Abstract: A body armor panel has integral receivers disposed intermediate the multiple ballistic layers of the panel at the side and shoulder portions thereof. Resilient straps extend from the receivers, and have separable fasteners on the ends thereof for attachment to complimentary fasteners on a wearer's body. Using resilient straps, anchored in and extending from both the shoulders and sides allows the armor panel to be tensioned around its periphery, thus causing the armor panel to substantially keep its shape and surface area protection after successive impacts, as the resilient straps counteract the drawing in of the ballistic layers after each impact. Multiple linear stitching is used to attach each receiver within the armor panel to reduce susceptibility to ballistic impacts and to allow contouring of the side and shoulder portions to a body shape.

Abstract: A body armor insert has a set of ballistic cloth plies made from polyethylene fibers sandwiched between first and second sets of ballistic cloth plies made from aramid fiber. The number of plies in each of the three sets of plies is a function of a level of protection to be provided. Each of the two sets of aramid plies are sewn together along a central region of the set of plies. The set of polyethylene fiber plies are not sewn together except that all three sets of plies are sewn together in a shoulder region of the body armor insert.