De retour d'Afghanistan, présentation du Dismounted Close Combat kit.

[Serge]

Recently returned from operations in Afghanistan, soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2 RRF) met with Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth on Friday (22 January) to tell him what they think about the new Dismounted Close Combat equipment.

Amongst the new Dismounted Close Combat kit the soldiers saw yesterday was the new Multi-Terrain Pattern combats which will be distributed to theatre in March 2010, and will be rolled out across the whole of the Army throughout 2011 and 2012.

Also on display was the new Osprey body armour which is considerably lighter than the current kit, but still offers the same level of protection.

The new Mk7 helmet has been designed to allow the wearer to have more freedom of movement and to better suit soldiers in sniper positions. This is an improvement on the Mk6A helmet which could slip over a soldier’s face when he moved his head.

The new L129A “Sharpshooter Rifle” didn’t appear to be among the kit on display.

[Gibbs le Cajun]

sa confirme se que je disais dans le topics camouflage ,on arrivera largement à reconnaître un soldat brits (déjà avec le SA80 A2 ...)  que se soit au niveau casque (mark 7 )et à la tenue MTP qui à quand même une différence avec le multicam de base .

[Krogort]

J'aime bien la forme de leurs nouveau casque, il est original par rapport aux autres casques qui se ressemblent tous.

Et leurs L129A1 c'est quand qu'on achète les mêmes pour remplacer les FRF2 ?? En plus ils ont collé de belles lunettes/red dot dessus, on dirais des trijicon gros mais indestructible.

[kytto]

c'est des trijicon en zoom x6

[Serge]

Un article de chez Strik-hold sur une présentation de l'armement adopté ou en cour de test.

The latest developments in the wide range of light weapons available to British troops operating in Afghanistan were put on display at the MOD’s Main Building in London last week.

The Memorial Courtyard of the MOD’s London headquarters was temporarily transformed into an arsenal as the Ministry’s Defence Equipment and Support section and their industry partners, who are responsible for the provision and management of the world-leading kit, showcased their wares

The spectrum of small arms currently in use by British forces which was on display included the hand-held Sig Sauer 9mm pistols, the latest Sharpshooter rifles, long-range sniper rifles, .50-calibre heavy machine guns, and some new weapons that are still undergoing trial.

Displayed alongside the weapons themselves was a range of the latest complementary accessories, including optical sights of varying magnification, image intensification (II) or ‘night vision’, and thermal imaging (TI) technology, and even a man-portable laser targeting system.

A selection of thermal imaging sights from British manufacturer Qioptiq. [Picture: Harland Quarrington, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010

The equipment is procured for British troops by Defence Equipment and Support’s (DE&S’s) Light Weapons, Photographic and Batteries and Dismounted Soldier Systems Teams who are also responsible for the testing of, training on, and through-life servicing (including any required modifications) of, the kit.

Colonel Peter Warden, the Light Weapons, Photographic and Batteries Team Leader, said:

“Everyone takes interest in the UORs [urgent Operational Requirements] and the new equipment coming in for specific purposes, but there’s a whole lot of other activity that goes on, on a daily basis, to maintain and look after and improve the fleet of weapons that we have.

“People don’t quite realise just how much kit we have to manage; and obviously the numbers are increasing all the time, along with the ramp-up in terms of what we’re doing on operations.”

Col Warden also explained how essential keeping up-to-date on weapons technology is:

“The small arms market across the world is constantly evolving, and we need to make sure we keep up with that, and we’re at the front foot,” he said.

“We’re well up-to-speed in terms of what technologies are coming along; the use of polymers, ceramics, the changes in the way we configure the weapons, and the adaptability we now have.”

No one piece of kit is as personal to a foot soldier as his or her service weapon; it is what defines them and will protect them during battle.

A range of small arms from Heckler & Koch on display. [Picture: Harland Quarrington, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010

The DE&S teams recognise this, working closely with Service personnel to develop their weapons, and endlessly striving to make improvements, wherever possible, based on feedback received from the end users – the soldiers on the ground.

