Portable shields, top-level protection

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams confront weapons of increasing deadliness in conflicts with terror suspects, mass shooters, criminals or rioters well versed in guns and gear. SWAT teams use equipment designed for high-risk situations, including urban close-quarters combat, hostage crises and barricaded suspects. The challenge for manufacturers of protective gear has been to achieve the highest rating for body armor, the U.S. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) level IV, in a shield that is lightweight enough to be fully mobile.

TenCate Advanced Armour EMEA, Vissenbjerg, Denmark, recently introduced the Targa-light™ Ceramic Xtra (CX) shield, which offers full NIJ level IV protection and weighs less than 38 pounds. The Targa-light CX shield protects against .30–06 caliber armor-piercing bullets travelling 2,850 feet per second or less, the highest level of protection. The armor is made with composites of high-grade ceramics, silicon or boron carbides, and fiber materials that include aramids and high-performance polyethylene.

“Various advanced features have been added to our new shield,” says Steen Tanderup, managing director of TenCate Advanced Armour in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions, “such as an ergonomic shape, the adjustable handle, shock protection, and the possible use of a periscope, a day and night camera, or night vision equipment.” TenCate collaborated with European Special Forces to develop this product, introduced at the International Defense Exposition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in February.