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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 Operational News OP SANGARIS
P16
The French-led and RAF-supported intervention mission in the Central African Republic
P20 Bilateral Cooperation TALISMAN SABRE
Gordon Arthur reports from Down Under on the joint Australian and USMC exercise
P26 British Forces COMMANDO NEO
Bob Morrison reports from Albania on a major Non-combatant Evacuation Operation exercise
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P20
P33 Equipment Focus LCU
P38 Vehicle File ZETROS 5T TRUCK P44 Footwear BLACK COBRA
P26
Bob Morrison trials the new ultra-lightweight Gore-Tex 8" uniform boot from Meindl
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P48 Shooting KESTREL 4500NV
Greg Roberts field tests a new sniper/shooter weather meter with applied ballistics calculator
P56 Elite Forces WAR KAYAKS
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Bob Morrison photographs the Landing Craft Utility in British, Dutch and French service Carl Schulze photographs the new Mercedes-Benz armoured truck procured for Afghanistan
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P38
Richard Lucas concludes his two-part feature on two-man kayaks used by recce specialists
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P59 Security ANY DIFFERENCE?
Robert Shaw ponders on boundaries between homeland security and expeditionary operations
P62 Gormley’s Gear TRIED & TESTED
Mike Gormley trials a smock, insoles, Power Monkey, beech pulp boxers and tent socks
P66 Humanitarian Assistance Op PATWIN
More on the British effort to assist the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan
P05 : Comms P54 & 70 : Reviews
P48 P62
P56
Feb 14 Cover Image: © Carl Schulze & Gordon Arthur © M.A.I. Publications 2013
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A brace of French CTM landing craft utility (see page 33) from the amphibious assault ship Sirocco, deployed on counter-piracy Operations off the Horn of Africa on 20th December - in future we might be restricted to mostly Foreign Forces coverage in these pages [French MoD Public Information image]
In this column last month I mentioned in passing that the specialist defence media were told they were no longer invited to the RAF Engagement Day, originally scheduled to be held at RAF Waddington in early November, as it was considered that the Royal Air Force had no need to engage with the media for 2014. Funnily enough, in December they had to do a Uturn and invite the mainstream media into the Lincolnshire airbase from where 'drone strikes' are conducted on targets in far-off lands in an attempt to persuade them that the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is a good thing, and just before Christmas we heard that a similar event is being laid on in January for the specialist defence media.
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ne has to wonder if it ever crosses the minds of the Media Managers, or Spin Doctors as they were originally known back in the early days of the Blair Government, that one of the easiest ways of defusing unwelcome stories in the mainstream media is to allow the specialist defence media a reasonable degree of access so that there are factual features to counter the often wildly inaccurate drivel that appears in newspapers and on television screens? If you keep the media in the dark and feed them bovine scatology, as the Gulf War One commander Norman Schwartzkopf so delicately described it, can you really blame them when they start throwing lumps of manure back? At the end of November your current and past Editors were two of a six-strong delegation from the Independent
Defence Media Association who had the pleasure of meeting with the current Director of Defence Communications (formerly Director of Media Communications) in his office in Whitehall to hear his vision of the way ahead for the 1200 or so MoD personnel tasked with 'managing' the news. I say current as, although DDC is a very pleasant chap and his plans to overhaul the shuffling and stumbling civil service bureaucracy in Whitehall has definite merits, my predecessor Tim and myself have seen many of his predecessors come and go over the last twenty years after trying unsuccessfully to change the multiheaded behemoth that now resides in Main Building. I fully comprehend that both the Cabinet and the Whitehall Commissars do not wish the average "Corporal from Colchester" talking to the media about defence matters, as in their opinion he will not "understand the big picture", but after a quarter of a century of talking to guys who have earned their two stripes I often get the feeling that they are more in touch with the big picture than the civil servants and the politicians, who are usually fed what the grey suits think they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. Don't knock the NCOs, as it is they who usually have to shovel up the mess caused by ministers and their civil servant advisers. In this and the next couple of issues I am afraid we are perilously low on British Forces coverage as, although they are out there serving on our behalf on operations and deployments, the current thinking in the corridors of power is that the MoD should be providing media content packages rather than allowing the media to do its
job, in the hope that if access is restricted any coverage will all be 'onmessage'. There may well be some in the mainstream media who are too lazy to chase down stories and are happy to re-broadcast shallow 'good news' content produced by the commissars, but there are others who will go out of their way to produce headline-grabbing column inches to be one up on their competitor publications ... even if that means gilding the lily with a barrowload of half-truths and popular misconceptions to turn out a 'big' story - which cannot be effectively contradicted as the real story has never been told. News cannot be Managed unless a nation goes down the route Orwell envisaged 65 years ago when he introduced us to MiniTrue, the Ministry of Truth, in his classic novel 1984. Regrettably, it looks as if the UK (which hopefully will not be voted out of existence as a result of Mr Salmond's referendum later this year) is already slipping down that perilous route as the bureaucrats both attempt to influence the media by limiting access to the military and also delete web pages to remove past reference sources; if you have not spotted this just look at the number of dead links on wikipedia which used to lead to factual content hosted on MoD servers. Finally, as this column is penned (on Christmas Eve to ensure it is on the newsstands on 9th January) news is breaking that a Royal Engineer officer has been killed in action as a result of enemy fire whilst on operations in Afghanistan, not in Helmand but somewhere to the east of Kabul. His family, friends and colleagues are in our thoughts as they suffer during what should have been a joyous time - BM
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The Javelin LFATGWS has a minimum operational range of 65m and a maximum of 2,500m - its tandem warhead employs shaped charge technology and can be employed in a top attack mode
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The Javelin LFATGWS (Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon System) is a medium range guided anti-armour weapon which has replaced MILAN (Missile d'Infanterie LĂŠger Antichar) in the inventory of the British Army and Royal Marines since July 2005. Since it entered service the weapon has been effectively used by British troops deployed to Iraq under Operation TELIC and Afghanistan under Operation HERRICK. In this feature we aim to provide you with a quick brief on the LFATGWS.
