New body armour for infantry soldiers

Infantry soldiers will receive new body armour for advanced mobility. Of Finnish design and manufacture, the M17 plate carrier vest will be fielded in all Services during the autumn of 2019 to function as the personal protective equipment of infantry soldiers.

The M17 plate carrier vest provides good ballistic protection against mortar projectile fragmentation and, with its supplementary plates, also against rifle caliber bullets.

The tactical vest design pays special attention to the needs and requirements set for the new combatant equipment. This allows for attaching mission-specific equipment pockets and a rucksack panel to the vest for task-dependent personal equipment and kit, such as the new personal role radio system, weapons’ magazines, respirator and canteen.

The plate carrier vest remains adjustable to fit the end user.

- The new M17 plate carrier vest together with the new combatant equipment continues to enhance our troops’ survivability. In addition, this new lightweight vest significantly improves our soldiers’ mobility, Inspector of the Infantry, Colonel Rainer Peltoniemi points out.

The Finnish Ministry of Defence announced the procurement project of body armour in 2017. (Link to press release in Finnish)