Combat and survival april 2014 by Sudden

Website: www.combatandsurvival.com Editor: Bob Morrison Designer: Emily Bedford Senior Correspondents: Carl Schulze & Yves Debay (R.I.P) Firearms Tester: Greg Roberts Gear Tester: Mike Gormley Security Consultant: Robert Shaw Editors Assistant: Jitka Cajova Webmaster: Daryl Crowther Advertisement Sales Director: Moira Spencer Tel: 01484 435011 Email: moira@maionline.co.uk Distributed by Warners Group Publications PLC The Maltings, West Street, Bourne PE10 9PH Print by Acorn Colourprint Ltd: Loscoe Close, Normanton, WF6 1TW

P16 Civil Assistance PITCH POLE & KAPE

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Pictorial coverage of the part the Armed Forces played in combating the February Floods

P21 Armour Focus GTK BOXER [Pt.2]

Carl Schulze looks at the new German APC variants deployed to Afghanistan

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P28 Elite Forces EXFIB

Richard Lucas reports on Italy’s Lagunari on amphibious training with the French Marine Infantry

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P34 Armour Focus 2 FRENCH VIKING

Richard Lucas photographs the BvS10 amphibious armoured personnel carrier coming ashore

P38 Frontline Report ISAF NRU

IMPORTANT: All individual combat and personal survival activities involve risk of injury to oneself and others and great care must be taken carrying out any such activities. Expert guidance should be sought and equipment checked for reliability before any activities described here in are carried out. The publishers cannot accept any responsibility for any injury, death, loss or damage which may result.

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Carl Schulze reports from Afghanistan on the Northern Reaction Unit combat reserve force

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P44 Survival WINTER FLOODS

Bob Morrison reports from the Somerset Moors as Dutch pumping specialists race in to assist

P49 Firearms BRÜGGER & THOMET

Greg Roberts fires the Swiss 9mm sub-machinegun and looks at its history

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DISCLAIMER: The publishers make no representations, endorsements, guarantees or warranties concerning the products and/or services advertised within this magazine. We expressly disclaim any and all liability relating to or arising from the sale, manufacture, distribution, use or misuse of such.

P57 Security COUNTER-INSURGENCY

Robert Shaw pens a Special Report on the changing world of today’s EOD Operator

P62 Survival Gear TRIED & TESTED Mike Gormley trials a jacket, hiking shoes, gloves, drysacks and the new Swiss Soldier’s Knife

P66 Counter-Insurgency CIED AWARENESS

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P62

Dean Williams explains the role of combat tracking in the 21st Century

P70 Footwear BATES PATROL BOOT

Bob Morrison gets his feet into the latest issue BOOT, PATROL in the new MoD Brown colour P05: Comms

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April 14 Cover Image: © Carl Schulze © M.A.I. Publications 2014

Yes, COMBAT & SURVIVAL Magazine really is a quarter of a century old! Born as a highly successful 100-part weekly compendium in 1987, which was updated and reprinted in 1991 under the title IN COMBAT following what is now usually referred to as Gulf War One, C&S evolved into a monthly newsstand magazine with the first issue bearing the April 1989 cover date.

Airport in the Crimea, which is part of the independent nation of Ukraine and which has been drawing closer to the European Union since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

As one in six Ukrainians are of Russian ethnicity, and as five out of eight Crimean Ukrainians consider themselves to be Russian, this tinderbox on the northern shores of the Black Sea may well soon ignite and as both the European Union and the United States are lining themselves up on the side of the Ukrainians the situation is really tense. ver the last 25 years we have: Meanwhile, as a result of the major emerged from the post-WWII Cold recession which afflicted the West at the War era and found old military enemies standing alongside us against end of the last decade many Western new common enemies; seen the success- armed forces, including those of the US and UK, are being pared back to the bone ful expulsion of Saddam Hussein from as politicians put social spending ahead Kuwait by a multi-national coalition of 34 partner nations; watched ‘ethnic cleansing’ of defence. break out across the Balkans, and held our breath as our troops tried to assist peace Yes, things really have changed a lot over the last two and a half decades, but return while both hands were tied behind hopefully C&S is still providing you, the their backs; sighed with relief when ‘The loyal reader, enough topical content to Troubles’ in Northern Ireland were mostly keep you buying the magazine. And we resolved and troops were stood down; fully intend to provide you with a continual been shocked by the Islamic fundamenstream of frontline reports, military & talist-inspired attacks on New York and survival features and relevant kit reviews Washington; gone to battle in both Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the Global War for the foreseeable future. Indeed my on Terror; and watched from the sidelines bergen is packed for my next trip and as soon as this page is passed for press I will as the Jasmine Revolution swept, not always with the expected outcome, through be winging out of here to cover UK Forces deployed on our nation’s longest ever large parts of the Arab World. And these are just a few of the major changes in our continuous military operation in the theatre which is second only to Afghanistan for world. the number of British Army personnel currently operationally deployed. The Russian Bear, seen for so long as an enemy of the West, who hibernated Changing tack, the horrendous stormy through several successive winters, and weather cycle we have been facing in summers too, briefly bared his fangs in the United Kingdom since just before Georgia in 2008 but in the main posed Christmas has seen members of all three little potential military threat outside of services deployed on flood relief duties the Russian Federation and the Chinese Dragon turned itself over to manufacturing under the MACA (Military Assistance to the Civil Authorities) programme, part of the goods for the West instead of producing Operation KAPE (Keeping the Army in the armaments for the Third World and Public Eye) policy, and if you turn to pages attempting to spread the Communist message around the globe. However, even 16-18 you will see a brief flavour of just how varied the units involved have been. as I type this, armed uniformed soldiers, Unfortunately, other than a brief encounter believed to be Russian, are reported to have surrounded Sevastopol International with Bravo Troop of 40 Commando

during a period of downtime, we did not actually get the opportunity to see (or photograph) any military units out in the field as the 125-mile Screwdriver policy of the Department of Defence Communications was a complete shambles. Maybe if the commissars in Whitehall were to stop trying to write the news and just let those of us who specialise in this field talk with those out on the ground they might find their hectic lives becoming less stressful, and as a bonus many of those embarrassing silly stories that the mainstream media dream up to fill pages when they have been treated like mushrooms by Whitehall might not see the light of day. Christina Lamb, who has been reporting on Afghanistan for as long as C&S Magazine has been in publication, writing in the Sunday Times on 16th February summed it up pretty concisely when she explained the antics of the Media Ops ‘minder’ in Bastion who kept over-ruling the very operationally experienced colonel she was interviewing. It’s not just us who despair. Although I have only edited 201 of the last 300 issues of C&S, I actually penned my first feature for Volume 2 Issue 2 of the magazine and I was also a contributor to original partwork, so I go back pretty much to the beginning. If you had told me back in 1986, when I was first asked to provide topical military vehicle photos and specifications for the partwork, that not only would a monthly newsstand military magazine grow out of it but that this magazine would survive in a cut-throat commercial market for a quarter of a century I would not have believed you ... but then again, I would not have believed that the military world could have changed the way it did or, for that matter, that our armed forces would be pared back to the bone the way the have been. Finally, last month we flagged up that this issue would contain a look back into my archives at how BAOR looked on exercise the winter before C&S Magazine was first published. Sorry, but this birthday issue is so packed with reports and features that we simply did not have the room so we have had to postpone this for the time being - BM

Combat & Survival

British Army

IN LAST MONTH’S ISSUE WE FEATURED THE 1ST BATTALION ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES (1RGR), THE PRIMARY BRITISH ARMY COMBAT FORMATION BASED IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM. IN THIS EDITION WE EXAMINE TWO OTHER VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF BRITISH FORCES BRUNEI (BFB) IN THIS SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATION. BOTH ARE LOCATED AT MEDICINA LINES IN THE OILPRODUCING REGION OF SERIA, ABOUT 100KM SOUTHWEST OF THE CAPITAL BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN.

&S visited the UK Forces Training Team Brunei (TTB) in early December 2013, just as a regular training course was coming to an end. This particular fortnight-long course was the Ground Sign Awareness Instructors Course (GSAIC), which gives theoretical and

Main Image: While the MTP uniform might work well on leaf litter, the older Tropical DPM ‘greens’ are much better overall for jungle camouflage - note how iron sights on the SA80A2 are preferred for the jungle [TTB photo] 1: The GSAIC training introduces members to materials used to create IEDs - this is a selection of shells held by TTB mornings are spent on theory while the afternoons practical instruction. In places like Iraq provide practical fieldwork and Afghanistan, it was found that ap2: This is an ‘age stand’ set up for the GSAIC - different items (here lemon halves) are placed in the stand and trainees are able to observe the rate of decay to better assess the age of such signs Images © GORDON ARTHUR or courtesy TTB

proximately 80% of improvised explosive devices (IED) were discovered through ground awareness indicators rather than through technology. Such high a figure spotlights the importance of this course, as it fine-tunes soldiers’ awareness of threats. First run in 2009, the GSAIC was born from TTB’s Tracking Course and it is currently being run six times per year with 32 soldiers each time. With the drawdown in Afghanistan, the frequency of the course will likely reduce to a more sustainable level of four courses

annually. Major Pete Houlton-Hart, Officer Commanding TTB, explained that the training unit has undergone various

Combat & Survival

British Army

name changes over its long history, including the Bush Warfare School (which contributed to the famous Chindits of World War Two), Far East Training Centre, Jungle Warfare School and Jungle Warfare Wing. From the end of WWII until 1972, the training team was based in peninsular Malaysia. From 1972-75, the unit moved to Singapore for a short period before eventually settling in Brunei from 1976 onwards. In 1982, Training Team Brunei was established in the form it appears today. Major Houlton-Hart explained that Brunei offers several advantages. Foremost is the pristine primary jungle in the country’s interior. Furthermore, the jungle is fairly benign compared to some around the world, so it makes an ideal training environment. The team also has access to a working quarry in the Tutong area, which allows TTB to replicate desert or arid regions. Thanks to the generosity of their Brunei hosts, TTB has almost free rein to train in rural and settled areas, which adds another layer of realism. TTB has twelve training staff, and its instructors emanate from the Royal Marines, SAS, Infantry and Gurkhas.

10 Combat & Survival

Main image: Water safety

is part of the JWIC curriculum - training includes river crossings and riverine operations - here a group of four soldiers practise safely crossing one of Brunei’s rivers [TTB photo]

3: A hollow tree stump makes an ideal oven here, fish caught in a river are being smoked - TTB also employs three Iban natives, indigenous people who are masters at living in the jungle [TTB photo] 4: Members of the

GSAIC 3/13 course examine the outside of a building for signs of threats - the course is designed to heighten awareness of threats, and it has helped reduce casualties in Afghanistan

The team also has a Dog Section, which possesses four dogs used for tracking. Additionally, there is a Boat Section for riverine training along Brunei’s inland waterways. As well as the aforementioned GSAIC, TTB runs two other courses. The Operational Tracking Instructors Course (OTIC) is a five-week affair that runs twice yearly. As well as content from

the GSAIC, the curriculum covers other topics such as pursuit tracking, helicopter insertion, and jungle and multi-terrain tracking. All TTB courses train the trainer so that personnel can return to units and pass on the skills and techniques they have learned in Brunei. These courses are tri-service. TTB’s other course, and perhaps the marquee one, is the Jungle Warfare

JWIC participants training for riverine operations in boats - the longest river in Brunei is the Belait - the Brunei government allows British troops the freedom of several sizeable training areas in the jungle [TTB photo]

5: Of 65 students on each JWIC, ten could be from foreign militaries - note this student’s uniform - the final course phase is a nine-day-long company tactical exercise in the jungle [TTB photo]

6: Helmets and body armour are worn when the threat warrants - e.g. an assault on an enemy position as here. This is the final phase of JWIC 3/13 which commenced on 28 September 2013 [TTB photo] 7: Navigation in such a confined environment as a jungle is perhaps one of the most challenging skills to acquire - here, officers have created a terrain model ahead of an assault on an ‘enemy’ position [TTB photo]

Instructors Course (JWIC). The course takes 65 students and turns them from ‘zero to hero’ in seven weeks. For most trainees it is their first experience in a jungle, so JWIC includes basic subjects like health/ hygiene, survival, water safety, and then builds up through section tactics all the way to company-level missions. JWIC runs twice per year. Major Houlton-Hart described the training that goes on in Brunei as “world class”. Major Chris Boryer, the Brunei garrison’s chief of staff, also commented on the detachment’s importance: “TTB is a world leader in terms of delivering and developing instruction in jungle survival and fighting. The organisation is key to improving and widening British Army infantry units’ soldiering skills; a soldier who can live, navigate and

Combat & Survival

British Army

8 7

Main image: A ‘wounded’ comrade is lugged out of harm’s way - Brunei’s jungles are fairly benign compared to some in the world, though crocodiles, snakes, leeches and scorpions are all present [TTB photo] 7: Four dogs belong to the Dog Section - these include two infantry patrol dogs and two tracking dogs - this is Millie, a German Shepherd IPD, enjoying some attention

fight effectively in the jungle is really at the top of his professional game.” Indeed, many other militaries turn to the British Army for its expertise relating to jungle warfare. For example, TTB is giving advice to the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division, which is establishing a new jungle warfare school in Hawaii. Additionally, UK experts have helped train Dutch forces in Belize. Incidentally, the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) was drastically scaled back, so Brunei remains the only such jungle training facility for the British Army today.