MILAN REPLACEMENT Until the Javelin LFATGWS entered service the MILAN was the primary medium range anti-tank missile used by infantry assets of UK Armed Forces. Designed by the Franco-German Euromissile Consortium in the late 1960s and early 70s, MILAN entered British service back in 1977. In addition to being used in the dismounted role, the MILAN missile system was also used as main armament on the MILAN Compact Turret anti-tank missile carrier fielded by the anti-tank platoons of armoured infantry battalions. The wire-guided semi-automatic command to line-of-sight (SACLOS) MILAN system was first used in combat by Britain in the 1982 Falklands Campaign. During the conflict in the
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Main Image: This LFATGWS has been deployed in the ruin of a compound in southern Afghanistan - the missile can be fired from enclosed spaces allowing its crew to make maximum use of available cover
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1: From 2005 onwards the Javelin Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon System replaced MILAN in the inventory of UK Armed Forces and immediately saw combat action in Iraq and Afghanistan
South Atlantic the weapon system was also used with great success against bunkers and other enemy field fortifications, in addition to being an extremely capable anti-armour weapon.
Over the years MILAN also saw combat action with UK Forces during the 1991 Gulf War, in the former Yugoslavia from 1992 onwards, in Afghanistan from 2002 onwards and in Iraq from 2003 onwards,
first during the initial invasion and later during the counter insurgency. Despite still being able to penetrate most known types of armour, however, the weapon was due to be replacement in the new millennium. Since inception of the MILAN, anti-armour missile technology has made huge steps forward and most modern systems now feature top attack as well as fire and forget capabilities; something MILAN did not offer. Initially it had been intended to replace MILAN with the Euromissile Dynamics Group (EMDG) Third Generation Anti-Tank – Medium Range (TRIGAT MR) missile, but the UK pulled out of the development programme for this weapon in 2000. In January 2003 the UK Ministry of Defence announced that it had decided to procure the Javelin Light Forces AntiTank Guided Weapon System as replacement for MILAN and issued an order for a first batch of Command Launch Units (CLU) and Javelin missiles. Prior to this, excessive user trials had been conducted by the Warminsterbased Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU) involving the Javelin, offered by the Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture, and the Spike Medium Range Multi-Purpose Tactical Missile, offered by the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. Both missiles have top attack capabilities and tandem warheads that can defeat explosive reactive armour. Together with the Command Launch Unit
Main Image: Used widely in Afghanistan, Javelin LFATGWS is a medium range manportable recoilless precision directfire anti-tank weapon that can defeat any armoured vehicle currently in service 2: The Javelin LFATGWS consists of the Command Launch Unit including a tripod and the Launch Tube Assembly image was taken in August 2011 with 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles in Helmand Images Š Carl Schulze unless noted
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equipment sets and the Javelin missiles the UK MoD also procured Javelin Indoor Trainers (IDT), Outdoor Trainer Javelin Weapon System (ODT JavWES), Viking Vehicle Installation Kits, Javelin Weapon System Battery Charger Kits and Javelin CLU Battery Charger Kits.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY The development of the M98 Javelin Weapon System, as the Javelin LFATGWS is known within the US Armed Forces, dates back to the early 1980s when Texas Instruments Incorporated began to develop a fire and forget anti-armour weapon with top attack capabilities that used infra-red homing technology. In 1989 the US Army awarded a contract for the development of a replacement for the M47 Dragon Medium Anti-Tank/Assault
Weapon System to a joint venture formed by Texas Instruments Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corp. Following this, during engineering and manufacturing development some 175 missiles were fired and a hit rate of more than 90% was achieved during these test firings. After the missile had reached series production standard, in 1994 the US Army placed an order for the low rate initial production of the new weapon which covered 260 Command Launch Units (CLU) and some 2,580 Javelin missiles. Full rate production of the M98 Javelin Weapon System started in 1997 after an order for an additional 1,240 CLUs and some 6,500 missiles was placed.
