General
chicken plates
What does chicken plates mean?
The hard armor inserts (Small Arms Protective Inserts) that slide into a plate carrier or vest.
"With chicken plates in, the vest gets seriously heavy."
Origin
U.S. military; older term for aircrew and vehicle-crew armor plates.
Frequently asked questions
What are chicken plates?
They're the hard ballistic armor inserts that slide into a plate carrier or vest to stop rounds.
Where does the term come from?
It's an older U.S. military term originally used for the armor plates worn by aircrew and vehicle crews.
How is the term used?
A soldier might note that once the chicken plates are inserted, the vest becomes very heavy.
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