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Taiwan Plans Major Purchase of Boron Carbide Bullet-Resistant Plates
48,000 NIJ IV-equivalent armor plates to protect against high-threat rounds
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwans Ministry of National Defense announced plans to acquire 48,000 boron carbide bullet-resistant ceramic plates, capable of stopping up to 7.62mm armor-piercing ammunition and shrapnel. The procurement, budgeted at NT$840 million (US$28.08 million), will take place between 2028 and 2029 following an earlier small-scale acquisition of 30 units for testing. The announcement follows years of investment in advanced body armor, including NIJ III-rated plates designed for 7.62x51mm NATO rounds and Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts to counter 5.8mm steel-core ammunition used by Chinas PLA. Armor currently in mass production features three-layer ceramic and polyethylene construction, with 60,000 units slated for delivery this year under a separate NT$1.6 billion contract for 160,000 plates. Boron carbides combination of hardness and light weight makes it an optimal material for high-threat protective gear, though detailed specificationsincluding weight and the military branches slated to receive the platesremain undisclosed. The new plates are expected to meet or exceed NIJ Level IV protection standards, similar to U.S. military specifications, signaling Taiwans intent to upgrade its protective gear for troops facing evolving regional threats.