What are SAPI Plates?

SAPI, Small Arms Protective Insert, is a term that references US Government issued ballistic armor plates. The SAPI plates were eclipsed by the ESAPI, Enhanced SAPI plates in 2005 and provide protection from the.30-06 M2 Armor-piercing rounds with a steel or tungsten penetrator tip. SAPI and ESAPI plates are not given an NIJ rating, as they are tested in accordance with specific protocols for the military and not the NIJ’s testing. Military testing calls for survivability of three hits from the round marked on the top – back of the plate, for standard SAPI, of a caliber up to 7.62×51mm NATO M80 ball and of a muzzle velocity up to 2,750 ft/s (840 m/s). For ESAPI, a .30cal M2 AP (.30-06 black-tip armor-piercing, 7.62 mm APM2) cartridge.

Commercial, consumer body armor is tested against NIJ testing levels and NIJ Level IV plates are tested against the rounds SAPI plates are defined to defeat as well as the ESAPI. The next generation of the SAPI plate, currently labeled XSAPI, is under development.