plates. This gave a further weight reduction and allowed for more flexibility when positioning the side plates; it also allowed the OPS panel to be worn along with the side plates. The basic design of the main vest and the armour inserts was unaltered. By 2015, over 76,000 Mk 4 and 35,000 Mk 4A vests had been manufactured for British Armed Forces use. Criticism Each generation of Osprey has been subjected to some form of criticism from users and journalists. Initial criticisms of the first generation were related to the significant increase in weight, and size of the ballistic plates, compared with the existing ECBA. The quality of the manufacture of versions 1 and 2 has been criticised with reports of seams and fasteners tearing open in normal use. First generation pouches were criticised for poor stability on the cover, with some infantry identifying that pouches designed to hold two magazines did not securely hold three, and that the scale of issue was inadequate to hold a standard patrol ammunition load of six magazines. References Body armor Ballistic vests Post–Cold War military equipment of the United Kingdom British Army equipment Military equipment introduced in the 2000s