Armored Republic, a.k.a. AR500 Armor, have released the new A3 series of hybrid steel/polyethylene body armor plates which according to the company were created to capture the benefits of both armor types. Let’s take a look at the design of the new Armored Republic A3 armor plates and see what protection they provide.

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A winner-take-all mentality applied to armor: The curved A3 body armor minimizes the compromises one must make when choosing armor by emphasizing the strengths of two different armor types: Polyethylene and Steel. Historically, these two materials have been separated and contrasted with an either-or mentality. The A3 removes that completely by using each in one plate.

The Armored Republic A3 armor plates are built with the company’s patent-pending Alloy Composite Technology and consist of a front steel alloy plate and a polyethylene backer layer. As a result of such a hybrid design, the A3 plates provide Level III+ protection while weighing only 4.6lbs and having a .7″ thickness, which according to the Armored Republic makes these plates lighter than steel and thinner than polyethylene plates. The A3 plates have passed all the NIJ tests and are currently pending NIJ approval for 0101.06 certification.

The Armored Republic A3 plates are advertised to be multi-hit capable providing edge-to-edge protection against 7.62x51mm NATO M80 ball, 5.56x45mm NATO with M193 and M855 bullets as well as 7.62x39mm with PS mild steel core projectiles. These plates are curved and have dimensions of 10″x12″.

The MSRP of one Armored Republic A3 armor plate is $399. You can also buy a package consisting of an AR Invictus Plate Carrier, two A3 armor plates and two trauma pads for $1001. Armored Republic A3 plates are made in the USA and have a shelf life of 5 years.

Pictures by Armored Republic LLC, www.ar500armor.com