All To Know About BALLISTIC SHIELDS!
Ballistic Shields – Are They Worth the Investment?
The concept of a shield has been a mainstay of warriors for hundreds of years. While modern projectile weapons are significantly more advanced than the spears and arrows of ancient times, the design and material of ballistic shields mean they are still a very effective tool for delivering a tactical advantage during active shooter situations.
Keep reading to learn more about bulletproof shields and how they protect and save lives.
What is a Ballistic Shield?
Ballistic shields or "bulletproof shields" provide mobile defensive cover for law enforcement or security forces during an active shooter incident or other dangerous situation. Their primary purpose is to stop bullets and other weaponized projectiles from penetrating the shield and injuring or killing the person using the shield.
Personal ballistic shields protect security personnel, SWAT teams, and law enforcement and help bring dangerous situations to a swift end without injury or loss of life. They are often used in drug house raids, high-risk search warrants, active shooter incidents (including in schools), and violent riots, just to name a few.
It is very common these days for police and other law enforcement officers to keep a shield in their patrol vehicle, in case a life-threatening situation comes up during their line of work.
Are Ballistic Shields Bulletproof?
A ballistic shield is a critical tool that can help keep their users alive when facing deadly force. As ballistic technology has advanced, many modifications have been added over the years to ensure their effectiveness.
Ballistic shields differ from clear plastic riot shields as they are usually black, rectangular, and include a built-in viewport. Like the rest of the shield, the ballistic viewport must offer ballistic protection, which is why they are manufactured with clear ballistic-level polycarbonate. Although nothing is guaranteed to be 100% bulletproof, ballistic shields will significantly help to reduce bodily injury or death if shot at while using one, similarly to using bullet-resistant vests or ballistic helmets.
The last 20 years have seen more than a few significant developments in ballistic shield technology, with different models having various pros and cons when used to counter specific threats. In addition, ballistic shields are a lot more lightweight and easier to handle than previous models over the past years.
Armor ratings of Bulletproof Shields:
Ballistic shields are rated according to the protection level they provide against different weapon grades.
Ballistic Armor Level III-A: protects against 9 mm handgun rounds, handgun rounds up to .44 magnum. and 12 gauge shotgun shells, including .357sig. They can be made from hard or soft armor. This is undoubtedly the most common level requested in most ballistic shields used by law enforcement. These shields are very lightweight and easy to carry or move around.
Ballistic Armor Level III: protects against rifle rounds up to 7.62 mm FMJ and 5.56mm, a mass of 147 grains, and a velocity of 2780 fts/s. These shields are very popular among law enforcement, school safety officers and other situations where rifles may be present. Most sizes of these shields can be moved easily (without the need of a trolley) and are being used more and more as active shooter situations tend to use more rifle ammunition than handgun ammunition.
Ballistic Armor Level IV: protects against armor-piercing (AP) rifle rounds such as 7.62 AP and .30. Although law enforcement does use this level of shield occasionally, it is extremely heavy and requires a trolley to be moved around. Therefore, most law enforcement professionals will tend to opt for a level IIIA or level III ballistic shield, given that AP rounds historically tend to not be used as much during active shooter situations.
The right ballistic shield for the situation can make all the difference in a deadly standoff. Lightweight shields are highly maneuverable. A heavy shield will increase the level of protection while sacrificing speed and movement. Heavier shields also come with a higher price tag than their lightweight counterparts.
Types of Ballistic Shields
A variety of ballistic shields are available to suit a range of different scenarios. A SWAT ballistic shield is a lightweight, multipurpose shield tested to armor level III-A. It's lightweight and comes with a horizontal handlebar and body strap to ensure personnel maintain maneuverability with a high degree of protection.
The foldable and expandable tactical ballistic shield adapts to the situation with an optional lighting system and expanding wings that fan out to create a wider field of protection. When personnel enter confined spaces, the wings will quickly fold back in, making this shield one of the most versatile on the market.
But at the end of the day, the most popular type of ballistic shield is the standard rectangle cut ballistic shield, with ballistic viewport, available in levels III-A, III, or IV. This shield is lightweight, flexible, and reliable – it's one of the most popular ballistic shield for law enforcement operations or active shooter situations.
Technological advancements have made ballistic shields lightweight and bulletproof against a wide variety of firearms. Whether you are looking for extra protection at home, or need to prepare your security force against deadly encounters, ballistic shields are an invaluable tool for bringing dangerous situations to a quick and decisive end.
Don't Delay – Order Your Department A Ballistic Shield Today!
With active shooter situations occurring more and more on a daily basis around the United States, law enforcement departments are realizing the importance to keep a variety of body armor – particularly ballistic shields in stock. Whether in their storeroom, vehicle, or other storage area – it's important to always have a ballistic shield available in case of an active shooter situation.
ExecDefense USA manufactures a range of strong and durable ballistic shields. Please contact us today and one of our ballistic shield specialists will get back to you with a custom quote.
