Life-threatening
risks are a reality in everyday life. People can face serious dangerous
situations almost anywhere. Especially in hostile environments and/or
just while traveling on an ordinary road. A bulletproof vehicle ups the ante as it can keep people secure as long as they are inside.
With
the growing need and demand for armored vehicles, you should understand
the different kinds of armoring services available to you. It’s
important to make the right choice that best suits your needs.
Levels of armor
Armoring
comes with several different ratings – each level defines the
protection offered by a particular armor against different types of
ammunitions and explosives. These ratings are derived after performing a
full range of tests that thoroughly evaluate the performance and
effectiveness.
There
are two primary standards for rating armor – NIJ and EN. The NIJ
standard (US body) provides 8 classifications of protection which are
Class I, IIA, II, IIIA, III, IV, V & VI. The EN standard is the
corresponding rating chart primarily used in Europe and it rates the
armor protection levels as B1 to B7. These levels define the type of
gun, bullet, projectile range and even the velocity that a particular
level of armor can withstand successfully. Both the scales are similar
and higher the level, higher is the protection and vice versa.
How to choose?
You
should decide the level of armor based on the kind of threat level you
perceive. For instance, a B4 level armor can effectively resist shots
fired from any handgun or shotgun from penetrating the inside cavity of
the vehicle. Similarly, B6 ballistic protection is effective against
assaults from high power rifles while B7 raises the armor piercing
protection from super-high velocity rifles to another plane. The latter
graces the personal Cadillac of the President of the United States!
Therefore,
you should first assess your threat exposure and how you will use the
vehicle before deciding on the protection needs accordingly. Choosing a
reputed and experienced vehicle armoring facility is advisable as the
experts will ask detailed questions and evaluate your risk level
accordingly.
While
you can pick and choose the ballistic protection level and kind of
add-ons you require, the team will also assist you in selecting the
appropriate tier of protection as well as the best choice of vehicle for
the desired security.
It
is further beneficial if the provider has prior experience and a proven
track record in your country and particular city as well. For instance,
armoring service providers with a global presence will be well aware
that the menace of handguns is high in Thailand whereas in Africa the
threat ranges more towards the ominous AK-47s!
Furthermore,
an expert team can also help compare your protection needs to your
projected budget outlay to get the best bulletproof vehicle and security
possible.