Combat & Survival

8: This soldier is firing 9 a 7.62mm L7A2 GPMG to provide enhanced firepower for a raid - there is said to be malaria deep in the Brunei jungle, but no one has caught it thus far [TTB photo] 9: TTB has a small collection of animals such as a python and macaques (as here) to familiarise participants with what they might find in the jungle but fortunately dangerous animals are rarely encountered in Brunei

7 Flight operates three Bell 212 AH Mk1 helicopters each capable of transporting six infantry - their fuselage is painted in regular camouflage but the engine cowl is bright orange to assist identification if a helicopter crash lands

7 Flight, an independent Army Air Corps (AAC) unit based at Medicina Lines, possesses three Bell 212 AH Mk1 helicopters and its primary role is moving troops in and out of the jungle and conducting forward medical evacuations. The eight pilots assigned to 7 Flight are experts at landing in/taking off from confined landing zones, as these are usually small clearings hacked into the jungle. One officer commented to C&S that the pilots are some of the best in the AAC, as flying into such LZs create very tricky downdraught conditions.

ne helicopter is kept at 60-minute readiness when troops are operating in the jungle. In the case of a mishap, helicopters are liable to be the only way of getting a casualty out quickly, and this may be done via winch. Troop insertions by rope are commonly undertaken from heights of 150 feet because of the high jungle canopy. Night-time flying is a challenge because there is little light and no landmarks in the jungle. Furthermore, tropical storms can add to the hazards of flying in Brunei. The Bells have been in service since 1994 so they are getting long in the tooth. However, their reliability and design (including their thick rotor blades) are ideal for jungle

operations. They are civilian-owned by FB Heliservices (FBH), a subsidiary of Cobham Aviation Services. FBH is responsible for all maintenance and logistics support. One 7 Flight member said the unit is kept “very busy providing services” for TTB courses, regular training of the resident Gurkha unit, and their own training regime. The AAC detachment can also be tasked to perform rescues by Brunei aviation authorities if it happens to be closest to an incident. In the wake of the deadly Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004, two helicopters of 7 Flight deployed to Banda Aceh in Indonesia to assist in the relief effort. In five weeks the detachment flew 209 missions and moved 244,000 pounds of aid to stranded people. A standard helicopter crew is two pilots and a crewman. Pilots receive survival training in case the worst happens, and crew members carry a ‘go-bag’ that allows them to survive for at least 24 hours. For example, a rotor tip strike when landing in a clearing would likely entail a wait for an engineer to come and check the aircraft. The engine cowls are painted bright orange, the purpose being to make identification easier if they were to crash. Thus it is that these two unique British Army units serve as ‘king of the jungle’ in their own respective ways. Brunei is a long way from ‘home’ but TTB and 7 Flight offer unprecedented benefits to the army as a whole.

1: The aviation unit possesses a couple of Leyland DAF T244 5,000litre Ground Fuel Tankers that offer flexibility for flight operations as they can be driven into Brunei’s interior to create a forward refuelling point for the helicopters 2: This Bell 212 is hooked up to a tug ready for an emergency mission - as well as inserting troops into the jungle, these winch-equipped helicopters can evacuate personnel on medical or compassionate grounds Combat & Survival

Civil Assistance

7th: Moorland - 40 Commando work alongside the Environment Agency to raise flood defences [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary]

On Thursday 5th February, in direct response to Prime Minister Cameron announcing following a Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms [COBR] meeting the previous evening that the military would be deployed to help the civilian agencies in flood protection and relief measures, Royal Marines from Taunton-based 40 Commando were deployed on Operation PITCH POLE. This was just the tip of the MACA (Military Assistance to the Civil Authorities) iceberg and over the next ten days a wide range of personnel from all three branches of the Armed Forces left their bases to provide both muscle and expertise to try to defeat the floods.

Combat & Survival

Top left: 6th: Taunton: 1 Less than 24 hours after the Cabinet meeting Commandos are briefed on their mission [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary] Top right: 6th: Burrow Bridge - As Somerset river levels rose higher Marines deployed on Operation PITCH POLE [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary] 1: 9th: Stanmoor - with storm clouds brewing Bravo Company of 40 Commando RM sandbag the Parrett [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary]

9th: Saltmoor - 40 Commando are asked to assist in moving and fitting 42 pipes weighing 3.5 tonnes [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary]

11th: Fordgate - Around 100 Royal Navy ranks from Yeovilton deployed under Commando guidance [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary] 2

10th: Portland - David Cameron visits Chesil Beach to see the work being done by 39 RE Regiment [Sgt Russ Nolan]

11tb: Sunnymeads - A convoy of MAN trucks ferries in troops and materiel to fight back the Thames [Cpl Richard Cave]

11th: Wraysbury - 1 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers packing and moving sand bags in the primary school [Cpl Richard Cave]

2: 12th: Northmoor - Marines from Bravo Company of 40 Commando deployed in challenging conditions [L(Phot) Rhys O’Leary] 3: 12th: Thames Valley - RAF personnel working with the local police to coordinate flood relief efforts [Cpl Neil Bryden] 4: 12th: After nightfall RAF Regiment personnel provide residents with flood assistance [Cpl Neil Bryden] 5: 13th: Chieveley - Army and RAF personnel prepare sandbags for distribution to needy households [Cpl Neil Bryden] Combat & Survival

Civil Assistance 13th: Thames Valley - Over 230 RAF Honington personnel redeployed to Windsor to aid flood victims [Cpl Babs Robinson]

13th: Gloucester - Sandbags being unloaded and carried by Royal Marines from 40 Commando [L(Phot) Rhys Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary]

14th: Thames Valley - RAF and Army team in a Merlin helo undertaking aerial flood damage recce [Sgt Mitch Moore]

14th: Tewkesbury - In two hours 4th Bn REME and 2nd Bn The Royal Welsh fill nearly 3000 sandbags [Sgt M Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill] 6: 14th: Staines - Soldiers from C company Royal Gurkha Rifles putting up a dam to redirect water [Cpl Richard Cave]

7: 15th: Burghfield Minister for Armed Forces Mark Francois MP helps out soldiers from 7 RIFLES [Shane Wilkinson] 8: 16th: Romsey, Hampshire - Royal Navy personnel from HMS Illustrious pile up walls of sandbags [L(Phot) Nicky Wilson]

Combat & Survival

Armour Focus

1 The Gepanzertes Transport Kraftfahrzeug (Armoured Transport Vehicle) Boxer, also known as Boxer MultiRole Armoured Vehicle (MRAV), recently entered operational service with the German Bundeswehr. Since 2011 the vehicle has been deployed with the German ISAF contingent in northern Afghanistan. This two-part briefing covers the Boxer’s development history and technology. This month, in the concluding half, we also bring you photographs of the variants already in service with the German armed forces.

urrently planned production is 272 GTK Boxer MRAV for the German Bundeswehr and 200 for the Royal Netherlands Armed Forces. Delivery of the last German vehicle is scheduled for 2016 and the last Dutch vehicle for 2018. The Bundeswehr will receive a total of 125 GTK Boxer A0/A1 Gruppen transport fahrzeug wheeled APC versions, 65 of the A0/A1 Führungs fahrzeug command post vehicle, 72 of the A0/A1 schwere geschützte Sanitäts fahrzeug

Main Image: The Bundeswehr will receive a total of 272 GTK Boxers in different versions these are two GTK Boxer A1 Gruppen transport fahrzeug wheeled APC variants used by Jägerbataillon 292 1: Normal access to the rear fighting compartment of the GTK Boxer A1 wheeled APC is via a large rear ramp - the small central door allows individual access without the need to lower the ramp Images ©

CARL SCHULZE unless noted

heavy ambulance and ten GTK Boxer Fahrschul fahrzeug driver training vehicles. It is intended to eventually modify all vehicles from the earlier A0 standard to A1 standard. The Netherlands will receive their 200 GTK Boxer MRAVs in the following six different variants: 60 Boxer Commando voertuig command post vehicles; 52 Boxer Gewonden transport voertuig heavy ambulances; 41 Genie voertuig engineer section vehicles; 12 Boxer Battle Damage Repair Vehicle; 27 Boxer Cargo voertuig cargo carriers and eight Rijles voertuig driver training vehicles.

The Boxer MRAV has been designed for an in-service lifetime of some 30 years. According to information provided by the OCCAR Boxer Programme Division, development and production of the currently on order GTK Boxer MRAV amounted to 1.429 billion Euros.

TECHNOLOGY Right from the beginning, during the development of the Boxer MRAV great attention was paid to addressing the requirements of modularity, high level of armour protection, mobility and high payload. As a result of this the MRAV features a modular design

Combat & Survival

Armour Focus

with each vehicle consisting of an 8x8 drive module and a mission module. According to information provided by the ARTEC GmbH, it is possible to exchange mission modules from one drive module to another within 30 minutes. The Boxer, due to the use of state-of-theart technology, offers a high degree of protection from: small arms fire, heavy machinegun fire, and medium calibre automatic cannon fire; bomblets and artillery shell fragments; all types of anti-personnel and anti-tanks mines, even in case of under belly detonations; and IEDs, even in case of heavy blasts, including also mines and IEDs that employ explosive formed penetrator (EFP) technology. The basic shell of the vehicle is made of high-hardness steel onto which the Advanced Modular Armour Protection (AMAP) composite armour, which incorporates a special ceramic mix, is installed on shock absorbing mounts. The modular design of a multi-layer floor concept and the safety cell of the vehicle minimise the ‘catastrophic kill’ risk in the case of an underbelly mine and IED blast. The roof armour of the vehicle offers protection from top attacks. The modular design of the armour package also allows for the integration of new armour technology, should this become available, and also the installation of add-on armour packages. To reduce the likelihood of a hit by guided weapon

Combat & Survival

Main Image: The Bundeswehr will also receive a total of 72 schwere geschützte Sanitäts fahrzeuge heavy ambulances their mission module features a raised roof to offer more head space for medics 2: The rear compartment of the Boxer ambulance is crammed with equipment, including ProPaq vital-function control monitors, Life-Base III mobile respiration systems, medical injection pumps and so on 3: The ambulance is 8,330mm long by 3,000mm wide by 3,360mm high with a gross weight of 35,000kg - a combination of up to seven seated wounded or three wounded on stretchers can be carried

systems the vehicle has been designed taking into account the rules of stealth principles, reducing its acoustic, infrared and radar signature to a possible minimum.

DRIVING MODULE The driving module is completely independent and identical for both German and Dutch variants. Its chassis and hull house, among other components, the driver’s compartment, the power pack compartment, the drive train, the brake system, the steering system and the eight independent wheel station type suspension units, including coil springs and shock absorbers. While the driver is seated to the front right in the hull the power pack compartment is situated at the front left.

