When businesses enquire about CVIT services, one of the most common questions we receive concerns armored vehicle ratings. The terminology — B4, B6, B7 — is widely used but rarely explained clearly. The differences between these ratings have direct implications for the level of protection your assets receive and, consequently, the risk profile of your logistics operation.
The EN 1063 Standard Explained
European Standard EN 1063 — the recognised benchmark for bullet-resistant glazing — defines ballistic resistance levels from B1 through B7, with each level corresponding to a specific weapon type and projectile. The standard applies to glazing (windows and screens); complementary standards cover the vehicle body, doors, and floor.
Ballistic Protection Levels
- B1 to B3: Protection against lower-calibre handguns. Appropriate for limited personal protection; not commercially relevant for CVIT.
- B4: Protection against high-powered handgun rounds (e.g., .44 Magnum). The minimum relevant standard; acceptable only for very low-value movements.
- B5: Protection against rifle fire (.223 Remington / 5.56mm). A transitional rating rarely specified in commercial CVIT contracts.
- B6: Protection against high-powered rifle fire (7.62mm NATO). The accepted commercial CVIT standard for the UAE market.
- B7: Protection against .308 Winchester armour-piercing rounds. The highest standard in common commercial use; required for the most sensitive operations.
B6 — The Commercial Standard
B6 protection is the recognised minimum for professional CVIT operations in the UAE. A B6 vehicle will withstand multiple rounds from a 7.62mm rifle — the type of weapon that might realistically be deployed in a targeted attack on a high-value cash shipment. For the vast majority of commercial CVIT operations — bank cash management, jewellery transport, retail cash collection — B6 is appropriate and proportionate.
B7 — When Is It Required?
B7 protection adds resistance to armour-piercing rounds. The scenarios where this level of protection is genuinely necessary are more limited: extremely high-value single movements (significant gold bullion shipments, for example), operations in elevated threat environments, or institutional requirements specified in client contracts. B7 vehicles are heavier, have reduced performance characteristics, and carry a higher operating cost — factors that make their routine deployment for standard operations disproportionate.
The appropriate protection level is determined by the threat assessment, not by a preference for the highest number. Over-specifying is expensive and operationally inefficient; under-specifying creates genuine risk.
Beyond the Vehicle: What Else Matters
The armored vehicle rating is one component of a secure transport operation — not the whole picture. The vehicle's defensive capabilities are only relevant if the crew is trained to respond correctly to a threat, if the route planning minimises predictable vulnerability, if the communications system enables rapid emergency response, and if the operations center has the capability to coordinate a resolution.
Erbay Security operates both B6 and B7 vehicles, with deployment determined by a pre-movement threat assessment based on asset value, route characteristics, and client requirements. Clients are provided with documentation of the vehicle specification for each movement as part of our standard chain-of-custody reporting.