Key Market Overview:
Body armor market size was valued at USD 2.4 Billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period (2022-2030), and the market is estimated to reach over USD 4.34 Billion by 2030.
Rising expenditures for technological advancement coupled with the demand for enhanced military and defense equipment are the major factors boosting the growth of the body armor market. Body armor is a blend of helmets, shields, and vests worn by soldiers to safeguard themselves against bullet penetrations, attacks, and other weapons. Typically built and designed for military personnel, body armor is increasingly being adopted by law enforcement officers, security guards, and civilians in multiple circumstances.
Present-day warfare practices incorporate counterterrorism, guerrilla warfare, and counterinsurgency operations which pose the threat of injury to the soldiers, leading to fatal injuries. Furthermore, similar scenarios are regularly faced in the law enforcement field where felons, law offenders, and criminals may attack and injure officers, thus investment in personal body armor has witnessed a sudden increase. In the context of the region, the Asia Pacific region is expected to be the frontier market contributor during the projected period due to the advancement of traditional systems and the rising border disputes and warfare in nations like China, South Korea, India, and Pakistan. Thus, the increase in demand for personal protection for troops on the front grounds and rising investments by the governments of respected nations to get arms and personal protection equipment is anticipated to bolster the market statistics in the Asia Pacific region.
Market Dynamics:
Body armor is defined as protective shields or an item of protective clothing to deflect and absorb projectile attacks while ensuring the safety of the wearer. The usage of body armor has witnessed a sudden increase in modern times due to the surged need for safety by bodyguards, safety guards, defense personnel, influential individuals, the police force, and others to protect themselves from uncertain deadly threats. Thus, body armor like bullet-resistant vests or ballistic vests is available among private citizens along with the police tactical units, soldiers, special operations forces, and marines as licensed utilities.
Driver:
The surged expenditures on the improvement of the defense industry by several countries due to geopolitical conflicts is one of the major factors driving the market growth. Additionally, the increased number of assaults by terrorists and the rapid surge of gun culture in developed countries are other factors propelling the growth of the body armor market.
Restraint:
Due to the economic crisis in many nations throughout the globe, the unavailability of funds among several nations’ governments as investments into protective equipment like body armor, armor carriers, and others hamper the market growth. Moreover, the effect of the recession in many countries restricts the growth rate of industries in terms of a negative impact on the market statistics during the forecast period.
Opportunities:
Technological innovations such as the utilization of nanomaterial for the production of new body armor commodities are expected to contribute to the global extension of the body armor market. Furthermore, a few incredible innovations in armor like the exoskeletons (suits of armor) that aid to propel armed forces and military into the advanced generation of personal protection are expected to create lucrative opportunities for market growth.
COVID-19 Impact:
The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the market growth in multiple regions of the world. Moreover, the factors such as restrictions on transportation, limited availability of raw materials, and the closure of manufacturing operations hampered the growth of the market. The demand for armor witnessed a substantial decline due to the restrictions on human movement, especially in public areas. Thus, the overall impact of the pandemic on this industry is expected to be low due to the stabilization of the situation. However, post-pandemic, there was a positive effect on the growth of the market due to the increased incidences of public appearances of influential people after two years.
Body Armor Report Coverage:
| Report Attributes | Report Details |
| Study Timeline | 2022 – 2030 |
| Market size in 2021 (USD Billion) | 2.4 Billion |
| Market Size in 2030 (USD Billion) | 4.34 Billion |
| CAGR (2022-2030) | 6.8% |
| By Product Type | Soft and Hard |
| By Material | Steel, Ceramic, Aramid, Kevlar, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) |
| By Protection level | Level I, Level II, Level III, Level IIIA, Level IV |
| By Application | Defense, Security Personnel, Law enforcement, Civilians |
| By Geography | North America– (U.S., Canada, Mexico)
Europe- (Germany, France, U.K., Russia, Italy, Spain, BENELUX, Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific- (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, ASEAN, Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America- (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of Latin America) Middle East and Africa- (GCC, Turkey, Israel, and the Rest of MEA) |
| Key Players | Safariland LLC, Point Blank Enterprises Inc., Elmon SA, Ballistic Body Armor Pty, Pacific Safety Products Inc., EnGarde Body Armor, Hellweg International Pty Ltd., BAE Systems plc, Ceradyne Inc., Avon Protection plc, Sarkar Tactical Ltd., Craig International Ballistics Pty Ltd., Armored Republic LLC |
Market Segmentation:
By Product type
The product type segment is categorized into hard and soft. Hard body armor is incorporated with steel or composite materials which form the foundation of hard body armor. These armors are then summoned and interlocked with each other via a more pliable armor shell to form the vests and other body protection types. Thus, such hard armor is highly deployed to the defense and homeland security personnel for the highest protection levels. Additionally, the soft body armor is smoother and lighter as compared to the hard body armor in terms of less rigidity and flexibility. These armors offer ease & flexibility along with the comfort that allows the combatants to move swiftly and freely on the battlefield.