All GTK Boxer MRAV variants are powered by a MTU 8V 199 TE20 8-cylinder V turbocharged, inter-cooled, EURO III compliant, diesel engine that develops 720hp and allows the vehicle to reach a top speed of 103km/h. Together with the RRW3001 angular gearbox, the seven speed Allison HD4800SP automatic transmission, the cooling system and other components

the engine forms the power pack. This pack can be exchanged in about 20 minutes. The drive train of the vehicle also includes two inter-axle differentials and four axle differentials. The wheels are fitted with Michelin 415/80 R 685TR XML TL160 tyres that include Hutchinson run-flat inserts, which allow to drive the vehicle another 30km at a speed of up to 50km/hr even when several or all tyres are damaged. The central tire inflation system (CTIS) benefits the cross country mobility of the vehicle and can be set on prescribed settings. The steering system, which has a steering wheel rather than steering levers, is of the power assisted type and works on the two front axles. The vehicle is fitted with a steering brake that allows stopping of all four wheels on one side and by doing so skid-steering is possible, which drastically reduces the vehicles turning radius. The vehicle brake system is of the hydraulic dualcircuit disc brake type and integrates ABS. Also situated in the driving module are the battery box of the 24-Volt electrical system, the three fuel tanks containing 280 and 238 litres plus a back-up 44 litres, the air conditioning system, the heating system and the fire detection and extinguishing system. The electrical system and all vehicle functions are monitored by a CAN bus system that features two redundant ring structures

Main Image: This ambulance was seen at Camp Marmal in the vicinity of Mazare-Sharif in northern Afghanistan - it is fitted with a mine protection kit and Störsender CG-12 RCIED electronic counter measure system 4: German Boxer variants deployed to Afghanistan are painted with Umtarnfarben non-permanent camouflage colours in standard threecolour arid pattern of stone, earth and green 5; Interior of the Boxer A0 ambulance - note the intensive care stretcher mount which can be slid to the centre for easier loading and unloading of the patient as well as for providing all-round treatment

integrated with the driving and mission module.

GERMAN MISSION MODULES Germany is fielding four different types of mission modules, namely: the armoured personnel carrier module, the command post module, the ambulance module and the driver training vehicle module. All modules feature a standardised interface for installation on the driver modules. They also have certain components in common, such as the NBC overpressure protection system and the rear ramp. Mission modules consist of one large compartment in which the missionspecific kit is installed. In the case of the ambulance this features a raised roof,

offering more head room and 17.5m³ of protected volume, while the remaining variants feature a protected volume of 14m³.

GRUPPEN TRANSPORT FAHRZEUG WHEELED APC MODULE When configured as GTK Boxer A1 Gruppen transport fahrzeug wheeled

Combat & Survival

Armour Focus

This Boxer Führungs fahrzeug A1 command post vehicle was seen at the Informations lehrübung Ground Operations demonstration exercise held at Munster in September and October 2013 APC the vehicle functions as mother ship for an entire infantry section, along with their kit. Inside the module the vehicle commander is seated to the front left and the gunner to the front right, on modern adjustable blast protected seats that feature four-point safety harness with integrated air bags in the shoulder straps. In the roof above the commander’s seat a hatch and five panoramic periscopes are installed.

system des Heeres and the Integriertes Führungs- und Informations system für Kampftruppen command, control and communication (C3) systems is situated. Other controls available are the ones for operating of the smoke grenade discharger system and various vehicle functions. The communication equipment is installed to the left of the vehicle commander including, among other equipment, SEM 80/90 radios.

On the roof above the gunner’s seat the FLW 200 remote controlled weapon station is mounted, fitted either with a 40x53mm Granat maschinen waffe automatic grenade machinegun or a 12.7x99mm M2HB QCB heavy machinegun. The sensor package of the FLW 200 RCWS includes a highresolution CCD day camera, a cooled thermal sight and an eye-safe laser rangefinder. The weapon station can be rotated a fully 360° and features an elevation range from -15° to +70°. the RCWS is controlled via a panel situated in front of the gunners seat and a joystick incorporated in the right arm rest of his seat.

In the rear fighting compartment four dismounts are seated along the left wall and three along the right. They are facing inwards and are placed on individual, shock absorbing seats that feature an adjustable back rest and headrest, as well as four-point safety harness with integrated air bags in the shoulder straps. Small arms are stored in special mounting brackets between the seats. Storage space for the kit of the soldiers, ammunition and other equipment is situated along the walls behind the backs of the troops. There are also storage racks behind the commander’s and gunner’s seat and nets mounted under the roof are provided the storing of combat helmets.

To the front of the commander’s seat the multi-function terminal of the Führungs- und Informations

In the roof of the rear fighting compartment four single piece hatches are situated to allow the posting of top

Combat & Survival

6: This GTK Boxer Führungs fahrzeug A1 command post vehicle was seen in mid 2013 - in 2016 when all GTK Boxers should have been delivered the Bundeswehr will be able to field 65 command posts 7: The command post vehicles can be distinguished from the wheeled APC by the large storage box on the roof used to store a tent extension which can be attached to a frame situated at the vehicle rear 8: Boxer A1 command post vehicle at a Patrol Base in the vicinity of Kunduz in 2012 - crewed by five its mission module offers three computer workstations when on the move and four when static

cover sentries or for the dismounts to fight mounted. The dimensions of these hatches are much criticised as they are quite small and when wearing body armour with attached ammunition pouches and other kit manning them, especially for wellbuilt soldiers, is a nightmare. The troops leave and enter the vehicle via a large power-operated rear ramp. In this ramp a small hinged door is also available. A terminal with a screen situated to the right rear in the rear fighting compartment increases the situational awareness of the dismounts, as on it the images caught by the cameras of the FLW 200 RCWS can be displayed. Communication between all crew members is provided by the vehicle intercom system that is linked to the radio systems. Via stations mounted in the rear fighting compartment and available headsets the dismounts also have access to this system. Also installed in the rear fighting compartment is the törsender CG-12 RCIED electronic counter measure system.

The GTK Boxer Führungs fahrzeug A1 command post vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of 35,480kg and a combat weight of 34,520kg - it is 8,330mm long by 2,990mm wide by 3,390mm high 9

CONCLUSION The GTK Boxer MRAV is a highly capable state-of-the-art vehicle that could be employed for many different roles and due to its armour it offers its crew 360° protection from all kinds of threats. Despite its gross vehicle weight of 35,000kg and its size, the vehicle features a high degree of mobility and offers outstanding off-road capabilities. Initially intended as a multi-role armoured vehicle to take over a large number of tasks, over development time and due to changing requirements the vehicles have become more of an armoured personnel carrier. However, the vehicle is certainly able to fulfil its role as a replacement for the M113 APC and the TPz 1 Fuchs wheeled APC fleet. However the limited number of GTK Boxer MRAVs procured by the Bundeswehr means that some of the TPz 1 Fuchs wheeled APCs will have to soldier on for many more years and that some roles formerly performed by the M113 APC have to performed by other vehicles recently procured, such as the ATF Dingo 2 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle or the Yak armoured and mineprotected transport vehicle. Footnote: Some German complex nouns have been broken down to suit column width and for easier reading.

9: All GTK Boxer variants are powered by an easily swapped MTU 8V 199 TE20 8-cylinder V turbocharged, inter-cooled, EURO III compliant, diesel engine that develops 720hp. 10: Here the rear of a GTK Boxer Führungs fahrzeug A1 command post vehicle version can be seen in detail - note the frame to which the tent extension is usually attached Combat & Survival

Armour News

For driver training the Bundeswehr can field ten Fahrschul fahrzeuge variants offering space for the driving instructor and up to four students which are fitted with a roof mounted cabin for the instructor

Crew: 3 + 7 (Vehicle commander, gunner, driver and seven dismounts) Length: 8,330mm Width: 2,990mm Height (with FLW 200 RCWS): 3,330mm Gross Vehicle Weight: 35,000kg Combat weight: 34,288kg (including mine protection kit) Maximum pay load: 7,800kg MLC: 42 Maximum speed: 103km/h Ground clearance: 500mm Trench crossing: 2,000mm Maximum gradient: 60% Maximum slope: 30% Vertical step crossing: 800mm Fording: 1,200mm without preparation, 1,500mm with preparation Turning circle: 15m Fuel capacity: 560 litres Road range: 1,000km Engine: MTU 8V 199 TE20 8-cylinder V turbocharged, intercooled, EURO III compliant, diesel engine developing 720hp

Combat & Survival

Transmission: Allison HD4800SP 7F3R automatic Drive: Permanent 8x8, via four axle differentials and two interaxle differentials Steering: Power assisted on the two front axles and skid steer on each side Suspension: Independent wheel station type, including coil springs and shock absorbers Brake system: Michelin 415/80 R 685TR XML TL160 with Hutchinson run-flat inserts Armament: FLW 200 remote controlled weapon station fitted with either 40x53mm Granat maschinen waffe automatic grenade machinegun or 12.7x99mm M2HB QCB heavy machinegun Other systems: Air conditioning and heating, FA 240 VM-1 NBC protection system, boiling vessel, central tyre inflation system (CTIS), fire detection and extinguishing system, rear view camera, Führungs- und Informations system des Heeres and Integriertes Führungs- und Informations system für Kampftruppen IFIS C3 systems, SEM 80/90 radios, Tetrapol radios, and a toilet seat can be fitted to each seat in the rear fighting compartment.

Elite Forces

1 The crystalline waters of the Mediterranean Sea off the south coast of France was an ideal setting for the linkup of the Lagunari, an elite amphibious attack unit of the Italian Army, and units of the French 21st Marine Infantry Regiment or 21 RIMa. Following a couple days training together on Mistral (L9013), the French helicopter carrier and amphibious attack platform, the specialist units of the two NATO nations were put ashore on a exercise, called EXPHIB by the French, which involved the securing of an urban area in the wake of civil disorder and the evacuation of ex-pats caught up in the turmoil.

Combat & Survival

Main image: Two Italian Lagunari and a French Army Marine strike a pose - note that the Italians are carrying French FAMAS 5.56mm assault rifles 1:The 21st Regiment Marine Infantry (21 RIMa) is part of 6th Brigade Leger BlindĂŠ which is the principal amphibious attack formation of the French Army - note the anchor on their sleeve insignia

n a larger scale the training, very similar to the Non-combatant Evacuation Operation exercise undertaken by the UK Response Force Task Group in Albania last September, involved elements of the French Mediterranean Naval Task Force, which is harboured in nearby Toulon, helicopters of the 1st RHC (RĂŠgiment Helicopters de Combat) and elements of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade.

6TH BLB The 6th BLB (Brigade Leger BlindĂŠ or Light armoured Brigade) is the principal amphibious attack formation of the French Army and is composed of several regiments, including: the 21st Regiment Marine Infantry, the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment, the 2nd Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment, the 1st Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment

2: The Lagunari - full 3 title Reggimento Lagunari Serenissima - are a battalionstrength rapid response amphibious assault formation of the Italian Army configured to deploy at short noticeable 3: The scenario for the French-Italian EXPHIB exercise was similar in concept to the Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) training which 40 Commando recently undertook in Albania Combat & Survival

Elite Forces

and the 1st Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment, along with Special Forces groups including combat divers (UDT) and recon units. At the time of the exercise the bulk of the 6th BLB was deployed in the African country of Mali in the continuing fight against insurgent elements who had taken over the north of the nation and were threatening the capital city of Bamako. While the 6th BLB’s Legion units were still occupied in Africa, the 21st RIMa was present having returned not so long before from the African state, where they had been redeployed from a posting in the neighbouring country of Chad and were the first French troops to respond to the insurgent incursion from the north.

HUNTERS OF THE LAGOONS On the first day of the exercise the soldiers of the 6th BLB were joined by a unit of the Italian Army. Like the 6th BLB, these soldiers were also specialists in amphibious operations, as their name the Lagunari implies. The designation, derived from the Italian version of lagoon, translates as Hunters or Men of the Lagoon. The roots of the unit go back to the City State of Venice and the use of army units on war vessels and as amphibious attack units. The city itself is sited on a group of 118 small islands, separated by canals, located in the marshy Venetian Lagoon between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The

Combat & Survival

Main Image: A French Army AS532 Cougar helicopter landing on the deck of the helicopter carrier Mistral - up to twenty troops in fighting order can be transported from ship to shore by this aircraft 4: An EDA-R roll-on/roll-off catamaran landing craft approaches Mistral’s flooded dock - France has four of these vessels which can each transport a platoon of troops and six armoured vehicles 5: A VAB armoured ambulance rolls off the bow ramp of an EDA-R inside Mistral - here the landing craft deck is lowered but at sea it would be raised to give a catamaran hull

wetlands of the coast made for an excellent 5 defensive position, especially when manned by troops adept at amphibious deployment. In 1550 the various army units specialist in maritime deployment were brought together to become the Fanti de Mar or Infantry of the Sea. They distinguished themselves in all the wars fought by the Venetian Republic and were a major factor in preventing the powerful Ottoman Turks from capturing the city.

