UPDATE: Kit Up! has been informed that the recall was not initiated by the department of the Army but by the Defense Logistics Agency who actually bought the plates for the Army.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: We've posted an exclusive headline story on Military.com about the Army's recall of 13,400 ESAPI plates due to manufacturing irregularities.]
The Army has issued a recall of more than 13,000 bullet-stopping armor plates, saying the ballistic plates “were not made according to specification” and ordering Soldiers to inspect their armor and exchange any plates that are part of the recall.According to Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings, the Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts being recalled were made by Chandler, Ariz.-based ArmorWorks and feature beveled edges that were not part of the specs outlined by the Army in its contract with the company.
But the Army is quick to say that the recalled plates do not represent a threat to Soldiers’ safety and the design flaw does not affect overall ballistic resistance capability.
The flawed plates were discovered during routine inspections when Soldiers turned in their armor after deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Fortunately, the recalled plates have passed all ballistic tests, so Soldiers who may have been using the plates were always properly protected,” the Army said in a June 14 statement. “However, in order to receive replacement plates under the warranty, all the recalled plates must be turned in.”
Here is what to look for when you inspect your plates:
ESAPI plates that should be turned in to the Central Issue Facility for replacement will display the contract number SPM1C1-08-D-1023 along with one of two design codes - DD3V2 or MP2.The contract number and design code are both located on the data tag on the back of the plate. The contract number is in the upper right corner of the data tag, and the design code is the last three to five characters of the DOM/LOT number.
See the photos below to get a better idea of where to look...
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