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The Canadian government is buying new body armour for Canadian Forces snipers.

The sniper community currently uses the in-service Fragmentation Protective Vest (FPV) that is worn by all Canadian Forces members. The in-service FPV is an all-in-one system, meaning the soft armour and in-service Bullet Resistant Plate (BRP) pockets are part of one garment, the government noted. While the in-service FPV provides excellent ballistic protection, but it hinders the snipers ability to operate effectively due to its bulk and restricted range of motion, the government says.

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So it’s time to provide snipers with a less restrictive garment that allows flexibility of protection and movement based on operational needs.

More from Public Services and Procurement Canada which is handling the purchase: “The Sniper Body Armour System (SBAS) to be delivered under this contract is composed of three components. The first component is the SBAS External Carrier (SBAS EC) that will hold the SBAS Ballistic Panel (SBAS BP). The second component is the SBAS Plate Carrier (SBAS PC) that will hold the in-service BRP. The third component is the Bilingual User Instructions Card that provides important information related to sizing and wearing/caring for the SBAS.

The SBAS will provide ballistic protection to members of the sniper community with improved flexibility of movement and protection options. The sniper will wear individual components or both to maximize ballistic and fragmentation protection.”

Three hundred and nineteen sets of body armour will be purchased.