Need to order a standard ballistic shield ASAP? Please visit our dealer website HERE and you can order your ballistic shield FAST & EASY!
Everything you need to know about EDI-USA Testing!
If you are in law enforcement, the military or private security knowing you're well-protected, is crucial in tough situations. This article explains the safety standards and testing for bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields at EDI-USA and what ballistic protection levels mean. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) sets standards for body armor, ballistic-resistant materials, and products.
Today's bulletproof products are lighter than previous generations, which makes all the difference for ease of use and staying focused on your task. The National Institute of Justice sets industry benchmarks for ballistic protective materials and body armor, but how these rules apply to tactical gear can be confusing to some people.
The NIJ administers a program to test commercially available armor for compliance with the standards to determine whether the products will perform as expected. In addition to being tested for NIJ compliance, body armor models must meet workmanship and labeling requirements. During compliance testing the manufacturers must register with the program, submit body armor application documents, send armor model samples to an NIJ-approved laboratory, agree to follow up inspection and testing and declare period of ballistic warranty.
At EDI-USA our bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields are tested to NIJ level III-A (ambient) standards in an NIJ-approved laboratory, which means they protect against specific handgun threats and resist up to NIJ 0101.06 level III-A (ambient) ballistic threats.
In simpler terms: our bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields are tested to protect against common handgun rounds (such as 9mm, .40, .357 and .45) including shots up to .44mag rounds; in accordance to NIJ III-A (ambient) specified conditions. Currently, most illegal shooting violence across America occurs from handguns, therefore our products are trusted by so many members of the police and military around the country and the world to keep them safe.
Also, our bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields at EDI-USA go through STANAG 2920 (V50) Ballistic Testing by accredited laboratories, which is an additional ballistic testing standard that is used in the United States and tends to be used more for military applications, such as shrapnel and ammunition fragmentation. Given the importance we place on making sure our products keep users safe, you should only purchase body armor from providers that make sure their equipment is tested and safe.
EDI-USA provides strong bullet resistant tactical gear to police forces, the military and security personnel who understand the need for protection. The bullet resistant helmets, bulletproof vests and ballistic shields we provide offer strong ballistic protection to keep you and your team safe.
We provide our equipment to police & sheriff departments around the United States, individual police and law enforcement officers and to federal military and government agencies via quote and our GSA schedule contract. We also export to over 45+ countries. If you need riot gear or ballistic items, we've got you covered.
Looking for TAA-complaint body armor or TAA-compliant riot gear? Please contact us and we can help.
In an industry where people's lives depend on the items we provide, EDI-USA takes quality very seriously. We have set ourselves apart with our strict EDI-USA Quality-Pro Program, which ensures quality from the inside-out. On a regular basis, we send our products to laboratories for independent testing, as well as maintain ISO 9001:2015 certification. We trust you to protect us, so why shouldn't you trust us to protect you?
Riot shields, history, common uses and the best options on the market!
A riot shield is a lightweight protection device, typically deployed by police, security personnel, correctional officers and some military organizations. Riot shields are typically long enough to cover an average-sized person from the top of the head to the knees, though smaller one-handed models may also be used (round – circular – anti-riot shield). They are generally intended to be used in riot control, to protect the user from attacks and threats with blunt or edged weapons and thrown projectiles, or non-lethal weapons such as rubber bullets and water cannons. They can also be used to push back the opposing force. Riot shields have been used as an effective protection tool by the police against protestors and rioters in Europe and the UK as early as the 1960's and the 1970's. The British forces deployed them in the 1950's as well.
Riot shields are used in almost every country with a standardized police force (we offer customized options with languages/fonts and color). Law enforcement often use them in conjunction with a baton (check out our range of batons). Riot shields made for law enforcement are typically constructed from transparent polycarbonate (reinforced plastic) to allow the bearer to have an unobstructed view of incoming thrown objects. However, there are riot shields made from different materials (aluminum / ballistic shields) to help the bearer shield themselves from fire or other dangerous hazards like live ammunition/bullets. riot shields are effective in protecting the bearers and preventing protesters from breaking through police lines (interlocking riot shields).
Common uses of the riot shields:
Riot shields are typically made of transparent polycarbonate between 4–6 millimeters (0.16–0.24 in) in thickness. Shields are designed to be shatter resistant. The riot shield is designed primarily as a defensive weapon, though it can be used in an offensive manner when in direct contact with protesters. We also offer anti-laser riot shields which help the bearer from the threat of laser beams pointed at their eyes and obstructing their vision.
Special event security, tactical police units, corrections officers, crisis response forces, quick reaction forces, disorder control units, and general security contracting companies all use riot shields. Outside of prison cell extractions, riot shields are almost always used for defensive purposes to protect the public in unstable situations. Their clear design gives them an unobstructed line of sight and provides immediate situation assessment.
Riot shields offer protection to the user from a variety of blunt objects and projectiles. Rioters will use anything and everything nearby as a weapon in a riot or melee situation.
