Nothing gets approved by the military quickly. Plus the Army and Marines have already invested heavily in the current issue. It is being steadily upgraded with better plates and armor for the holes it has (like under the arms, etc)
I still think it’s a little too short though, a view shared by a lot of people. The vest itself really does not weigh that much, it’s the plates that weigh the most by far.
I thought the plates were a ceramic material. How is that heavy?