Editing Ballistic assault vest

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Wikipedia|Bulletproof vest}}
[[File:H4 Render Marine.jpg|thumb|300px|A UNSC Marine wearing a ballistic vest.]]
{{Quote|no=three|Fred|Veta|Fred|q1=You should've worn your armor.|q2=I ''am'' wearing armor. Battle dress uniform.|q3=<nowiki/>''Light'' battle dress uniform. And that's not armor. It's more like a security blanket.|[[Frederic-104]] and [[Veta Lopis]] discussing Veta's ballistic vest during [[Operation: RETRIBUTION]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=HR18|HRet|Chapter=18}}
}}
A '''ballistic assault vest''' is a body armor system used by [[human]] military forces. They are made of [[Wikipedia:Nylon|nylon]] and worn over a given infantryman's [[Fatigues|camouflage utility uniform]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=CH13|CH|Chapter=13}}
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==Overview==
[[File:HTMCC-H4 ONISecurity 3.png|thumb|250px|An [[ONI Security]] trooper wearing a black ballistic vest under his armour.]]
Ballistic vests are modular in nature, boasting [[Wikipedia:Velcro|hook-and-loop fasteners]] that allow for various equipment to be mounted to the vest. This may include pouches to store equipment like magazines and water canteens, sidearm holsters,{{Ref/Novel|Id=HCHC21|CH|Chapter=21}}, [[rucksack]]s, or hard body armour that can be worn over the vest to provide further protection.{{Ref/Game|Id=H4|H4|Marine in-game models}} Worn alone, ballistic vests provide little protection from [[plasma weaponry]], instead designed to protect against projectile impacts.{{Ref/Reuse|HCHC21}}

The rear of the ballistic vest may contain a [[Wikipedia:Hydration pack|hydration pack]].{{Ref/Reuse|H4}}

==Usage==
In early [[2525]], Staff Sergeants [[Avery Johnson]] and [[Nolan Byrne]] used ballistic assault vests as part of their training program for the [[Harvest Colonial Militia]]. On February 9, the sergeants donned black-coloured ballistic vests to conduct a mock exercise against the militia recruits assigned to defend the planet's [[Harvest reactor complex|reactor complex]].{{Ref/Reuse|CH13}} They later used them during the [[First Battle of Harvest|Covenant attack]] on the planet while escorting [[Civilian|evacuees]] to the [[Tiara]] [[space elevator]].{{Ref/Reuse|HCHC21}}

Throughout the [[Human-Covenant War]], ballistic vests seem to have been largely retired from use in the [[UNSC Marine Corps]], with forces instead [[UNSC Marine Corps Battle Dress Uniform|preferencing the use]] of hard armour plating directly atop their fatigues, forgoing the ballistic element entirely - though retaining small ballistic padding integrated into specific armour elements such as helmets or shoulder pauldrons.{{Ref/Generic|{{file link|H3ODST Cosplay Guide.pdf|The Rookie Cosplay Guide}}|page 36}} 

By the time of the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-war years]], ballistic vests reentered widespread military use, seeing heavy usage in the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] and [[ONI Security]] forces assigned to {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} and [[Ivanoff Station]]. Some infantry chose to wear their ballistic vests without any additional equipment, though other gear such as [[SECOPS armor]] was employed overlaid atop the vests.{{Ref/Reuse|H4}} During [[Operation: RETRIBUTION]], ONI special agent [[Veta Lopis]] chose to forgo her usual [[Semi-Powered Infiltration armor]] in favour of a simple ballistic vest, as to avoid drawing undue attention. This choice was criticised by [[Frederic-104]], who noted that the ballistic vest would offer very little protection if Veta became the target of an assassination.{{Ref/Reuse|HR18}}

==Gallery==
===Concept art===
<gallery>
File:FUD - Concept CadetArmor.jpg|Concept art of the Corbulo Academy cadet BDU, including a ballistic vest.
File:H4 Lasky Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of the [[UNSC Navy Service Uniform]], which includes a ballistic vest.
</gallery>

===Screenshots===
<gallery>
File:Halo3 115722490 Full.jpeg|[[New Mombasa Police Department]] officers utilising ballistic vests during the [[Battle of New Mombasa]].
File:FUD - HastatiBlack.jpg|The members of [[Hastati Squad]] wearing their BDUs, including ballistic vests.
File:H4-Fortress.png|A Marine using a ballistic vest during the [[Requiem Campaign]].
File:Hacksaw Marines.jpg|Two Marines wearing ballistic vests, the leftmost sporting additional SECOPS armour over the basic vest.
File:HTMCC-H4 MarineMedics.png|Two Marine Corps [[Hospital corpsman|medics]] wearing specialised armour over their ballistic vests.
File:Warbird Company - 2.png|A UNSC Marine sporting a ballistic vest: note the hydration pack's cap at the top of the vest.
File:H4 profile - Del Rio.png|[[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[Andrew Del Rio]] wearing a ballistic vest as part of his [[UNSC Navy Service Uniform]].
File:H5G-CaptainThomasLasky.png|Captain [[Thomas Lasky|Lasky]] wearing a ballistic vest.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
*''[[Halo: Initiation]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]''

== Sources ==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:UNSC armor]]
[[Category:Protective clothing]]