COUNTER-INSURGENCY MISSION

The Lagunari, along with several units of the 21st RIMa and a unit from Today the Lagunari are used as a coastal the Legion’s 1st Combat Engineer defence force as well as an amphibious Regiment, boarded the Mistral a few rapid attack formation. They have been days before the start of the manoeuvres. involved in a number of international This gave them time to lay out the plan missions and are trained in internal security of operations in co-ordination with tasks and for humanitarian assistance the helicopter and navy units involved situations as well as for combat operations. in the training. At the same time the

military vehicles to be used in the operation were ferried aboard. The principle training exercise phase was to co-ordinate landing operations by securing the landing zone and shuttle units from the ship to shore then progress inland, securing major routes and strategic positions. The mission itself followed an evacuation scenario where a group of western nationals were caught up in a potentially violent situation involving local insurgent elements. The troops task was to get inland as quickly and securely as possible, round up the people for evacuation, and bring them in safety to a secured area for processing and transit to the Mistral. As the ground forces mapped out their plans to progress through, and control, a route best suited for the evacuation, the Mistral went on full alert. Sailors were posted at their stations and went through a series of drills and exercises. Much of the activity centred on the flight deck as the helicopter squadron and the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s air traffic personnel trained, with an emphasis on night operations with take-off and landing procedures, and with several possible emergency situations programmed in, such as fire aboard a chopper or evacuating wounded.

AMPHIBIOUS SOP Amphibious intervention and landing involves certain operational procedures which are endemic to this type of

Main Image: An amphibious beach unit tractor with two rolls of trackway comes ashore from an EDA-R to lay down a firm route over soft sand for heavier vehicles to drive across 6: A French infantry section steps ashore from a CTM landing craft - the French equivalent of a Landing Craft Utility - Mistral can accommodate four of these vessels in her well deck 7: Rear two CTM landing craft inside Mistral photographed from the stern of one of the forward pair - these old vessels only have a bow ramp meaning only two can be loaded at a time in the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dock

mission, and EXPHIB was no exception. Sometime after midnight teams of Navy divers, specialising in amphibious landing and zone reconnaissance, were dropped off from Zodiac rafts to swim to shore and mark out the principle landing zone. They were closely followed by Lagunari commando units in rafts, who paddled ashore under the cover of darkness and secured the zone and a helicopter landing area. Reinforcements were then flown in with heavier armament and as dawn broke the first of the landing craft left the Mistral carrying units of the 21st RIMa and armoured support. The first vehicles put ashore were the BvS10 armoured personal carriers and weapons platforms. This vehicle is

actually two articulated tracked units linked together by a steering device. These Swedish made armoured carriers are currently being evaluated by the French Army and these exercises were an opportunity to give them a trial run. Arriving either independently by water, using floatation pontoons secured on each side, or directly from the landing craft, the advantage of the BvS10 is that

Combat & Survival

Since 2011 the elite Lagunari have worn bottle green Commando berets instead of the previous Italian Army black beret - they retained their distinctive and historic cap badge see here

Elite

the rubberised tracks can navigate over the beach area whereas the wheeled vehicles used currently by the French Army - the VAB (Vehicule Avant Blindé), an armoured personnel carrier and the VBL (Vehicule Blindé Legere) an armoured scout car - might bog down in the soft sand. With the beach fully secured French Foreign Legion engineers laid out a wire mesh runway over the sand to allow the wheeled vehicles, trucks and heavy equipment to cross the beach and drive inland. Operations continued as units leapfrogged toward the target area, controlling essential intersections until the trucks could be brought in and load the people they came to save.

TOWARD FUTURE CONFLICTS This training was actually more of an logistics exercise than a combat mission, as the procedure would be to try and remain neutral in regards to the opposing forces, especially in a civil war type situation, and carry out the evacuation as quickly as possible avoiding any confrontation. Once the foreign nationals, who in a real situation

Combat & Survival

8&9: France has three Mistralclass amphibious helicopter carriers and has also sold two to Russia with an option for four more - that is an EDA-R catamaran docking at the rear 10: Lagunari wear the standard Italian Army (Mimetico Vegetata) camouflage pattern - here they are wearing uniforms in the Desert version but body armour vests in the original Temperate version Images ©

RICHARD LUCAS

could be people in the diplomatic corps and civilian engineers and professionals working in the strife-torn country, as well as humanitarian aid workers, were grouped together they would transported to a staging area. Here they would be processed, receive medical aid if needed and then be ferried out to the Mistral, after which the ground troops would withdraw. The French Army is particularly sensitive to this type of situation as there are a large number of French nationals living

and working in the former colonies in Africa. Training for an eventual intervention of this type is a priority and most of the active combat ready units of the French Army have been through this scenario a number of times. In fact there have been a number of occasions where French military have relatively recently been deployed in civilian protection and evacuation missions; most notably in the Ivory Coast, where thousands of French and European nationals where brought out of the country when a full blown civil war erupted with little notice.

Armour Focus

The EXFIB training exercise package last autumn gave the French military a chance to put their new armoured all-terrain tracked carrier, produced by BAE Systems and Hägglunds of Sweden in cooperation with UK MoD, to the test in the amphibious role. Currently the BvS10 is also in service with the Royal Marines (over 200 procured), the Dutch Korps Mariniers (74) and the Swedish Army (150).

he British christened the BvS10 the ‘Viking’ because of its Nordic origins and the name seems to have stuck. The vehicle, which has been combat proven in Afghanistan, consists of two articulated tracked units, linked by a steering mechanism, with all four rubber tracks driving continuously giving it good mobility over rough terrain as well as over sand and snow. In late 2009 the French Ministry of Defence procured 53 of these all-purpose vehicles for Afghanistan with an option to buy up to 76 more. A number have since been sent to the 21st RIMa (Marine Infantry

Combat & Survival

Main Image: A French Viking with buoyancy bags attached climbs up the beach during EXPHIB ‘13 1: Although Viking is amphibious it is more likely that it would be brought from ship to shore by landing craft - as here 2: The buoyancy bags are attached with quick-release clips and can be dropped as soon as firm ground is reached 3: Front module has blast-attenuating seats for four including driver either a roof turret or a remote weapon station can be fitted Images © RICHARD LUCAS unless noted

Regiment) and to a unit of the French Mountain Division for user trials. The Viking or VHM, they are designated Véhicules à Haute Mobilité in French, is composed of two armoured units or modules with the tractor module at the front being common to all variants. In French service either a 7.62mm or .50cal machinegun can be mounted in a oneman roof turret and communications equipment can be carried in the tractor module. The rear module comes in four primary versions. • The Troop Carrying Variant (TCV) is capable of carrying two crew plus up to twelve fully equipped combat soldiers. • The Command Variant (CV) carries two crew plus up to eight passengers with the rear cab being designed as

The clips for buoyancy bags can be seen on this BvS10 disembarking a CTM landing craft

5 4

an enhanced digital communications platform and command centre. • The Repair and Recovery Variant (RRV) carries four vehicle maintenance specialists and is a complete mobile workshop, with an air compressor and a 9-tonne capacity capstan winch. • The Ambulance Variant (AV) carries medical personnel and casualties plus relevant equipment. The BvS10 is fairly light in weight, can be transported by a heavy lift helicopter or landing craft, and it has a certain amphibious autonomy; the French use an inflatable buoyancy cell system for deep water operation. Its armour provides all-round protection against small arms fire, but without optional add-on armour fitted it is vulnerable to heavy weapons.

4: The main weapon in the turret is a .50cal (12.7mm) heavy machinegun

5: The rear troopcarrying module’s tracks are powered by the front module through an articulated link universal joint which allows remarkable flex in all directions 6: The French BvS10 is almost identical to the Viking used by Royal Marines (as here) [BM] Combat & Survival

Frontline Report

At the end of 2014 the ISAF mandate ends and the withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan is already in full swing. As with UK Armed Forces, other contributing nations have already redeployed large troop contingents and huge amounts of equipment; for example in the case of the German ISAF contingent the last Schützenpanzer Marder 1A5A1 armoured infantry fighting vehicles were withdrawn from Afghanistan in late 2013. The Northern Reaction Unit or NRU, an all-arms infantry battlegroup, is now the only major combat force of the German Bundeswehr left in northern Afghanistan. C&S visited the NRU in late 2013.

Combat & Survival

Main Image: Equipped with a 7.62mm G28 designated marksman rifle a Gebirgsjäger provides cover fire for his comrades during a live fire exercise - he wears the new IdZ ES soldier system combat clothing 1: Protected by elements of the NRU the Einsatz gesch wader Mazar-iSharif aviation task force conducts a personnel recovery exercise

21ST NOVEMBER, 10:31 HOURS: Somewhere to the west of the Hairatan Road in the deserts of northern Afghanistan. The security perimeter is in place, combat vehicles and protected mobility vehicles such as Eagle IV, ATF Dingo 2 and GTK Boxer Führungs fahrzeug A1 have taken up positions around a stretch of land in the middle

of nowhere. Inside the large perimeter engineers search the flat ground for IEDs, mines and UXO (unexploded ordnance). Today’s mission of parts of the NRU is to provide security while the Einsatzgeschwader Mazar-iSharif Aviation Task Force conducts a personnel recovery exercise involving CH-53GS transport helicopters and the

Above: Elements of the ISR Kompanie of the NRU conduct a presence patrol in the southern outskirts of Mazari-Sharif - this is one of their Spähwagen 1 A2 Fennek wheeled armoured recce vehicles Personnel Recovery Combat Rescue Team of RC North, among other assets. In order to fulfil their task the mountain infantry soldiers and engineers of the NRU have left Camp Marmal, in the vicinity of Mazar-i-Sharif, at first light and deployed into the desert. With the security perimeter in place a long period of waiting starts for them and only after the training exercise has been successfully completed will they be able to redeploy. Their task is anything but exciting, but the soldiers take it seriously and regularly scan the surrounding terrain for any signs of hostile activity. Smugglers and other criminals are active in the area, and dependent on the situation they could become a threat. Force Protection is only one of the missions of the NRU.

22ND NOVEMBER, 23:15 HOURS: Along the base of the Marmal mountain range, to the south of Camp Marmal, a patrol consisting

2: Badge of infantry elements of the Northern Reaction Unit - most infantry assets are provided by Gebirgs jäger brigade 23 which explains the inclusion of the Edelweiss 3: Badge of the ISR company of the NRU which is drawn mostly from the Gebirgs aufklärungs bataillon 230 mountain 4: The soldiers of the Gebirgs jäger bataillon 232 were the first German troops to use the Infanterist der Zukunft Erweitertes System (IdZ ES) new integrated soldier system on operations

of a Spähwagen Fennek 1 A2 reconnaissance vehicle and an ATF Dingo 2 protected patrol vehicle of the ISR company of the NRU makes its way slowly along one of the countless wadis. It is pitch black and driving through the rocky terrain requires the full concentration of the vehicle crews. The patrol is heading for high ground, and as soon as this has been reached the mast mounted sensor unit of the Spähwagen Fennek 1 A2 reconnaissance vehicle, which contains a high quality thermal imaging system, is raised into position. For the next couple of hours or so the patrol will now monitor the surrounding terrain and watch out for any hostile activity aimed at Camp Marmal. Reconnaissance is another task of the NRU.

23RD NOVEMBER, 11:30 HOURS: In the city centre of Mazar-i-Sharif the driver of one of the infantry platoons of the 2. Infanterie kompanie of the NRU carefully steers a huge GTK Boxer Gruppen transport fahrzeug A1 wheeled APC through the dense traffic. Mazar-i-Sharif is Afghanistan’s fourth largest city and at the moment it looks like every one of its 260,000 inhabitants is on the streets. One by one the platoon visits the Bayan Shamal Media Centre, Camp Northern Light (where the Nordic Baltic Transition Support Unit is based), the German Consulate and other important locations in the city centre. At each location the soldiers dismount and conduct a quick reconnaissance in order to make themselves familiar with their whereabouts. As it is part of the NRU mission to secure or evacuate personnel Combat & Survival

Frontline Report

Main Image: Gebirgsjäger with Ops-Core Gefechtshelm combat helmet and 5.56mm G36 A3 assault rifle with 4x30 sight which are components of the new IdZ ES kit

5: At night at the Salang Pass a Gebirgsjäger scans the surrounding heights with his night sight for any signs of enemy activity from these locations if a change in the security situation required it, the knowledge gained during their visits might be paramount for the soldiers. At the same time, their move through the city serves the purpose of showing presence in order to get the message across that ISAF is still available to support the local population and the Afghan security forces.

