Personal Protective Equipment — Ballistic Armor

CATA-
PHRACT
3+

The world's first rifle-rated, gender-neutral flexible ballistic plate. Designed and manufactured 100% in Canada.

NIJ Level 3+ Standalone NIJ Level 4 ICW Made in Canada Gender Neutral
73%
BFD Reduction vs Standalone Level 4
77.8%
User Preference for Flexible Armor
3K
Plates Produced Per Month
6+
Rated Rounds of 7.62mm NATO FMJ

Overview

A NEW CLASS OF PROTECTION

The Cataphract 3+ redefines what ballistic protection can be. It is the first rifle-rated plate that is simultaneously flexible, gender-neutral, and Canadian-made — delivering elite protection without the rigid constraints that have defined armor design for decades.


Engineered to move with the wearer's body, the Cataphract 3+ addresses a critical gap in existing armor: protection that performs equally well across the full spectrum of body morphologies without compromising ballistic performance or requiring separate procurement lines.

The Problem We Solve

PROTECTION WITHOUT COMPROMISE

Standard rigid plates impose a binary choice on armed forces procurement: match armor to body morphology and create complex logistics, or fit one size to everyone and accept comfort and mobility penalties.


The Cataphract 3+ eliminates this trade-off entirely. A single-SKU solution that simplifies supply chains while improving outcomes across every metric: comfort, mobility, breathability, and survivability.

Ballistic Performance

PROTECTION CONFIGURATIONS

The Cataphract 3+ delivers certified protection across two distinct threat configurations, providing flexibility for deployment context without requiring separate plate systems.

NIJ 3+
Standalone Configuration
  • Rated to 6 rounds of 7.62mm NATO FMJ M82
  • Rated to multiple impacts of 5.56 NATO M855
  • Full standalone protection — no soft armor required
  • Covers all commonly encountered rifle threats
NIJ 4
ICW Configuration — with NIJ 3A Soft Panels
  • Rated to multiple impacts of .30-06 M2AP
  • 73% Back Face Deformation reduction vs standalone Level 4
  • Industry-leading armor-piercing rifle protection
  • Massively reduced blunt force trauma and casualty reduction

Why Flexible

THE FLEXIBLE ADVANTAGE

Rigid armor has defined the industry for generations. The Cataphract 3+ challenges that assumption with a platform that moves with the wearer — not against them.

IMPROVED MOBILITY

The plate conforms to the wearer's body during movement, enabling full range of motion across all tactical positions without restriction.

ENHANCED BREATHING

Female users consistently report rigid armor creates a constriction effect that impairs breathing. The Cataphract 3+ bends with the chest cavity, restoring natural respiratory movement.

MODULAR BODY COVERAGE

Flexible construction allows the same plate to conform to shoulder, groin, and neck applications — increasing add-on armor protection levels at no increase in rigidity or cost.

GENDER NEUTRAL DESIGN

One plate fits all service members with equal comfort and protection. No separate procurement lines, no morphology matching, no logistical overhead for specialty sizes.

MODULAR AND REPAIRABLE

Plates with suspected damage or at end-of-service-life can be fully inspected and service-life-extended in-house, reducing lifecycle cost without compromising protection.

WATERPROOF AND BUOYANT

All Cataphract 3+ plates are either positively buoyant by default or available in Maritime configuration. Fire retardant, drop-safe, and abrasion-resistant as standard.

Weight Configurations

SAPI MEDIUM — CONFIGURATION RANGE

Multiple ceramic and construction options allow procurement officers to balance edge-to-edge protection, cost, and weight for their specific deployment context. All configurations meet the same ballistic protection standard.

Plate Type Key Advantages Weight (kg) vs. Baseline Availability
Standard Base configuration 2.87 kg 98.3% Retail
Standard Silicon Carbide Increased drop resistance, increased abrasion resistance 2.92 kg 100.0% Non-Retail
Maritime Standard Drop resistance, abrasion resistance, positive buoyancy 2.95 kg 101.0% Non-Retail
Boron Carbide Drop resistance, abrasion resistance, positive buoyancy, decreased weight 2.59 kg 88.7% Non-Retail
Silicon Carbide, Lightweight Drop resistance, abrasion resistance, positive buoyancy, further decreased weight 2.32 kg 79.5% Non-Retail
Boron Carbide, Lightweight Maximum weight reduction — 29% lighter than baseline, all performance advantages retained 2.06 kg 70.6% Non-Retail

Lightest option is 20% lighter than any existing rigid contemporary at equivalent protection level.

Configurability

SIZES, CUTS AND OPTIONS

The Cataphract 3+ can be manufactured in any size or cut required. Standard configurations are listed below. Custom geometry is available on request with no minimum order for bespoke sizing.

AVAILABLE SIZES

  • XS 7.25" x 11.5"
  • S 8.75" x 11.75"
  • M 9.5" x 12.5" (SAPI Medium)
  • L 10.125" x 13.25"
  • XL 11" x 14"
  • Side M 6" x 6"
  • Side L 6" x 8"

CUT PROFILES

  • Shooter Cut Standard mil-spec
  • Swimmer Cut Reduced shoulder profile
  • Square Cut Maximum coverage
  • Custom Available on request

AVAILABLE OPTIONS

  • Maritime Enhanced buoyancy package
  • Lightweight Reduced ceramic density
  • Fire Retardant FR outer fabric
  • Boron Carbide Premium ceramic
  • Silicon Carbide Standard ceramic

Quality Assurance

QA/QC PROTOCOL

Every Cataphract 3+ plate undergoes a rigorous multi-stage inspection process before leaving our facility. Our quality system is built to military procurement standards.

01
Material Batch Certificates

All raw materials received with full batch traceability certificates from certified suppliers.

02
4x In-Process Inspections

Minimum four inspection checkpoints during assembly — verified before each stage advance.

03
Final X-Ray Inspection

Every plate undergoes X-ray imaging before release to verify internal ceramic integrity and assembly quality.

04
Destructive Testing — 1% of Production

Random samples sent for in-house and approved external laboratory ballistic testing to validate ongoing production quality.

05
ISO 9001 Certification

Currently in process. Estimated certification within 18 months. Full quality management system already implemented.

Production Capacity

SCALABLE MANUFACTURING

Current production is online and active. We are positioned to scale rapidly in response to procurement requirements, with a defined roadmap to 10,000 plates per month.

3,000
Plates / Month
Current — active now
6,000
Plates / Month
Within 4 months
10,000
Plates / Month
Within 8 months

Production can be scaled to any procurement requirement. Custom volume agreements and delivery schedules available on request.

Independent User Research

THE DATA SPEAKS

77.8%
Overall preference for flexible armor across all chest sizes

A structured user trial with 108 participants directly compared Single Curve, MultiCurve, and Flexible armor across six rated categories: Fit, Comfort, Appearance, Mobility, Ability to Breathe, and Quality. Flexible armor achieved the highest ratings across every category.

Overall Preference — 108 Participants

Flexible Armor (Cataphract 3+) 77.8%
MultiCurve Armor 14.8%
Single Curve Armor 7.4%
71.4%
Small Chest Size
Preferred flexible armor
72.2%
Average Chest Size
Preferred flexible armor
80.0%
Large Chest Size
Preferred flexible armor
71.4%
Extra Large Chest Size
Preferred flexible armor

Preference for flexible armor was consistent across all chest sizes — validating the gender-neutral design approach.

REQUEST PROCUREMENT INFORMATION

Contact our procurement team for unit pricing, volume agreements, delivery timelines, and custom configuration discussions. All enquiries handled under NDA on request.

Contact Procurement Our Capabilities