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160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) Body Armor


Nkomo
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This is a set of body armor used by 160th SOAR in Desert Storm and Somalia time period. It is made by American Body Armor and is dated with a 10-90 manufacture date.

20150831_130150.jpg

20150831_125635 (1).jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thats a very nice vest! Congratulations!

Do you know if there is an exact designation for this vest? I have been looking to buy one for ages but I just don't know what to type in when looking for one.

Just typing '160th SOAR body armour' usually only comes up with more recent models, rather than the early 1990s version.

 

Kind regards

Nils (tanker2nd)

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This is likely the same vest Ive seen over the past year for sale, probably 1 or 2 styles of 160th vest I havent gotten yet in my collection. Only reason I passed on it if its the same vest is the quick release cable for the plate pockets was missing which was a huge innovation at the time when this vest came out. If you look at tech specs from Eagle using a similar quick release system, they reference this exact vest. With gear related to 160th, if something is incomplete or missing, chances of you finding it isvery slim to none. I kind of kick myself in the rump for not grabbing it, but hopefully waiting and patience will pay off. Theres a few pics Ive saved over time of this ABA vest being worn by a 160th member along with a Navy LPU-21 life preserver, the SRU-36 HEED and a ADA thigh holster aboard a Navy ship. That darn ABA holster is another rare find as they are an early style Spec Ops used item you know everyone goes crazy for.

 

One thing I notice about this vest is it might have been used well into the late 90s. Its not only equipped with the waist belts and D rings at the clavical area for the LPU-21 horse collar LPU, but also has the front and rear fastex buckles for a Low Profile Flotation Collar which makes me think it was still being use in the late 90s, maybe not for ops but for dunker training. Another little tid bit is the current vest they use, the Eagle CIACS has a pocket that can be worn that is an exact knock off of this one so you could configure a CIACS with that pouch and a UBD pocket.

 

If I can sucessfully upload pics here in smaller sizes Ill post the 160th vests I have.

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You are correct, it does not have the quick release cables, but for what I am using it for (display purposes), it will work just fine. It is an incredibly rare vest in any condition and they just doesn't come up for sale very often, so I decided to add it to the collection.

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This is likely the same vest Ive seen over the past year for sale, probably 1 or 2 styles of 160th vest I havent gotten yet in my collection. Only reason I passed on it if its the same vest is the quick release cable for the plate pockets was missing which was a huge innovation at the time when this vest came out. If you look at tech specs from Eagle using a similar quick release system, they reference this exact vest. With gear related to 160th, if something is incomplete or missing, chances of you finding it isvery slim to none. I kind of kick myself in the rump for not grabbing it, but hopefully waiting and patience will pay off.

You're spot on with kicking yourself in the butt for not getting this when you had the chance. From talking with Nkomo on many, many different items I've learned that while some things may not be perfect, they may also never be seen again. For me there is some leeway with the super rare stuff when it comes to issues like the quick release. You know its supposed to be there, its missing, but the other 90% still remains and man what a rare one!

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Thats a very nice vest! Congratulations!

Do you know if there is an exact designation for this vest? I have been looking to buy one for ages but I just don't know what to type in when looking for one.

Just typing '160th SOAR body armour' usually only comes up with more recent models, rather than the early 1990s version.

 

Kind regards

Nils (tanker2nd)

Nils,

Here is a picture of the tag with the information you are asking about.

20160105_202346.jpg

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The chest extraction strap is also MIA. If you look in Durants crew pics from Somalia you can see the strap worn with the vest. That stap has also carried on with the tan SARVSO vests and the CIACS. I guess though to have one of the original early plates is worth it missing the 2 items I mentioned. One could go about it like me and pass up cause its missing key costmetic pieces, or you can just get it and hope to find those little items down the road. I have gone both routes in collecting flight gear. I of course would only be using the stuff as display as well.

 

I have a helmet that would go great with one of those ABA vests I picked up not long ago. Its a CARC black painted SPH-4 with a 4B ANVIS dual visor and has O2 mask recievers installed. If you ever have seen pics of Bill Cleveland in Durants book, he is wearing the exact configuration helmet. Thats literally the only pic Ive ever see nwith an identical helmet.

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