26TH NOVEMBER, 02:14 HOURS: On the road to the Salang Pass the icy route twists higher and higher up into the Hindu Kush mountains. Snow covered peaks are glistening in the pale moonlight and the outside temperature is well below freezing. Here at 3,000 metres above sea level human beings and machines alike feel the influence

Combat & Survival

of the much lower barometric pressure compared to the valleys below. The engines do not produce full power any more and the humans breathe less easily. Slowly the vehicles of the reinforced infantry platoon of the 1. Infanterie kompanie of the NRU follow the Route Clearance Package (RCP) of the US Army. The mission of the German troops is to provide security for the US engineers, who in turn have the task of checking the most important road that links Kabul with northern Afghanistan for any IEDs planted by the insurgents. German top cover sentries sticking out of the roof hatches of Boxer A1 wheeled armoured personnel carriers carefully

6: All soldiers of the NRU carry the Heckler & Koch 9x19mm USP or Universal Self-loading Pistol, designated the P8 by the Bundeswehr, as their back-up weapon 7: Fire and movement drills - during a live fire exercise held on the ranges close to Camp Marmal soldiers of the NRU hone their combat skills

monitor the surrounding terrain. Several layers of protective clothing keeps the cold at bay and protects the troops from the icy headwind. Latest generation night vision equipment from the IdZ ES Soldier System allows the Gebirgsjäger to spot every potential threat, even in complete darkness, but an attack by the Taliban is not the only threat. Again and again cars, trucks and even overloaded

buses overtake the military vehicles on the road though pass in daredevil fashion, ignoring the fact that the terrain drops considerably right next to the roadside. In total this particular mission will see the soldiers of the NRU spending three nights on the roads of northern Afghanistan. During this time they cover more than 600 kilometres with their combat vehicles and spend the days in ISAF bases along the route where they will recover from their nightly exertion.

TO BE CONTINUED... Footnote: Some German complex nouns have been broken down to suit column width and for easier reading.

For the coordination of artillery fire support and close air support the NRU has its own Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, Joint Fire Support Teams and Joint Fire Support Coordination Team

Main Image: The top cover sentry of a GTK Boxer Gruppen transport fahrzeug A1 wheeled APC carefully monitors the activities on the streets in the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif during a presence patrol 8: On patrol at OP North - note the electronic backpack of the IdZ ES soldier system carried here which contains a computer, radio equipment, navigation electronics and batteries [Roman Heinrichs] 9: Armed with a G28 a Gebirgs jĂ¤ger on overwatch in the vicinity of OP North - in October NRU elements operated from this base to provide security for the withdrawal of German ISAF forces from Kunduz Combat & Survival

Survival

JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2013 THE JET-STREAM IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE SHIFTED AND CYCLONE DIRK IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC STARTED BATTERING SOUTHERN BRITAIN FROM THE WEST AND SOUTH, THEN AN UNUSUAL WEATHER SEQUENCE CONTINUED INTO AND THROUGH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. EXCESSIVE HIGH WINDS AND REPEATED TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS, SOMETIMES OVER SEVERAL DAYS AT A TIME WITH ONLY THE BRIEFEST OF LULLS IN BETWEEN, COMBINED WITH HIGH SPRING TIDES TO CAUSE BOTH EXCESSIVE COASTAL EROSION AND INLAND FLOODING OF LOWLANDS AND WETLANDS WHICH EXCEEDED ANYTHING SEEN OVER THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS - IN ESSENCE, THE RESULTS WERE WHAT SOME STATISTICIANS TERM 500YEAR FLOODS.

Combat & Survival

Main Image: Sunday 2nd February, A361 between East Lyng and Burrow Bridge - a sheet of floodwater is racing down from the River Tone and flooded Baltmoor and Stan Moor up to the right 1: Screen grab of Live Flood Warnings map put out by the Environment Agency on Friday 31st January 2: Screen grabs of the Met Office rainfall predictions for Somerset on Friday 31st January - the red pin marks the town of Langport

he C&S team, by the very nature of our work, are finely tuned to both the climate and weather forecasts so we quickly spotted that something exceptional was happening; hence both Mike Gormley and myself independently venturing out with our cameras at the end of December and beginning of January to record the waves battering our coast and myself making several sorties out onto the Somerset Moors in late January and early February to see firsthand how rising water levels, both tidal and rain resultant, were badly afflicting rural communities. What we witnessed, in a part of the country both Mike and I are very familiar with, both shocked and saddened us but it also reinforced some of our core beliefs that

one should: never underestimate the power of Mother Nature; always prepare for the unexpected, and even the unpredictable; never ignore the unthinkable, as one day it might turn into uncomfortable reality; and always aim to be as self-sufficient as possible, as in times of crisis there could well be somebody else more in need of help than you. For those unfamiliar with the worst affected part of south-west England - known as the Somerset Moors, and inland of the slightly higher Somerset Levels - it consists of lowlying wetlands which are in places little more than three or four metres above Mean Sea Level and well below the level of the spring tides. In this historic part of Wessex, close to where around six millennium ago the second oldest known constructed roadway in the world (The Sweet Track) was built to cross marshes, the Rivers Parrett and Tone, which run in channels with built up banks, merge near the village of Burrow Bridge. Unfortunately this winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s combination of unprecedented rainfall and onshore winds at the mouth of the Parrett coincided with the highest of spring tides causing the River Tone to top 7.75 metres AOD (i.e. Above Ordnance Datum or Mean Sea Level) at times and inevitably when the banks were breached the already waterlogged lowlands were flooded to depths unrecorded since the Great Storms of 1703.

Main Image: Sunday 2nd: Looking roughly North from Burrow Mump towards Westonzoyland over Earlake Moor which is mostly only about three metres above mean sea level 3: Saltmoor Pumping Station seen from the opposite side of the River Parrett - even though the Environment Agency had brought in emergency pumps water levels continued to rise

4: Jeroen van Heck (orange waistcoat) briefs his men at the spot where the first of the Dutch superpumps will shortly be offloaded to help relieve the bottleneck culvert under the A372

Combat & Survival

Survival

Friday 7th: The first of Jeroenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s superpumps just after it negotiated the flooded section of Seven Bends Road between the town of Langport and the village of Othery 5

5: Craning the superpump into its final position water in Northmoor to the right is higher than Kings Sedge Moor and the route to the sea to the left with the road culvert having insufficient capacity 6: Dutch specialists from Van Heck Group carrying massive gaskets for the heavy high volume pipework which will be laid across the road to help reduce water level and relieve flooding at Longstone 46

Combat & Survival

As mentioned in our COMMS column last month, once use of our Armed Forces to assist the civil authorities had been authorised by the Prime Minister on 29th January, Commandos based close to the area most affected by flooding at that time were very quickly deployed as recce teams and a large number were put on standby to provide manpower where and when needed. It can be seen from the photo montage on pages 16-18 of this issue that as the unprecedented rainfall on southern England persisted the low-lying Thames Valley also began to suffer some of the worst flooding in living memory and the use of troops spread with all three services being involved, though we understand that offers to supply hovercraft and tracked amphibious vehicles were declined; the BVs seen in news reports from Somerset were ex-military supplied

7 by surplus dealers Leavesley International. Although the military are very good at supplying manpower, reconnaissance assets and some civil engineering skills and equipment, they are not flood experts. The Dutch company Van Heck Group, on the other hand, are global water management specialists expert at shifting large volumes of water. Their Managing Director, Jeroen van Heck, jumped in his Land Rover at the beginning of February and drove over to Burrow Bridge in the centre of the worst afflicted area to assess how his superpumps might be of use if (when) the civil authorities decided to seek external help. On Wednesday 5th February the Environment Agency gave the go-ahead to the Van Heck Group to mobilise and C&S was on the scene when the first convoy of five superpumps and associated equipment swung into action to the east of Othery on Friday 7th, at which point Jeroen invited us to drive through the floods with him as he checked the last kilometre of the route to the first emergency pumping site. Over the next few days more than twenty of his massive pumps were deployed to Somerset to reduce water levels.

Main Image: On Monday 10th February we made it into Moorland at low water after the worst of the surge had passed - this is overwhelmed Northmoor Pumping Station looking towards the River Parrett 7: Noon on Monday 10th: The first superpump sits alongside the culvert under the A372 although the water level had dropped slightly several more days of heavy rain were predicted

8: RAF graphic based on imagery captured by the Sentinel R1 spy plane flight of 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron from RAF Waddington - Othery is just below dead centre almost surrounded by water [Crown Copyright]

Combat & Survival

Firearms

1 Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s law enforcement organisations require a tactical support weapon to fulfil several different missions at the same time while delivering optimal performance for all operators. This can include vehicle patrol, dismounted patrol, special team, surveillance or VIP protection and is where the B&T APC comes into its own. This compact 9mm SMG (submachinegun) weapon is simple enough that any operator with minimum training will be able to use the weapon easily, safely and effectively.

he B&T APC9 (Advanced Police Carbine 9) is the result of a blend of existing, proven components and design, with the addition of some unique engineering. The result of a combination of Swiss engineering and innovation, it is a well thought out balance between time-proven features,

Main Image: B&T 9mm recoil is very mild in both semiautomatic and full automatic firing 1: The compact MP9 version of the ACP also easily strips down into its major component parts for cleaning and maintenance modern production materials and manufacturing procedures. The APC9 possesses enough features that any operator will appreciate and be able to rely upon. The flexibility built into the carbine from the beginning enables the product to be sold to law enforcement, military and even to civilian customers where local legislation allows for the possession of such carbines.

The entire reason for the existence of the APC is that both law enforcement and military organisations still have the need for a 9mm policing sub-machinegun. The APC9 is larger than a PDW (personal defence weapon) yet smaller than a 5.56mm calibre rifle. B&T has been producing a PDW called the MP9 for some years now and has gained great experience on and had much customer feedback about this subject.

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Firearms

2: The B&T weapon mounted light, which produces more than 125 lumens of output is lightweight and the 100% solid state design is impervious to recoil, impacts and shocks

3: For cleaning and maintenance purposes the ACP easily strips down into its component parts

Contrary to modern thought, the 9mm calibre cartridge is far from obsolete either in a handgun or sub-machinegun. Other competitive products in this category are mostly of older existing designs, which results in a heavier and / or more expensive weapon. These are designed around an envelope that is the same size as a 5.56mm assault rifle. The APC9 fits into a special niche that other manufacturers have not filled. B&T has not forgotten the art of the submachinegun. B&T set out from the beginning to create a high quality, modern, price-competitive sub-machinegun in 9mm calibre with the potential for expansion to other calibres. It needed to have full modularity and flexibility to accept all types of 9mm ammunition, from full metal jacket to

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hollow points to frangible to subsonic and very lightweight bullets that are in common use. The police agencies in those countries that still wish to use 9mm SMGs are the target markets. As Karl Brügger, both the owner and innovator of B&T products, admits it was always his desire to produce a police carbine using his own design ideas. So together with his design team they drew up specifications for the new carbine. They had to set high standards as there are already several well-designed carbines in existence. As Karl Brügger is left-handed the new carbine was to be capable of ambidextrous operation, so that it is also suitable for shooters who are also left-handed. A big point during the design and development phase was that the

4: For an optical primary sighting system the ACP comes equipped with an Aimpoint® Micro TL red dot sight 5: Withdrawing the two disassembly pins allows the lower receiver to be withdrawn from the action of the ACP 6: With the butt stock folded the APC has a compact overall length of just 385mm

carbine would have to be cheaper than existing carbines of this type. The innovative Swiss company undertook all of these issue hurdles and presented the Advanced Police Carbine (APC), which has turned out to be an excellent weapon. The APC9 design and concept was so good that the entire first production run of 100 units was sold before B&T began series production. This was due to the fact that B&T have been known in this business for many years and there was significant faith in the design concept. The weapon is currently available in two calibres, 9×19 mm (9 mm Parabellum) and .45 ACP. The 9mm version is the most popular and the .45 ACP version differs only in certain dimensions, though magazine dimensions are also different. The APC has a 100% Swiss design and represents one of the lightest and most compact SMGs of its type in production today. The fully ambidextrous operating controls will ensure an easy transition for any police agency in training its personnel with the weapon. The carbine is loaded with many features that law enforcement agencies have long demanded from a modern police carbine: these include an Aimpoint Micro TL red dot sight as standard, so as the weapon is passed from shift to shift the current user will be safe and accurate. Also included are flip-up emergency sights if the optic should ever fail. The folding stock allows for quick exit from vehicles and can be carried folded and quickly locked out to the open locked position so that it can be speedily deployed in one swift motion. The NATO Accessory rails on the three, six, nine and twelve o’clock positions allow

The M1913 NATO Picatinny rail allows many types of optical sight to be attached to the ACP - note 30-round magazine in this photo 7

for the mounting of a variety modern aiming and illumination accessories. The magazines are the same reliable and translucent 15, 20, 25, and 30-round items used with the MP9 PDW produced by B&T. The translucent magazines available are produced from a modern polymer and are impervious to all types of cleaning chemicals in common use. Brügger & Thomet AG was established in May 1991 by Messrs Karl Brügger and Heinrich Thomet to produce suppressors for the domestic Swiss market. After a period of time Mr. Thomet sold his share in the company to Karl Brügger, who remains the sole owner of B&T. Karl also has an interest in everything technical that B&T does and has his input in every design the company produces.

