Defence Forces Roll Out New Body Armour Designed to Accommodate Female Personnel

The Defence Forces are rolling out new body armour to troops for the first time in twenty years, deploying equipment designed to counter modern ballistic threats while accommodating female personnel. Costing approximately €25 million, the 8,000 body armour sets are currently being distributed across the force, with one thousand units already delivered to personnel.

Field Deployment with the 69th Infantry Group

The first operational deployment of the new equipment will occur next month when the 69th Infantry Group deploys to Lebanon for what marks the final United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon mission for the unit. Col George O’Connell stated that the redesign draws directly from the equipment used by other international forces and lessons learned from recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

“We’re looking at the threats that we anticipate our soldiers will meet, and we’re trying to design a system that first and foremost gives them the protection that they actually need against ballistic and fragmentation threats, whether that be from artillery, mortar, IEDs,” Col O’Connell said, emphasizing that ergonomic fit remains vital to ensure physical comfort during operations.

“The upscaled armour is something that’s been really positive for our personnel because of its design, the time that’s been spent in making it fit for a purpose,” he said, adding that operators and logisticians feel more comfortable in the field.

Design Adjustments for Female Personnel

For the first time, the protective equipment has been engineered specifically with the needs of female soldiers in mind, incorporating extra padding into the breastplate. Private Jessica Slevin noted that the adjustable design has eliminated the mobility restrictions caused by older-generation equipment.

“Even though they’re the same weight, it feels a lot lighter because it’s compact to my body,” Private Slevin said. She explained that previously, female soldiers routinely had to select larger sizes to compensate for inadequate fits, which generated hazardous gaps, pressure points, and physical interference when drawing weapons or entering vehicles. “Now everyone can be more efficient with what they’re doing and we’re more protected now,” she added.

Defence Forces Will Deliver Body Armour and Helmets

The remaining body armour sets are scheduled for complete distribution by the end of this year. Following the conclusion of the body armour rollout, the Defence Forces expect to introduce new combat helmets—costing an estimated €10 million—by the middle of next year.