Plate Carrier with easy to access external hard plate pockets. This plate carrier has breathable mesh inner pockets for soft body armor panels. The inner pockets feature a pass-through shoulder opening for soft body armor with adjustable shoulder straps to pass through from the front panel to the back panel. On the outside of the front and back panels are easy to access external hard body plate armor pockets. One side of the external pockets has a full length heavy duty zipper and a top flap with hook and loop fasteners. This allows the wearer to quickly and easily insert Level III or Level IV hard plates, when the situation requires it, to quickly upgrade their protection level. The external pockets will accommodate a pair of standard 10� X 12� hard plates or up to a pair of 11� X 14� hard plates.