By Material
The material type segment is divided into steel, ceramic, aramid, Kevlar, and Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE). When soldiers started wearing body armor, the only option was the bulky heavy steel one. Whereas in recent times, multiple options are available as plated armors built from ceramic, UHMWPE (a particular type of polyethylene), and others. Such innovative armor does not react with chemicals due to high chemical inertness. Additionally, the aramid, Kevlar, and ceramic materials offer incredible self-lubrication which provides the ability to stop multiple bullet attacks in the same place without deflecting, cracking, or reducing its effectiveness. Thus, these materials directly impact the price range of the armor product due to the features offered by specific material armor.
By Protection level
Based on protection level, the body armor market is segmented into level I, level II, level III, level IIIA, and level IV. The level III protection segment is anticipated to contribute major revenue shares of over 25.2% during the forecast period. These armors are highly utilized for protection against 7.62 mm rifle rounds along with the non-military grade 5.56 mm bullets. Thus, level III armor is recommended for daily usage among security guards, police officers, and federal law enforcement agents like the F.B.I., N.S.A., and A.T.F. Furthermore, the level II protection segment is projected to grow with the fastest CAGR during the projected period. These armors offer protection against common handgun rounds like 9mm, .357 rounds, 45 ACP, and others. Thus, the rising accessibility of handguns among populations is expected to support the segment growth, especially in terms of security personnel, private bodyguards, and police personnel.
By Application
In terms of the application segment, the market is categorized into defense, law enforcement, and civilian protection. The defense segment led the market and accounted for 57.8% of the global revenue share in 2022. This can be attributed to the surge in war and battlefield threats which has led to the acquisition of pioneering body armor and new ballistic vest protection. Furthermore, the law enforcement segment is also anticipated to register the fastest CAGR growth of over 7.4% during the forecast period. Law enforcement is considered the first-to-respond unit in case of any civilian matter. Thus, the consumption of body armor especially by this unit is projected to create favorable circumstances for market growth during the forecast period.
By Geography
The regional segment includes Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa, Latin America. The North American region is expected to receive substantial gains during the forecast period. This is due to the existence of an enormous number of security and defense agencies extended throughout the nations in this region. Thus, the growing access to the ammunition among population coupled with the rising numbers of crime incidences is projected to support the demand for body armor in the North American region.
Typically, it is the Asia-Pacific that is set to record the highest share of 42.73% in the market during the forecast period. The rising emphasis by the government to empower the military sector along with geopolitical concerns are the major factors boosting the market growth in this region. Moreover, India, China, and South Korea are the key contributors to this region due to the high presence of influential identities within the countries.
Body Armor Market Competitive Landscape:
The competitive analysis of the body armor market has been evaluated in the research report, besides the detailed profiles of the key players operating in the industry. Significant players present in the global market of body armor are investing in research and development, product launches, and business strategies to improve and enhance their product portfolios by introducing new lightweight materials. Furthermore, they are aiming at collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions to retain a competitive edge in the market. Key players in the market include-
- Safariland, LLC
- Point Blank Enterprises, Inc.
- Ballistic Body Armor Pty
- Elmon SA
- Pacific Safety Products Inc.
- EnGarde Body Armor
- Hellweg International Pty Ltd.
- BAE Systems plc
- Ceradyne Inc.
- Avon Protection plc
- Sarkar Tactical Ltd.
- Craig International Ballistics Pty Ltd.
- Armored Republic LLC
Recent Developments:
- In March 2022, the United Kingdom military declared the new body armor improvements, especially for women in its armed forces.
- In February 2022, the Indian Army soldiers introduced the new “Veer” helmets. These helmets were designed and built by Global Defence and Homeland Security Company MKU which are used for multiple accessories mounting and are compatible with Modular Accessory Connector Systems (MACS).
Table of Content
To check our Table of Contents, please mail us at: [email protected]
Research Methodology
The Market Research Community offers numerous solutions and its full addition in the research methods to be skilled at each step. We use wide-ranging resources to produce the best outcome for our customers. The achievement of a research development is completely reliant on the research methods implemented by the company. We always faithful to our clients to find opportunities by examining the global market and offering economic insights.Market Research Community are proud of our widespread coverage that encompasses the understanding of numerous major industry domains. Company offers consistency in our research report, we also offers on the part of the analysis of forecast across a range of coverage geographies and coverage. The research teams carry out primary and secondary research to carry out and design the data collection methods.