The company, which is located in Thun just twenty minutes from the capital of Bern, is fully licensed by the Swiss Government to import, export, trade and manufacture all categories of small arms, ammunition, and related accessories. B&T consists of two separate divisions; a trading division and a manufacturing division. The former works mainly on the domestic Swiss law enforcement and military market, representing global companies in the industry such as Heckler and Koch GmbH, Aimpoint AB, Arc’teryx, 5.11 Tactical and Simunition Inc.

The manufacturing division is the designer, and producer of choice of many leading manufacturers in the European arms industry, of suppressors and accessory mounts. Suppressors supplied by H&K are also manufactured by B&T. The company is working hard to promote its brand as one that is 10 known for quality. It is a registered NATO supplier (NCAGE SV178) with many NATO Stock Number components on the company’s product list. B&T is small company with less than 50 employees of which 20 fill technical positions such as production operators, designers and engineers. The others are specialists in international trading, freight and

7: The ACP functioned with total reliability with the several different types of 9mm ammunition that we used 8: The compact MP9 and full sized ACP functioned reliably with the different capacity magazines

9: The folding butts on the full size ACP and compact MP9 versions make them both easy to carry concealed 10: The brass catcher accessory is an absolute must when working in and around vehicles, water borne craft and aircraft and helicopters

office management. The production facility consists of 14 CNC workstations. For prototyping purposes there are nine conventional workstations and for development and quality control B&T has its own test engineering facility. The company with all its management processes has been ISO 9001:2008 certified since 2005.

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Firearms

AMBIDEXTROUS MANUAL SAFETY / FIRE SELECTOR Grasping the pistol grip allows the user to access the APCs three position ambidextrous fire mode selector. The rotating lever provides the user with the selection of safe, semi automatic fire and burst fire modes. The pistol grip has an integrated storage compartment. The magazine release button is ambidextrous in operation, which enables the operator to use the same muscle memory as with types of handgun. The bolt release is also ambidextrous which enables the operator to perform a reload both safely and rapidly. The reversible charging or cocking handle is fully ambidextrous to accommodate all operators. The Integrated NATO Picatinny M1913 accessory rail is machined as part of the upper receiver and the emergency front sight is integrated into the Picatinny rail for a low surface profile. The quick-detachable vertical foregrip provides the operator with a stable shooting grip and keeps the support hand well away from the muzzle during rapid firing.

ATTACHED SIGHT The ACP comes equipped with an Aimpoint Micro TL red dot sight as optical primary sighting system sight and the secondary sighting system is flip-up emergency sights, with the rear sight being adjustable for both windage and elevation. This ultra compact red dot sight, will provide fast and accurate target acquisition for all levels of user ability regardless of expertise and experience.

TRAINING VERSION B&T also produce a red manipulation

Combat & Survival

Main Image: During recoil the compact MP9 remains level with minimal muzzle climb 11: The different capacity magazines all easily insert into place in the receiver 12: As the MP9 compact version of the ACP can be easily concealed by clothing it is a suitable choice for VIP protection 13: The vertical fore grip on the MP9 compact version of the ACP greatly assists keeping the muzzle in control when rapid firing

version of the APC9. This version is not designed to be a real firearm. For example the barrel has no bore. The bolt has no hole where the firing pin goes. These parts are machined so as not to be interchangeable with actual firing weapons so there is no chance that someone can switch parts to make a live firing firearm weapon. The company also produces a training model for training ammunition as Simunition or UTM. These interactive marking ammunition products are an absolute must for modern professional training.

ALLOY UPPER RECEIVER Produced from a block of special aerospace alloy that will provide a user with years of reliable service, the lateral NATO accessory rails are mounted onto the 3, 6 and 9 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock position for use with lights, sights and other accessories. The rails are mounted onto both the three and six oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock positions for use with lights lasers and additional aiming devices.

HEAD AND FACE PROTECTION The operator also has the ability to use the APC while properly wearing a ballistic face visor. This important safety feature is becoming more and more standard among many Special Operations teams worldwide; there have been several tragic instances in the past where a fully body armoured team member has been shot in the face when the visor was in the raised position to enable them to properly sight a firearm. When conducting Close Quarter Battle (CQB) with a number of individuals moving at speed in close proximity to each other, engaging multiple targets at close ranges with full automatic fire, the potential for accidents is always present, so at the request of European

SWAT agencies the ACP Assault Model was developed to allow the ACP to be fired while wearing a closed ballistic face visor The folding stock works equally well with a protective mask or while wearing SCUBA gear and accessories.

BT WEAPON MOUNTED LIGHT This tactical illuminator was designed from the very beginning for B&T by the Inforce Company specifically as weapon-mounted light, not as a handheld flashlight modified for weapon use. It is lightweight and the 100% solid state design is impervious to recoil, impacts and shocks as well as being powerful enough to produce more than 125 lumens of output. The small size envelope (10 cm overall length) does not require cables, which can easily become entangled or damaged during operational use, and it is activated with a simple pressure switch which is also easy to operate while wearing gloves.

EMPTY BRASS CATCHER This accessory is an absolute must when working in and around vehicles, waterborne craft and aircraft and helicopters. This is because containment of hot expended brass is an important part of safety for everyone in the vicinity of the operator. The B&T designed brass catcher mounts directly onto the right side NATO Accessory Rail (NAR). It pivots easily to quickly clear any stoppages or malfunctions that may occur. Using a

brass catcher on the range also makes cleaning up after training quick and easy.

MAGAZINE CLAMP

B&T also produces a magazine clamp for the APC. This will permit the user to mount two magazines together in parallel when loaded in the weapon; allowing the operator to make swift and efficient magazines changes in both training and during tactical situation. The clamp functions with the 9mm calibre 30, 25 and 20 round magazine for the APC9 and the 25 and 17 round magazine for the .45 ACP calibre APC45. B&T also produces a magazine pouch that will fit both magazines when they are clamped together.

SOUND SUPPRESSION Since the company was founded in 1991 B&T has also been considered a leading manufacturer of silencers. Suppressors are becoming more and more popular and see normal use with many tactical teams in both law enforcement and military Special Operations units. Sound Suppressors have finally come of age and are now widely accepted as normal items of equipment in many NATO countries, being a truly important and practical tool for both training and operational use. Many NATO partners who have had units operating in Afghanistan and Iraq have also learnt firsthand of the many benefits a good suppressor will bring to the safety and security of their operators. Some of the more noticeable direct

benefits are for both sound and muzzle flash reduction, command and control, friend and foe identification and of course hearing protection. The B&T suppressor is a widely used 9mm carbine/SMG suppressor and carries a NATO stock number. It requires no permanent modification to the ACP and simply rotates into a locked and attached position, supplying a 33 dB A reduction using subsonic ammunition and it does not degrade accuracy when compared to a non-suppressed weapon. Sound Suppressors will also work with the normal types of 9mm factory ammunition. The standard 3-lug suppressor barrel will allow the attachment of many standard 9mm suppressors, or other accessories. Taking a closer look at the silencer mounting point, this is identical to the silencer mounting points that are use on the barrel of the 9mm calibre H&K MP5. Thus, all MP5 silencers that utilise the Tri-Lock system can also be used on the B&T APC. Police forces and military users of the B&T ACP can therefore obtain a significant financial advantage, simply because all existing MP5 silencers in their inventories can be used.

DISCREET CARRY BAG B&T also offers a discreet carry bag, enabling the operator to transport the APC and compact MP9 in a manner that will not draw attention to the fact a firearm is in transit. There is a spare pocket with MOLLE/ PALS webbing integrated to place spare magazines, ammunition and additional

Main Image: Grasping the forward pistol grip on the full sized version of the ACP allows you to keep the muzzle level even during full automatic firing 14: Made in Switzerland, like my watch, the ACP sees widespread use with the SWAT teams of many countries worldwide 15: The moulded stock of the ACP and MP9 can be ordered in different colours 16: A range of sound suppressors and different sighting systems can be attached to the ACP

gear. The bag is produced of 1000 Denier nylon and closed cell foam padding that protects the weapon and does not absorb water or moisture. This bag will be very useful for VIP protection, moving in and out of stakeout positions and setting up secure areas. The APCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barrel is available in lengths of 175 mm, 240 mm and the longer

Combat & Survival

Firearms

The ACP comes equipped with back-up iron sights to allow this SMG to be used without the attachment of an optical sight 406 mm carbine version so that the end users can choose the best length to suit their needs. The rifling twist is one revolution in seven inches, or 175 mm, to suits the commonly used types of 9mm ammunition. The unloaded weight is 2.4 kg with the optical sight and empty 30-round magazine attached. The open length is 600mm and the length with the butt in the closed or folded position is 385mm

SHOOTING TEST For the 9mm calibre version of the ACP the cyclic rate of fire with full metal jacket (FMJ) ammunition is in the region of 900rpm (rounds per minute). As well as FMJ ammunition the ACP can also be used with Simunition and UTM training ammunition. The cyclic operation is a normal sub-machinegun operating system, which uses a closed bolt low recoil blowback system, typical for both semi-automatic and full automatic carbines. During the C&S shooting test we used both a standard sized ACP and a compact sized MP9 version of the ACP. We found the ergonomics and handling characteristics of both versions to be very good, so that even when quickly mounting the ACP it came into the aiming position instinctively and quickly. We found it easy to engage multiple targets in both semiand full automatic fire, keeping our shots on the targets Thanks to the ergonomic

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17: The MP9 can be carried in a tactical thigh rig making it easy to conceal beneath a long coat

18: The ability to attach the MP9 to a holster increases the range of carry options that are available to the user 19: Different types of optical sights can be attached to the ACP and it will function with the different types of 9mm ammunition in normal use

19 20

20: The compact MP9 can be carried in a discreet carry bag enabling the operator to transport the weapon in a concealed manner Images ÂŠ Greg Roberts unless noted

and the excellent Aimpoint optical red dot sight extremely fast and precision target engagements were possible.

For further information check out bt-ag. ch, and for UK sales and support go to vikingarms.com.

