Spartan Armor Systems®
Spartan Armor Systems® is a Tucson, Arizona manufacturer and online retailer of NIJ-certified body armor, plate carriers, tactical gear, and AR500 steel targets, serving law enforcement, military, prepared citizens, and competitive shooters through DTC e-commerce and a wholesale dealer program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersTucson, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Spartan Armor Systems® does
Spartan Armor Systems® is a Tucson, Arizona-based manufacturer and online retailer of ballistic body armor, plate carriers, tactical gear, and AR500 steel shooting targets, operated by TK Armor Systems, LLC. The product portfolio spans the full NIJ protection spectrum — RF1 Level III steel, RF2 Level III+ special-threat steel, RF3 Level IV ceramic, and HG2 Level IIIA soft armor — built around proprietary steel (Spartan™ Omega™ AR500, AR550) and ceramic (Hercules, Hercules Xtreme, Hercules Lite) platforms, differentiated by the trademarked Encapsaloc™ elastomer spall-mitigation coating, the patented-pending Advanced Triple Curve (ATC) and Advanced Compound Curve (ACC) plate geometries, and NIJ 0101.06 certification.
The company sells primarily through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (spartanarmorsystems.com), complemented by a wholesale/dealer program with a $2,000 non-refundable first-order minimum, an affiliate program, and a 10% first responder/military discount. Customer segments span law enforcement, military, prepared citizens, competitive shooters and range owners, and third-party dealers; geographic coverage is U.S.-only with shipping prohibitions to New York, Connecticut, and APO/FPO addresses.
Spartan Armor Systems supplements its owned brands with a multi-brand tactical gear marketplace carrying Condor Outdoors, Shellback Tactical, VIKTOS, ArmorSource, and Tough Hook, and maintains supplier relationships with DuPont (Kevlar), Honeywell (Spectra, Dyneema), Multicam, YKK, and Cordura. Pricing is transactional one-time hardware sales ranging from ~$52 accessories to ~$749.99 ceramic sets, supported by a 20-year shelf life and 5-year warranty on steel core armor, free FedEx 2-Day shipping over $399, and Sezzle buy-now-pay-later financing.
Spartan Armor Systems® firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spartan Armor Systems®
- Legal name
- TK Armor Systems, LLC
- Website
- https://spartanarmorsystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Spartan Armor Systems® is a Tucson, Arizona manufacturer and online retailer of NIJ-certified body armor, plate carriers, tactical gear, and AR500 steel targets, serving law enforcement, military, prepared citizens, and competitive shooters through DTC e-commerce and a wholesale dealer program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spartan Armor Systems® industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ballistic Body Armor
- NAICS
- Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (339920)
- SIC
- Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Armor Systems (Passive/Reactive/Active Protection) & Survivability Kits (IMABAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Spartan Armor Systems® is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tucson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Spartan Armor Systems® business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: One-time sale of body armor, plate carriers, tactical gear, and steel targets to consumers and dealers through e-commerce website and dealer network.
- Wholesale/Dealer Sales: Wholesale pricing to approved dealers who resell products. Minimum first order of $2,000 for new dealer accounts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AR550 Steel Body Armor Set of Two - Level III+ ($215.99) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AR500 Steel Body Armor Set of Two - Level III ($167.99) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hercules Level IV Ceramic Body Armor Set of Two ($749.99) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | DIY AR500 Plate Rack ($551.12) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Spall Containment Sleeve ($52.99) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | First Responder/Military Discount (10%) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Spartan Armor Systems® product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spartan Armor Systems manufactures and sells NIJ-certified ballistic body armor plates (steel and ceramic), plate carriers, ballistic helmets, tactical gear, and AR500/AR550 steel shooting targets. All body armor is manufactured in Tucson, Arizona using American-sourced ballistic-grade steel, with proprietary Encapsaloc™ spall mitigation coating and patented Advanced Triple Curve (ATC) plate designs.
Product overview
Spartan Armor Systems® is a manufacturer and retailer of body armor, tactical gear, and steel shooting targets. The product portfolio centers on proprietary ballistic protection solutions organized by protection level: RF3 Level IV (ceramic and steel armor for armor-piercing rifle threats), RF2 Level III+ (enhanced rifle protection), RF1 Level III (standard rifle-rated armor), and HG2 Level IIIA (handgun/soft armor). Key proprietary products include the Spartan™ Omega™ AR500 and AR550 steel body armor lines featuring the company's Encapsaloc™ spall mitigation coating technology, and the Hercules series of ceramic body armor (standard, Xtreme multi-hit, and Lite lightweight variants). The company complements its armor offerings with tactical plate carriers (Achilles, Leonidas Legend, Spartan Shooters, Titan), tactical gear accessories (trauma pads, medical kits, spall containment sleeves, pouches), and AR500 steel shooting targets including a unique DIY plate rack system. Spartan Armor Systems also distributes third-party brands including Condor Outdoors, Shellback Tactical, VIKTOS, ArmorSource, and Tough Hook. All body armor is manufactured in Tucson, Arizona with a 20-year shelf life and 5-year warranty on steel core products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Encapsaloc™: Proprietary fragmentation mitigation coating designed specifically for steel body armor applications
- Spartan™ Omega™ AR500
- Armaply™
- AR550
- Hercules
- Achilles
- Leonidas Legend
- Titan
- Hydra
- The Target Man
Products and services
- Spartan™ Omega™ AR500 Steel Body Armor
Quantifiable outcome
- 20-year shelf life on steel core armor
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Spartan Armor Systems®
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Spartan Armor Systems® technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Spartan Armor Systems® partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- DuPont (Kevlar)coreMaterials supplier for ballistic fibers used in body armor construction. DuPont Kevlar is a recognized brand in personal protection materials.
