jan. 12, 2012. BAE Systems has received a $15.8 million award from the U.S. Army for the production and delivery of side ballistic insert plates, also known as XSBI hard body armor.

XSBI hard body armor inserts are worn on the inside of a Soldier’s vest to protect against a variety of ballistic threats. The protective plates, worn on both sides of the torso, offer ballistic protection and are fully qualified by the U.S. Government to meet the military’s rigid requirements and specifications. BAE Systems first introduced the SAPI plate in 1998 and has produced more than 1 million hard body armor inserts, including XSBI and Enhanced SAPI, under multiple Department of Defense contracts.

This $15.8 million order is part of a previous contract awarded to BAE Systems in September 2010. The most recent award brings the total contract value to approximately $50.6 million. Production is being performed at BAE Systems’ Phoenix, Ariz. facility, with deliveries scheduled through February 2012.