The main focus of the developments centres around the size, weight, range and accuracy of the weapons, but ergonomics and customisability – tailoring a weapon to the individual – is the direction that the teams are increasingly working towards.

The DE&S teams use weekly reports from Afghanistan and debrief sessions with recently-returned units to gauge the effectiveness of their efforts as well as any areas for improvement.

The new .50-calibre semi-automatic sniper rifle from Accuracy International was on display. [Picture: Harland Quarrington, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010

Major Toby Barnes-Taylor, Chief of Staff of the Individual Capability Group, explained how feedback received from front line troops in Afghanistan today is directly influencing the evolution of their weapons:

“In the unique perversities of theatre, where you are going out for extended periods of time, the soldiers get tired. A man will happily operate for eight, 10, 12 hours, but when you ask him to do 18 to 24 without moving, things start to ache.

“We found that with the integration of the SA80 rifle with the helmet and body armour that is used in theatre, the soldiers, after many hours, found that their wrists started to ache chronically and they couldn’t get a stable fire position because of the normal foregrip.

“Therefore we went out and procured what is known as a Picatinny rail quad rail, which replaced the entire furniture at the front of the rifle, and, with a down-grip, looks like a gangster grip out of the 1940s movies, so that essentially totally alters the dynamic of how the soldier holds it a gives his arms greater chance to rest and therefore work better for longer.”

The team uses the latest Computer Assisted Design (CAD) packages and a dedicated Human Factors Interface Team to swiftly evaluate every proposal, ensuring any modifications are scientifically implemented to integrate with existing kit, and will have maximum benefit to the end user.

Staff got a chance to get their hands on the new Combat Shotgun from Beretta. [Picture: Harland Quarrington, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010

Maj Barnes-Taylor says that his team’s dedication and professional ethos are mirrored in their business partners:

“Together with the MOD, the traditional Defence industrial partners, such as those we have here today, are utterly unified in their overall desire to support the man on the ground; so they are as keen as we are to find any solution to any issue that is raised.”

One of the weapons on display was the recently unveiled L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle, the first new infantry combat rifle to be issued to troops for more than 20 years.

L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle under-going trials in Afghanistan.

Once again, its introduction, under a UOR, was a direct response to meet the requirements of battlefield commanders on the front line in Afghanistan:

“The standard rifle has an effective range of three to four hundred metres, and we now find that, because of the terrain and environment, and the Taliban, that the threats can stem from 20 feet [6 metres], all the way out to 900 metres plus, in the direct fire of a contact battle,” said Maj Barnes-Taylor.

The Sharpshooter’s considerable range takes it into the realm of sniper territory, but it requires far less training, being more similar to the standard service rifle than the highly-specialised weapons used by those in the sniper profession:

“The Sharpshooter rifle is designed for a generalist soldier who is a good shot, so it is designed far more for a man to be able to switch his weapon and use it without months of specialist training,” said Maj Barnes-Taylor.

“Therefore, we have to ensure that general soldiers, those who are not specially trained, who have not gone through the months of sniper schools, have a weapon that can defeat an enemy up to that range, and this weapon is designed specifically to do that.”

One of the best-established weapons on display was the formidable .50-calibre heavy machine gun.

Usually mounted on a vehicle, such as a WMIK Land Rover or Jackal, the ‘50 Cal’ can knock holes through the thick compound walls found across Afghanistan with ease.

Phil Mouser, of Manroy Engineering Ltd, explained a major recent development to the ‘50 Cal’ – the quick-change barrel:

“In the old days we had a standard barrel, and it could take 10 minutes for a barrel change … the quick-change barrel cuts that 10 minutes down to just 10 seconds,” he said.

In the midst of a firefight, that sort of improvement could change the outcome of a battle, potentially saving the lives of British troops on the front line.

