While you are talking about the IBA, I have been wearing for the past seven months over here in the "sand box". It does not have level IIIA soft armor. It has level IIA soft armor (barely). It is supposed to stop up to 9mm only. It is not actually designed for this though. The soft armor is for fragmentation protection only. The plates are for rifle and lower firearms threat though. I never understood why it is rated for M80 ball though, is this to protect us from friendly fire incidents? Then to finish my rant on the IBA, I hate the design, a front opening vest sucks! It looses a lot of real estate for pouches on the front and with the plate on one side of the vest and soft armor on the other it sucks to to line up the velcro and forget about the snaps, never seen anyone able to use them. I got the tactical tailor upgrade for the IBA and it made all the difference in the world. I have the Battle lab fast attack rack plate carrier kit from Diamondback tactical. It has side protection and level IIIA soft armor all around and is really light and has a lot of real estate to put pouches on, but I cant use it here, because we have to wear the IBA, eventhough my own vest gives more protection. Oh well, you gotta love the military.