Here's a list of items rioters use that the riot shields can protect you and your team from:
Small metal fragments
Stick attacks
Rubber bullets
Ballistic shields can protect you and your team from:
Fire thrown objects – (Molotov cocktails)
Live ammunition/bullets
Specs of our range of the different customizable riot shields that we offer at EDI-USA to cover all your needs.
CLASSIC RIOT SHIELD
Fast, lightweight, and easy to use, this classic riot shield is EDI-USA's most popular shield for riot operations.
Available in standard (half body) or jumbo (full body) sizes, this strong riot shield will protect your team when you need it most.
Resisting up to 187 joules (J) of energy, the shield is mounted to one strong and insulated handle, and one strong nylon wrist strap.
Custom inscriptions & wording on front is available based on your specific needs.
Compatible with FoxFury® 's tactical shield light (attached permanently or removable with Velcro).
Need anti-laser strips for your riot helmets? We've got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help!
Are you law enforcement? Contact us to request your free riot shield T&E sample to try!
This item usually has a 1 – 2 weeks lead time upon receiving your order.
Sizes: 35.5" x 19.6" (90cm x 50cm), 47" x 19.6" (120cm x 50cm)
RUB-X RIOT SHIELD
Protected with a durable hard rubber border, EDI-USA's RUB-X Shield is law enforcement's first choice for thick and strong riot shield protection.
The RUB-X Riot Shield is manufactured with suction-mould technology to allow the user to remain protected from some of the highest anti-riot impact threats.
Resisting up to 187 joules (J) of energy, this shield will protect you when you and your team need it most.
Custom inscriptions & wording on front available.
Need anti-laser strips for your riot shields? We've got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help!
Sizes: 35.5" x 19.6" (90cm x 50cm)
CUSTOM SIZES and FRONT INSCRIPTIONS available.
ROUND (CIRCULAR) ANTI-RIOT SHIELD
Designed for close combat operations, ExecDefense's EDI-USA round anti-riot shield is ideal for urban or rural anti-riot operations.
Manufactured withstrong polycarbonate with a 95% light transmittance rate, this round riot shield has a slight indentation around the border in order to make it stronger during anti-riot operations. The round shield will help prevent non-ballistic handheld anti-riot threats and can easily be moved up, down, or around to adjust to the direction where threats may be thrown from. The shield thickness is: 0.16" of thick and durable polycarbonate.
The user-facing side (back side) of this round riot shield features a strong a 1-arm strap and 1-arm handle system.
Customized inscriptions available for front side.
Need anti-laser strips for your riot shields? We've got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help.
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury's shield light (attachable). Please contact us for more information!
Note: this round riot shield is available with or without the enhanced black border. Please specify when ordering.
Sizes: Size: 23" x 23
INTERLOCKING ANTI-RIOT SHIELD
During riot operations, making a "riot barrier wall" is very important for law enforcement.
Our strong anti-impact Interlocking Riot Shields help your team stay protected during protest and riot operations. Manufactured with strong and transparent polycarbonate (95% sunlight transparency), these tall shields have indented edges so that they can essentially "inter-connect" together
The shields are thick and durable, with a thickness of approximately 0.18" to make sure that they protect well against non-ballistic hand-held anti-impact threats.
The user-facing side (back side) of the shield has an additional piece of polycarbonate which attached the handle system, along with a durable EVA-foam pad for extra arm comfort.
Sizes: Small: 47" x 21.5" Medium: 63" x 21.5" Large: 70" x 21.5"
ANTI-LASER RIOT SHIELD
One of the biggest problems that law enforcement faces today is the threat of lasers being pointed into eyes during operations, and temporarily blinding or distracting the officer from their mission.
ExecDefense's EDI-USA Anti-Laser Riot Shield was developed to prevent officers from being blinded or distracted by primary nuisance lasers.
Manufactured with strong anti-impact polycarbonate 0.16" in thickness, this shield includes propriety anti-laser film which is permanently imbedded into the riot shield to help minimize and block the affects of lasers. The shield has a VLT of 30% and blocks up to 200 – 560mm of blue and green lasers.
What makes this shield different than other anti-laser devices, is that the anti-laser film is permanently manufactured within the polycarbonate formula of the shield – don't worry about it falling off, or not completely covering all parts of the shield, because it's imbedded fully throughout the entire riot shield.
The user-facing side (back side) of the shield features a strong a 1-arm strap and 1-arm handle system.
ALUMINUM ANTI-RIOT SHIELD
This strong shield is popular among users because it is manufactured with aluminum, as opposed to plastic polycarbonate, and resists hand-held riot threats well, and can also help with fire riot threats such as Molotov cocktails
The shield is manufactured with black aluminum and includes a small viewport (multiple eyeholes) with a layer of polycarbonate (transparent).
The back of the shield includes a durable handle and arm system, along with a foam EVA pad to help enhance comfort for the user's arm.
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury's shield light(attachable). Please contact us for more information!
Please contact us at EDI-USA for any information or a quote for riot shields or your riot gear needs.