[Serge]

L'armée britannique communique sur les nouveaux équipements mis en place pour l'Afghanistan. Cet ensemble fourni dans un sac noir est baptisé Black-bag

Bag of tricks

It WAS during the start of Op Telic in 2003 that British soldiers were first labelled “Borrowers”.

Deployed to Iraq, a country whose climate and terrain requires specialist equipment to overcome, personnel arrived in theatre before the supply chain could crank into gear, leaving them attired in a mixture of green and desert camouflage. Concerned over the quality and appearance of other items of clothing, including all-important footwear, the troops began to look enviously at their international colleagues and it was not long before they were earning their cruel nickname by trading bits of kit.

But fast forward to today and the boots are most definitely on the other foot. Seven years of front-line experience have helped the Armed Forces learn valuable lessons about what soldiers do – and do not – need on operations and it is now other countries casting jealous glances at Britain. Such a turnaround has only been possible thanks to Defence Equipment and Support’s Defence Clothing and Personal Combat Equipment Teams. The joint-military and civilian set-up is on a non-stop mission to update and refine the clothing and gear that soldiers are given ahead of deployments.

The fruit of their labour – the Black Bag – speaks for itself.

The giant holdall, which is issued to all theatre-bound troops, contains a wardrobe’s-worth of clothing covering everything from underpants to combat shirts as well as useful everyday items including a multitool and a head torch. And such is the quality of the kit, Defence Clothing Team Chief of Staff Lt Col Matthew Tresidder (RE) hopes it will put an end to soldiers parting with their own cash to kit themselves out for ops.

“The Black Bag came into being in 2003 when it was identified that troops going to Iraq needed additional items added to their standard kit,” he explained during an interview with Soldier at the team’s Bath headquarters.

“It has continued to evolve and is now very comprehensive. Of course soldiers will always want to personalise their kit and might think there is something better out there, but my advice is that before you spend your very-hard-earned money, have a look at what you actually get in the bag because you have much better things to spend your cash on.

“Soldiers simply shouldn’t need to buy their own kit and the day they feel that they don’t need to buy anything else is the day we will have achieved what we set out to do. I think we are 98 per cent there.”

The contents of the Black Bag – laid bare for you over the following pages – are worth a staggering £3,000. By comparison, new recruits receive £800 of kit when they join the Army.

Starting with essentials such as anti-microbial underwear and socks, the holdall’s innards contain complete sets of shorts, trousers, t-shirts and combat shirts as well as camouflage gear in the new multi-terrain pattern design.

The latest generation of Osprey body armour and combat helmet are also included, while the footwear options provide a perfect example of just how far the Army’s clothing has come.

Instead of the unpopular boots from Op Telic 1, soldiers now get to choose their preference of winter and summer boots from market-leading manufacturers Lowa and Meindl. Smaller footwear made specifically for women’s feet has been included and there are even sandals for use around camp.

And although the Defence Clothing and Personal Combat Equipment Teams are the ones who source the new gear, everything that finds its way into the bag only does so after being given the go-ahead by the soldiers who will be using it in battle.

Lt Col Tresidder explained that his team deploys to theatre every four-to-six months to talk to troops at forward operating bases about what kit works, what does not and what they would like to see added. Further feedback from post-operational reports is also taken on board by those responsiblefor filling the Black Bag.

“You can guarantee a soldier will give you the benefit of their wisdom and we always doour best to listen,” the officer added. “It is them that have to fight with the kit and thankfully soldiers are very rarely shy in telling you what they think.

“We find that the views are almost always positive, but I don’t think that’s surprising when you consider where we have come from since 2003 – it’s phenomenal.

“Everything in that Black Bag has been trialled and approved by the Infantry Trials and Development Unit which is staffed by personnel just back from operations. They give us their opinion on whether kit is good and fit for purpose.

“All of this comes at a cost but there isn’t a budget – if something is needed then the money is there.

“The greatest compliment I have received was from a hardened corporal who described the bag as ‘a big warm hug from the Army’.”

The constantly-refreshed kit list for the Black Bag is devised with as much attention to form as function.