Security Industry

All fields of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) are increasingly under the spotlight due to the current focus on counterinsurgency campaigns across the world and the lasting legacy and long term impact of explosive remnants of war (ERW) from previous conflicts, and the way these two aspects have been connected in recent conflicts by the use of ERW as main charges in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). This means the spectrum of EOD is relevant right across the board, from post-conflict countries and developing nations to those of the First World, and encompasses operations of military, civilian, commercial and intelligence forces. So what does all the terminology mean and what are the changes within the EOD community?

ounter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) is a relatively new term within EOD that has been coined and developed during the Global

Main Image: A British DEMS (Defence EOD Munitions & Search) Regiment instructor explains the workings of a typical ordnancebased IED [BM] 1: The role of the EOD operator has changed markedly over the last couple of decades [BS] Image © Robert Shaw, Anth Malone and Bob Morrison

War on Terror (GWoT). In the past, IEDs were used by indigenous criminal and terrorist groups with some spread of technology but were deployed in relatively small numbers. In more recent campaigns, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, where the conflict was more that of an insurgency, the IED has become the weapon and tactic of choice, used in ever greater numbers, to cause casualties to Coalition forces, whilst reducing the casualties of insurgents who would lose the fight in any symmetrical battle due to our technological edge. To protect the Security Forces against the increased use of IEDs, personnel are trained in C-IED from the early stages of their careers, through pre-deployment training to constant refresher training during operations in all necessary skill sets: counter insurgency mission planning; urban and rural patrolling; vulnerable point (VP) search; patrol search; 5 and 20 metre checks isolation drills; suicide devices; insurgent tactics and weaponry, including IEDs; vehicle check points (VCPs); medical and EOD reporting; mine awareness; the use of

Electronic Counter Measures (ECM); and incident management. The ethos of C-IED is to: • prevent casualties by thorough training • protect our forces by providing them with the right equipment to mitigate IED effects • detect IEDs before they have detonated with the right tactics and search equipment, and finally, • exploit the information presented by recovered devices and other forms of intelligence, which in turn, leads us to develop tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) that help us prevent, protect, detect and exploit! Although the military and police forces have been busy training and equipping for C-IED during the last decade, this has not been the case for the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) who have been busy continuing their operations to clear ERW. The NGO staffs are now also targets, as we have seen with the targeting of UN personnel with IEDs on their operations across the world. In fact the United Nation Mine Combat & Survival

Security Industry

Action Service (UNMAS), which has always been focused on clearance operations of ERW from post-conflict countries, is also now recruiting C-IED experts to help protect UN staff and help train military forces that are committed to UN Peacekeeping missions that will be operating in countries with an IED threat. We have seen this recently where the UN are looking to train Nepalese forces for operations in parts of Africa. As part of the protect field we have the skill of IEDD, which is where the EOD operator uses specific equipment and knowledge to ‘disrupt’ the IED and tries to safely recover as much of the component parts (in the form of evidence) as possible to feed into the intelligence chain. Whereas an EOD operator dealing with conventional ammunition has a recognised fusing system and munitions to deal with, and thereby has a standard Render Safe Procedure (RSP), the IEDD operator has to assess the IED he or she faces and create their own and unique RSP to match the unique device. To protect the operator, he or she generally wears a protective suit and where possible uses remote means (robotics) to disrupt the device. However, in Assault IEDD, where the operator is seamlessly integrated into a Special Forces (SF) assault team, the use of the suit and robotics is inappropriate and therefore more specialist training is required. The evolution we have seen in this field is due to terrain and temperature constraints in the contemporary operating environment that IEDD teams have to be able to deploy to task with integral C-IED search assets, a weapons intelligence asset, ECM advisor and all their equipment by helicopter. With spaces being at a premium in any airframe in conflict and weight an issue, a lot of the equipment that would normally be on the back of the team vehicle has had to be left behind. Robotics has had to get smaller and lighter and the EOD equipment made more light and compact so that it can be carried ‘on the man’. The training of an IEDD operator is generally aimed at two levels. The first is where the operator is dealing with a situation and device where he is not the target. The operator has been called in to deal with a device that has been created and planted by subject A to kill or injure subject B. Neither the IEDD operator nor the police/military response forces are a target. It should be noted that this doesn’t mean that the device used is simple. The level

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of sophistication is according to the capability of the person who creates the device. The second level of more advanced training is that where the IEDD Operator is in a high threat environment. This would be where subject A (such as a terrorist) is either trying to kill or injure the security forces and/or the operator himself. Although both levels of training have many similarities such as the types of device likely to be encountered and the equipment used in the RSP, the questioning technique used by the operator is much more advanced and is designed to find out whether there are multiple devices and the first device is simply a ‘come on’ to lure in security forces that can then be struck by a secondary or tertiary device. During the last decade of operations it became apparent that there were simply not enough High Threat IEDD Operators to man all the requirements and therefore there was a huge recruitment drive and changes made to the training system with countries like the US and UK building specific facilities that matched the buildings and ground of Iraq and Afghanistan. Weapons Intelligence (WIS/WTI/ WIT) is the term generally given to teams concerned with post attack scene investigation. Made up of IEDD operators, intelligence and police personnel, their job is to collect components or even complete IEDs and, once rendered safe by the IEDD Operator, ensure they are exploited for any intelligence; which is then fed into the ‘lessons learned’ domain where it influences future friendly TTPs and equipment acquisition programs. What has changed for these teams over the last decade is the same constraints

2: A rudimentary Explosively Formed Projectile IED can even defeat an Armoured Personnel Carrier [BM] 3: Unguarded landmines in Iraq after Coalition troops had moved on to the next objective [AM] 4: Abandoned conventional munitions (this is Iraq in 2003) can provide the filling for IEDs [AM]

that apply to the IEDD and search team also apply to them. With limited space on transport to get them to a scene the responsibility for forensic collection has been devolved down to the company of troops operating on the ground. What we now see in a typical fighting force at company level is an integrated intelligence NCO who not only provides the Company Commander with operational intelligence but with a forensic expert who can complete the initial process required to send evidence back for exploitation at a Level 2 WIS facility. Weapons Intelligence training encompasses a lot of topics that would be covered under C-IED, IEDD, Police and Intelligence training and consists of

the intelligence cycle and where WIS/ WIT fits into the current operations of Find, Fix, Strike and Exploit. Cultural considerations, especially during interviewing and questioning, are also important as are the make-up of the IEDs being used in the operating environment and the tactics, techniques and procedures used in insurgency and terrorism. This should include explosive effects. The specific threats of Bomb Making Factories, VBIEDs and suicide attacks, photography, forensics, WIS task conduct and planning and how EOD forces work, how to write reports and brief commanders on results are all part of the course and if the course is a military one rather than commercial, then it will generally include the military predeployment skills required to operate in a hostile environment. Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD) is really the basis of the skill sets used in wartime by military forces and in peacetime by the humanitarian or commercial EOD companies. Conventional munitions are those manufactured by the state and range from nuclear weapons, conventional aircraft delivered bombs and submunitions, through to rockets, missiles and artillery shells to mortar bombs, grenades and SAA. These items are normally termed Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) or ‘blinds’. This means they have been fired, either in wartime or in training on ranges and have not functioned as

intended. As the items are generally unsafe to move, the EOD operator will use a donor charge, or another technique, and blow them in place. Alternatively, the items for disposal may not have been fired at all and might be surplus or obsolescent stock. These means of disposal usually take place on a licensed demolition ground and in large quantities. This part of CMD is known as ‘logistic disposal’. Both types of CMD require procedures that limit the amount of expensive, serviceable high explosive used to initiate the unserviceable or blind items and minimise the amount of fragmentation and debris created by the detonation. Where the filling of the ammunition is chemical or biological, then specific procedures and equipment are used and this field is termed Biological and Chemical Munitions Disposal (BCMD). If the weapon is a nuclear one, then it is termed Nuclear Weapons Disposal (NWD). In both the cases of BCMD and NWD the items to be disposed of are state manufactured and have fusing systems that provide safety in storage, transit and firing. If they are used with a different, improvised fusing system, then that comes under the realm of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). CMD is the core of EOD. Whether military or civilian, whether destroying mines recovered through humanitarian de-mining, single or multi-item ‘blind’

Main Image: The author surveying abandoned conventional airdropped munitions awaiting disposal [BS] 5: Destruction of conventional munitions to ensure they do not fall into insurgent hands [BS] • ROBERT SHAW of Optimal Risk Management Ltd. (OptimalRisk.com) is a former British Army ATO and IEDD/ WIS Operator turned EOD Threat and Counter-IED Trainer and Consultant.

ordnance or large scale disposal of obsolescent items, all require knowledge of safety procedures, the equipment required for disposal and how ammunition works; the effects of explosives, how to make up basic charges, where to place charges, accounting for serviceable ammunition and explosives and damage mitigation techniques and equipment. Not all ammunition is disposed of by using a counter charge of serviceable high explosives. There are also techniques for burning the explosive content of the munitions, whether as an individual item that cannot be moved or on a logistical scale with a furnace to dispose of obsolescent items. In some cases, items such as sub-munitions are disposed of by kinetic attack to disrupt them. This can be done by firing at them with calibres ranging from 5.56mm to 12.7mm ammunition. Conventional ammunition also includes those munitions that have a chemical and biological filling as opposed to high

Combat & Survival

Security Industry

An American EOD operator examines an arms cache and deliberates how to best neutralise the anti-armour weapons [BS] explosive. The training required to dispose of these types of ammunition tends to be an additional period to CMD for EOD operators and is called Biological and Chemical Munitions Disposal (BCMD). The training has some similarities to CMD in that the EOD operator must know all about the ammunition to be disposed of and how it works, whether enemy ammunition or allied. The operator must also know the effects of the filling and the safety equipment and procedures he must use during the RSP, including the breathing apparatus and chemical resistant suits. The ammunition needs to be contained and is then normally sent back to a specialist facility for disposal where the ammunition is cut open and the filling burned. Mitigation techniques and downwind hazards areas are also subjects taught during BCMD training, as are decontamination techniques. Traditionally, the storage of ammunition and weapon systems has also been connected to EOD. A country’s own storage facilities were a logistical function, but when it came to dealing with large scale captured enemy stocks and ammunition storage areas (ASAs), in wartime, then this was the job of the military EOD force. As well as dealing with stocks of enemy ammunition, the EOD operator would also have to deal with any unexploded ordnance fired in the fighting for the ASA, which could also include aircraft bombs that had failed to detonate. The clearance of such areas can be a long term operation, a problem now

Combat & Survival

faced in Libya where their ASAs were hit hard by NATO aircraft bombs and most of the bunkers are now unusable. The areas are also covered with UXO, are sometimes surrounded by protective minefields, and have unexploded NATO aircraft bombs in them as well! Humanitarian and commercial de-mining companies have had to move into the field of the ASAs and ammunition management as the current postconflict countries they are clearing up contained a large amount of ammunition stockpiles. Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya all contained stocks on a scale beyond that which was required for national defence and the size of their armed forces. This, in part, was due to the large stock being a status symbol for the countries’ leaders and to intimidate their neighbours throughout the region. Of course, arms companies and foreign governments exacerbated the issue by pushing the sale of large amounts of ammunition and weapon systems as well. This situation, has brought the clearance of ASAs into the realm of counter-proliferation, as during any post-conflict power vacuum there are genuine concerns that the ammunition and weapon stockpiles will fall into the hands of insurgents and terrorists to increase their capabilities. This includes, not just simple ‘ready use’ items, such as small arms ammunition (SAA) and RPGs but, more worryingly, military

6: Abandoned artillery rounds in Libya in 2012 - during any post-conflict power vacuum there will be concerns that explosives could fall into the hands of international insurgent networks [BS] 7: These leftovers from the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, destined for use as IED filling, are still deadly [BS]

grade plastic explosive, man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) and even chemical and biological ammunition. This situation is currently seen in Syria, where extremist Islamic terrorists fighting to overthrow the government might well gain access to, and control, the country’s chemical weapons. These could then, in theory, be sold and smuggled across the world to be used in IEDs against European nations or the USA.

Personal Survival

A while back I reviewed the Snugpak SJ 3 and SJ 6 jackets. Just great, and in continued use ever since. The SJ range is relatively new in the Snugpak inventory, and is a more ‘designer’ product with appeal to the civvy user, though it has military uses too.

did not cover the SJ 9 in my previous review as I did not have the appropriate weather; this category being aimed at the colder climates, rated as -10 to -15°C. Since then I have overcome this. Jo, a family member and a Royal Navy Chef, has recently been to Arctic Norway with the Royal Marines on Winter Deployment. Temperatures encountered were down to -25°C, so a highly appropriate environment to give the SJ9 a proper go. Prior to this, Jo had been making good use of a MultiCam SJ6 during work up pre-Norway training and was more than happy with it at 00 nasty o’clock on stag. All SJ range jackets use Snugpak’s Softie Premier insulation and are far more water resistant than one might thing - I have tested this and can confirm! They also pack down small and light so great to ‘carry with’ when not required but there when you need that extra warmth and protection. The SJ 9 has a permanent hood as well as relevant pull cords to prevent the warmth getting out and cold getting in, as well as water resistant zips. Jo’s partner Dan (ex-Navy) also has an SJ9 in civvy red/black although he is UK based these days it is in daily use. The SJs

Combat & Survival

Product - UK Contact: Snugpak/Snugpak Zamberlan/The Italian Outdoor Company Telephone/Web: 01535 654 479/snugpak.com 0161 432 0319/ zamberlan.uk.com

Main Image opposite: Jo ‘posing’ in Arctic Norway at around -25C with her SJ 9

1: Back in UK - the SJ9 has a weatherresistant zip, high cut collar and insulated hood 2: The civvy SJ9 in signature red/ black - it has the same features as the military version less the Velcro patches

days it is in daily use. The SJs come in a good range of both military, including camouflage, and model-related civilian colours. Snugpak SJs seem to dominate around here. Milady just bought one, as have some of my friends who are soon off to Finnish Lapland for an exped. (My SJ6 in A-TACS camo saw me through the worst of the weather while covering the Somerset floods, Ed.) On top of all this, the SJ range is UK-made at Snugpak’s own factory in Yorkshire.

