Side plates did exist, at least as far back as Somalia. Rigs such as the Pointe Blank Intercepter had full plating. This rig was available at the beginning of the Afghan conflict and was worn by many. Your gear is determined by what division of the Army/Navy your in and can be mission specific. What the OP is asking about is the common place of small, low pro plates carriers of today versus the large bulky ones you used to see. Intercepter versus JPC, etc. Although some of the new ones can get a side plate upgrade, they are much more lower profile.
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