Many of the items – Lowa boots, Karrimor SF day sacks, Silva head torches and Blackhawk knee pads, for example – are designed and made by the commercial industry’s leading lights and have been included because they are the very best examples currently on offer.

Other gear, such as the Gerber multitool, is so advanced that it is not yet available commercially in this country.

It may not quite be haute couture, but the Black Bag’s contents represent the best of their type and Lt Col Tresidder hopes that will further reinforce the message that soldiers do not need to buy their own personal kit.

“I’m personally really pleased that we are giving guys top-of-the-range equipment – things like Lowa boots, you just don’t get any better than that,” he said. “The teams seek constant feedback from the front line to see what people need and what is working. That brought about the change in knee pads and the extra pouches for the body armour.

“We’re very conscious that soldiers need to look professional – they are there presenting an image to themselves, to the people they are working with and to the enemies they are up against.

“When you see a soldier on the front line in the new camouflage, the boots and the other kit they definitely do look the part.”

From being the butt of a lot of jokes on their arrival in Iraq in 2003, British soldiers can now stand tall knowing that their kit is just as good – and in most cases better – than their international counterparts.

Their skills and bravery may speak for themselves, but personnel can be assured

that they now have the wardrobe to match.

“This training replicates what it is like to work within centres of population and have civilians in the battlespace. It shows what conditions are like in theatre and is more complex and relevant to operations.”

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards battlegroup was the first to experience the revamped training package and the soldiers faced a stern test of their capabilities in what proved to be an intense exercise. With the live firing completed, the troops tackled an array of serials that included IED drills, working with an indigenous police force, occupying forward operating bases, river crossings, patrolling in urban areas with local populations and neutralising insurgent forces. Batus provided a convincing backdrop for these scenarios courtesy of its impressive infrastructure that features villages with facilities such as markets, mosques and police stations, all of which are manned by Afghan civilians to provide extra realism.

The change in approach was obvious to Lt Col Jonathan Biggart, CO of the Scots DG.

“The last time I was here was in 2002 as a Challenger 2 squadron leader,” he said.

“The initial part of this exercise was quite similar, certainly with the live firing, but the hybrid training in the TESEX phase has been completely different.

“It has been valuable training in testing and challenging terrain and I think my officers and soldiers will have learned a huge amount. I have no doubt that it will prepare them very well for the Afghan-specific training.”

With the expansive prairie creating infinite opportunities, the exercise allowed all elements of the visiting 7th Armoured Brigade to test their mettle. A small handful of soldiers from 111 Provost Company took part in the training and were pleased to see their unique skills called into action.

“As Royal Military Police we came into play in the counter-insurgency phase with a mix of search, arrest and detention tasks, all of which went quite smoothly,” explained Lt Edward Ford.

“We have also done evidence handling. Some of the evidence we recovered stimulated another serial so we made a real impact, which was really good from our point of view.

“I have learned quite a lot. It could have been better but there were always going to be some teething problems at the start.

“I have been working with a small team which includes two new guys. They have performed well and it has been great to see them come out of their shells.”

The exercise also saw elements of the Royal Marines training on the prairie for the first time as part of their preparations for future operational deployments. Cpl Graeme Murphy, of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, said Canada had provided a valuable training opportunity and was pleased to see personnel responding well to the challenge.

“We have had lots of new guys joining and this was their first major exercise together,”

he added.

“I don’t think the Scots DG lads knew what to expect but we hit it off well from the start, the banter has flowed and everyone has got on well.

“There are a lot of young lads in the company and they have had the opportunity to mix with a civilian population.

“They have not seen anything like that before so it is a good stepping stone to our pre-deployment training.”

With the new-look Batus experience set to welcome thousands of troops in another busy season, early indications suggest that Exercise Prairie Thunder is meeting the demands of the Army in 2010.

“Batus has changed,” Lt Col Biggart said. “It now covers the whole spectrum of operations within a 24-day period.”

Le détail est ici:

http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk/mag/feature9.htm