- Honeywell (Spectra, Dyneema)coreMaterials supplier for high-performance polyethylene fibers used in body armor and tactical products.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Spartan Armor Systems® competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- 5.11 Tactical: Large apparel-and-gear brand serving LE, military, and outdoor/tactical consumers. Adjacent competitor in plate carriers, tactical apparel, and prepared-citizen segment; broader portfolio but meaningful category overlap.
- Safariland: Major LE/defense personal-protective-equipment and tactical-gear conglomerate with deep federal/state procurement contracts. Sells comparable body armor, plate carriers, and tactical accessories—wider portfolio but category overlap is direct.
- Point Blank Enterprises: One of the largest U.S. body armor manufacturers, supplying federal and LE agencies. Provides NIJ-certified Level III/IV armor systems—a clear institutional incumbent whose contracts shape the broader market.
Direct peers
- Armor Express: Specialized body armor manufacturer offering concealable, tactical, and hard-armor plates for LE/military. Direct competitor in both soft (IIIA) and hard (III/IV) armor categories.
- RMA Armament: Body armor manufacturer known for ceramic Level III+/IV plates sold direct to consumers and dealers. Competes head-to-head with Spartan in the ceramics segment (Hercules equivalent) and shares government-endorsed credibility.
- AR500 Armor: Direct-to-consumer steel body armor specialist (AR500/AR650 plates). Operates the same DTC e-commerce and dealer-distribution model, selling similar Level III/III+ plates at comparable price points—a near-perfect mirror competitor.
- Hoplite Armor: U.S.-based body armor DTC brand selling AR500 and ceramic plates through e-commerce. Targets the same prepared-citizen and LE segments with similar pricing and warranty terms.
- Shellback Tactical: Plate-carrier-first brand selling ballistic armor packages. Spartan already distributes Shellback through its dealer site, indicating overlap in product catalog, channels, and customer targets.
- Caldwell (Battenfeld Technologies): Shooting-target and reloading-supplies brand that competes directly with Spartan's 'Target Man' AR500 steel-target business for range, instructor, and competitive-shooter customers.
- Highcom Security: NIJ-certified ceramic and steel body armor manufacturer serving LE, military, and civilians. Comparable product architecture (steel + ceramic plates, plate carriers) and overlapping customer base in U.S. law enforcement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Spartan Armor Systems® social profiles
Digital presenceSpartan Armor Systems® financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spartan Armor Systems® leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Spartan Armor Systems® funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spartan Armor Systems® M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Spartan Armor Systems®
What does Spartan Armor Systems® do?
Spartan Armor Systems manufactures and sells NIJ-certified ballistic body armor plates (steel and ceramic), plate carriers, ballistic helmets, tactical gear, and AR500/AR550 steel shooting targets. All body armor is manufactured in Tucson, Arizona using American-sourced ballistic-grade steel, with proprietary Encapsaloc™ spall mitigation coating and patented Advanced Triple Curve (ATC) plate designs.
Is Spartan Armor Systems® a public or private company?
Spartan Armor Systems® is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Spartan Armor Systems® founded?
Spartan Armor Systems® was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Spartan Armor Systems® based?
Spartan Armor Systems® is headquartered in Tucson, United States, in the North America region.
How does Spartan Armor Systems® make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Dealer Sales.
Who are Spartan Armor Systems®'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are 5.11 Tactical, Safariland and Point Blank Enterprises. Direct peers are Armor Express, RMA Armament, AR500 Armor, Hoplite Armor, Shellback Tactical, Caldwell (Battenfeld Technologies) and Highcom Security.
Does Spartan Armor Systems® have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spartan Armor Systems®.
What industry is Spartan Armor Systems® in?
Spartan Armor Systems®'s product category is Ballistic Body Armor. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAJAJ, Armor Systems (Passive/Reactive/Active Protection) & Survivability Kits. Its NAICS code is 339920 and its SIC code is 3480.