What are the NIJ Standard 0101.07 updates?

NIJ Standard 0101.07 updates the requirements and testing procedures used to certify body armor for U.S. law enforcement. It replaces NIJ Standard 0101.06 and applies to armor protecting the torso against handgun and rifle threats.

Key updates include:

• New protection-level names:
  • Level II → HG1
  • Level IIIA → HG2
  • Level III → RF1
  • New intermediate rifle level → RF2
  • Level IV → RF3
• Ballistic threats and protection levels are now defined separately in NIJ Standard 0123.00.
• Testing procedures are more closely aligned with ASTM standards and U.S. Army practices.
• Improved testing for women’s armor uses standardized clay forms to support and accurately test curved or shaped panels.
• Soft armor receives an additional angled shot near the top edge to test a potentially vulnerable area.
• Curved hard-armor plates are now tested at the crown—the plate’s highest curved point—to evaluate possible weaknesses.

Overall, the updated standard provides more realistic, consistent testing and addresses a wider range of modern handgun and rifle threats.