3: Bruce about to board the ferry with Land Rover and partner Abi on their way to Morocco - he is wearing the universal Zamberlan SH Crossers as his choice for the trip 4: Crisp and new Zamberlan SH Crossers - they are both good looking and practical for adventure travel Images © MIKE GORMLEY

I have been waiting for the right opportunity for these shoes, and now is that time. My son Bruce took these to try out and they have become a favourite of his, being well suited to his home territory in the Lake District, but he kept them good for a suitable trip. As I write he and the SH Crossers are now on an overland trip to Morocco.

he SH Crosser model was new to the Zamberlan range in 2013. They are light and tough, using a combination of Kevlar and Cordura as well as having a Gore-Tex lining in case things get wet. They are well protected in the toe and heel area so if Bruce does his normal thing and goes ‘up a few hills’ on his North African trip they will be well suited and up for the job. The soles are ‘grippy’ and again aimed at a bit of scrambling. For what is potentially a hot and dry expedition, but with wet potential and a lot of driving thrown in, these are a suitable multi-purpose shoe. Zamberlan do comfy, and right now stuck at home writing this in the howling storm I would much prefer to be in Bruce’s shoes!

Combat & Survival

Product - UK Contact: Seal Skinz/Seal Skinz Telephone/Web: 01553 817 990/sealskinz.com

Sea To Summit/Burton McCal 0116 234 4600/burton-mccall.co.uk

Victorinox/Burton McCall 0116 234 4600/burton-mccall.co.uk

Personal Survival

Above: Sea to Summit Drysacks come in various sizes - these black outer with white inside are aimed at the military end user In the Norwegian snow a drysack is close to essential to keep your kit dry and ice free - this 20 litre version is ideal for a bergen side pouch

These are precisely what they say there are ... and a bit more besides. They have super grippy material on the palms and finger tips, but also have a special material on each index digit so you can use a touch screen with gloves still on. Good idea and definitely works. If you use another finger there is no response from a touch screen.

hese gloves are close-fitting, comfortable and windproof but, unusually for Seal Skinz, not waterproof. However it is not always raining (did I say that? Writing this in January!) but if you need dexterity and the ability to use a mobile phone, GPS, or other touch screen device while still keeping your hands warm these are a good choice. If really cold these would make good inner gloves.

Above: The Seal Skinz gloves did well on a cold windy day in the Lake District, being both dexterous and warm enough

5: Here you can see the grip panels on the palm side of the glove and on the three outer fingers - the special index pad works perfectly on touch-screens such as on this Magellan GPS There is nothing new about the concept of dry bags. However, Sea To Summit have taken a new look at them and produced a range well suited to military, and civvy, use.

Another item that Jo took to Norway is the appropriately named Swiss Soldier’s Knife from Victorinox. Clearly aimed at this specific end user it is a good, robust general purpose, 111mm long when folded, pocket knife from a well respected maker.

ppropriately coloured and suitably featured, with six blades stowed inside the green handle, this is a good choice for those in uniform. It is now a permanent part of Jo’s kit, often made use of and, in her words, “it is invaluable when out on training exercises”.

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s well as being of tough construction and having a good closure system, they have addressed the issue of military personnel groping about in the dark looking for their kit. No white light? These Military Drysacks have black outside but white inside.

Above: The Victorinox Swiss Soldier’s Knife - with a pedigree such as this it really should be fit for purpose

Jo, my ‘in-house’ military tester, has been using these, during both training expeds and in Norway, and found them to work well in the real world that they are designed for.

Counter-Insurgency

1 “THE COLOUR CHANGE WAS OBVIOUS, THE REGULARITY MORE SUBTLE. A CHANGE IN THE OPERATOR’S POSITION, PLACING THE FIRST ‘SIGN’ (I.E. THE INITIAL CLUE LEFT BEHIND BY THE INSURGENT) BETWEEN HIMSELF AND THE SUN, INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF CONTAINED SHADOW CREATED BY THE EMPLACER’S FOOTWEAR. ANOTHER SHIFT OF POSITION, AND THE DISTURBED SOIL CREATED BY THE BURYING OF THE PRESSURE PLATE WAS CLEAR TO SEE. WITHIN SECONDS THE PRESENCE OF A LOW METAL CONTENT DEVICE WAS CONFIRMED. WHILE EXPERTS MADE SAFE THE DEVICE, OTHERS SET OFF TO FOLLOW THE DISTINCTIVE TRAIL LEFT BY THE EMPLACER AND AS A RESULT HE WAS DETAINED IN HIS COMPOUND A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY ... AND WITH OTHER BOMB-MAKING ITEMS IN HIS POSSESSION AND HANDED OVER TO THE NATIONAL POLICE FOR PROSECUTION. Dean Williams MBE

Combat & Survival

IED Sign Awareness (CIED SA) is a derivative of Combat Tracking, which is the ability to actively follow and pursue a quarry or target in order to gain information or to close with and interdict. It has enhanced the ability of both military and law enforcement personnel to identify the visual and in some instances non visual (scent, audio or even 6th sense) action indicators associated to/with an IED placement. Fused with the considerable technological advances made in detection and surveillance equipment over the last eleven years this extra skill has now been proven to increase both Military and Law Enforcement Officers’ survivability by 70-80%. So, are CIED Sign Awareness and Combat Tracking (CT) purely a defensive Force Protection capability, therefore only suited to the realms of a Defeat the Device concept? Or is there scope to offensively utilise CT as an Information Exploitation (IX) asset, enabling active Follow & Pursuit style operations and therefore truly Attacking the Network, whatever that Network may be? Former serving military personnel, using skills learnt in high IED threat operational areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, have been working towards a fresh and

Main Image: Dutch Marines trackers in training interpret ‘sign’ found on soft ground to their Pencari instructor (left, wearing PenCott GreenZone camo) 1: Learning to age ‘sign’ is crucial - there was a 24 hour time lapse between these footprints

updated version of what is widely termed Awareness Training and have actively encouraged the fusing of technology to enhance what is ultimately a low level yet undeniably crucial tactical skill-set. Combat Tracking Information Exploitation, or CTIX as it is more widely known, an area in which British company Pencari excels on the international scene, is a successful method for training the Force to both identify and subsequently exploit areas of insurgent, or even criminal activity including IED placements, ambush sites, lying up points and materiel distribution points, to name just a few. CTIX a is teachable, multi-faceted skill which works hand in

hand with technology such as C-IED Metal detectors, UAVs and with other ISTAR3 assets such as hand-held and vehicle mounted optics, cameras and even thermal devices. It is not, however, reliant on any of this technology for its successful application and therefore does not add additional weight to the Operator in the form of extra equipment. The key to CTIX is enhanced training and knowledge that weighs nothing yet delivers a punch in the form of valuable ‘immediate use intelligence’, negating any sacrifice for speed of manoeuvre imperative to already over-burdened and heavily laden troops. It is a skill suitable for all environments and weather conditions; not every ISTAR asset can make this claim. For example, climatic and geographic problems such as cloud cover or triple canopy rainforest are not conducive to Satellite or UAS penetration, but in a close country tropical environment Combat Trackers can, and will be, a primary source of intelligence along with both HUMINT4 and EW5. One area where conventional ground tracking skills have had to be adapted to modern warfare, and even to counterpoaching work, is mobility information exploitation. Looking for and positively identifying ‘sign’ from an elevated position while moving at speed is very different to that of a foot patrol or an EOD Operator making a slow and methodical approach towards an IED, and new techniques have had to be

rapidly developed. Additionally, in today’s changing world it has to be presumed that future contingency style operations may take conventional forces anywhere from jungle to arid desert regions, so CTIX training must be geared towards multiple environments. With current and future conflicts revolving around, and at times entering into, population centres the urban environment must not be forgotten either so a portion of each CTIX training package should also dedicated to operating within this hazardous environment, factoring on both Force Protection and Information exploitation alike. The Law Enforcement and some Commercial Security Sectors, especially the Oil and Gas industry, are also recognising CTIX as a valuable force multiplier. For example, the US Border Patrol agency has employed combat tracking and various exploitation techniques successfully for many years, both as a means of identifying crossborder incursions and also, along with other assets, actively pursuing and interdicting illegals. Likewise, UK Police forces and European based Forensic Agencies are increasingly using the skills associated with the CTIX to prevent or decrease the escalation of metal theft from critical infrastructures such as national rail networks and critical communication hubs. “The Tracker moved stealthily along the ‘trackline’, every few feet confirming his quarry’s ‘sign’. He could clearly identify

Main Image: A Pencari instructor (wearing PenCott BadLands camo trousers) points out evidence of insurgents having passed to Kenyan SF troops on a counter-insurgency training exercise 2: To the trained eye it is obvious that the quarry has stepped on this stone when crossing an area of relatively hard ground Images © PENCARI

where the emplacer had squatted, while resting and smoking a cigarette. The ‘sign’ was becoming fresher, they were gaining on this guy and he didn’t even know it! Now that the insurgent’s direction was established, additional assets were being brought to bear on his path of flight. A UAV was already flying along the search cone. The real-time video feed linked back to an Operations Room ready to launch an interdiction force, by vehicle or helicopter. For the CTIX trained operators the outcome was inevitable......” • C&S was briefed on the basics of CTIX SA by Dean Williams MBE of PENCARI Ltd., who deliver bespoke training solutions to both military and law enforcement professionals worldwide. Former Commando Dean has more than a quarter century of military service under his belt, having held every rank from marine to major. If interested in CTIX training packages contact PENCARI Defence and Security via their website pencari-training.com.

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UK Kit News

The latest contract to reequip Britain’s armed forces with combat boots covers five different categories and two separate manufacturers using their own last designs will supply each category to ensure a higher percentage of troops are able to wear off-the-shelf footwear than if only one manufacturer’s products had been selected. In theory every soldier should be able to choose the one of two boot designs that better suits his or her feet (both male and female sizes cobbled on different lasts are also being catered for) thereby reducing the percentage of troops requiring specialist nonstandard combat footwear and subsequently saving money.

his month we have been trialling the ninth of the ten new brown boot styles being issued to UK Forces by the MoD and next month we hope to bring you the tenth which, like the BATES Tactical Sport 8” model seen here, is classed as BOOTS PATROL. This

Combat & Survival

BP category is intended primarily for use where the combat threat is medium to low and patrol pack weight is light, so it is the type of boot many who are not deploying to, or based in a desert / arid theatre, are likely to be issued with. Our initial impressions on this boot are favourable, especially for a combat boot which retails on the civvy market for under £90, though I have to say that I disagree with the supplier’s claim that it “takes no breaking in” as I found it to be rather stiff in front of the ankle for the first few wears; but that might just be me, as I found similar with a couple of the HAIX boot models. Although called the Tactical Sport, this model has been specifically designed to meet military requirements so don’t let the name put you off. Uppers are full grain leather with 1680 denier ballistic nylon tongue, back and side panels. The collar is padded and the durable PK

mesh lining is both breathable and absorbs perspiration. The PESU II insole is also breathable, is comfort cushioned and resists odour as well as being removable and replaceable (spares are included in the box along with spacers to reduce width fitting if necessary). There is also a nylon shank to maintain stability, with instep

support from heel to ball, and the shock-absorbing EVA midsole is lightweight and flexible. The Enforcer UltraLites rubber outsole, cemented to the uppers, is both slip-resistant and oil-resistant with a mini lug tread design to give traction on both grassy and smooth

The most unusual thing about these BATES Boots is the sole, which does not have an overly aggressive tread pattern yet it offers good grip on both pavement and grass while self-cleaning quite well - the non-metallic lacing system has eyelets, an open hook lace lock and two pairs of lace tunnels

surfaces. The sole pattern is also rather â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;curvyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which the manufacturer says provides flexibility and I cannot disagree with them on that score. This is unlike what we have seen in the past on MoD combat boots and is more reminiscent of some police patrol boot or off-road trainer soles, but that is not a bad thing for a boot category which is intended primarily for second echelon use rather than as frontline footwear for a war zone. Our review samples were supplied via niton999.co.uk Combat & Survival

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