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Additional orders from the US Armed Forces continued to follow; for example one for some 3,000 CLUs and nearly 12,000 missiles in 2000. The anti-tank missile also became an export success and is now in service with the armed forces of at least another ten countries in addition to US and UK Armed Forces, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Jordan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, the Sultanate of Oman and Taiwan.
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION The Javelin LFATGWS is a medium range, man portable, recoilless, precision, direct-fire, anti-tank weapon that can defeat any armoured vehicle currently in service, including vehicles fitted with Explosive Reactive Armour. The weapon can also be used against fixed enemy defences such as bunkers or positions inside buildings. The system can be used by day or night and under degraded weather conditions. It is effective against both stationary and moving targets. The Command Launch Unit (CLU) of the anti-tank missile system doubles up as a 24-hour surveillance and target acquisition system. The fire and forget
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missile, which can defeat electronic and electrooptical counter-measures, can be fired from enclosed spaces allowing a flexible employment of the weapon and allowing the crew to use the best cover possible. Compared to the M98 Javelin Weapon System fielded by the US Armed Forces, the Javelin LFATGWS features two major enhancements. First of all it uses a more effective sighting system and secondly, instead of only being able to be launched from the shoulder, it comes with a tripod. The LFATGWS has a longer operational range than MILAN and is effective from 65 to 2,500 metres. It also offers greater lethality due to its top attack capabilities and tandem warhead. The optics of the British weapon are also more powerful and already incorporate a thermal imaging system, while in the case of MILAN the system had to be fitted with the MIRA (Milan Infra-Red Adapter) to gain night fighting capabilities. The LFATGWS is also much lighter than the MILAN system.
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Main Image: The Launch Tube Assembly (LTA) contains the missile - it has a weight of 15.49kg, is 1,209mm long and is 299mm wide at its maximum 3: July 2008, Iraq: During a training exercise in the vicinity of Basrah British troops fire a Javelin - the missile has just been ejected from the launch tube and the flight motor has not yet ignited
As here, the Command Launch Unit of the Javelin LFATGWS can be employed for surveillance and target acquisition purposes - the system incorporates a thermal imaging system and x7 magnification
Within UK Armed Forces the Javelin LFATGWS is used as a crew-served weapon that has a two-man crew, consisting of the firer and the controller/observer. The latter commands the weapon system and assists the firer with loading of the next missile, identification of targets and on target damage assessment.
4: The Javelin LFATGWS complete system weighs just 25.6kg and is considerably easier for its two operators to carry than the MILAN anti-armour weapon it replaced in 2005
TECHNOLOGY
5: The CLU is a portable, reusable, battery operated system incorporating the sighting equipment, the thermal imaging system and the interface onto which the LTA is fitted
The Javelin LFATGWS consists of the Command Launch Unit (CLU), which includes the tripod, and the Launch Tube Assembly (LTA); together the system weighs 25.6kg. The LTA containing the missile serves as a handling container and launch platform. It also provides environmental and electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection for the missile.
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The sealed LTA, including the missile, has a weight of 15.49kg, is 1,209mm long and 299mm at its widest. The LTA also features inbuilt electronics and a locking hinge system, by which the tube is connected to the CLU. Attaching the LTA to the CLU is a quick and simple process.
6: UK MoD also procured Javelin Indoor Trainers (IDT), Outdoor Trainer Javelin Weapon System (ODT JavWES), Viking Vehicle Installation Kits, Javelin Weapon System Battery Charger Kits and Javelin CLU Battery Charger Kits
missile has reached the acceleration point once out of the launch tube, initiates a second arming signal that fires the flight motor. Finally the ESAF system ensures the arming of the warhead 65 metres beyond the launch point and enables the tandem warhead to function by coordinating the detonation of the precursor charge and main charge.
The missile has a tandem warhead that uses shaped charge technology. In addition to the warhead the missile features the guidance section at the front, the mid-body section, the propulsion section and the control actuator section. The Electronic Safe Arming and Fire (ESAF) system of the missile cues the launch motor after the trigger is pulled and, after the
7: One of the advantages that the British Javelin offers in contrast to its US equivalent is the height adjustable tripod which makes using the CLU for surveillance and target acquisition much easier
To enable the Javelin LFATGWS to be employed from confined spaces a soft launch procedure is used. As part of this, first the missile is ejected from the launch tube by a launch motor that has already stopped burning before the missile has left the tube. After sufficient space has been gained between the missile and the launcher, the flight motor is ignited to propel the missile to its
target; maximum effective range is 2,500 metres. To reach a target at a distance of 2,000 metres the missile needs approximately 14 seconds. An IR seeker which incorporates an onboard imaging system and an on-board tracking system provides the missile with its fire and forget capability. During
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an engagement the firer can choose if the missile is to be used in the direct attack or the top attack mode. Dependent on which mode is chosen, the flight path is quite different. In top attack mode the missile climbs sharply after launch and cruises at high altitude before diving onto the top of the target. In direct attack mode the missile approaches the target directly at a low altitude. The reusable Command Launch Unit is a man-portable, reusable, battery operated system that incorporates the sighting equipment, the interface onto which the LTA is fitted and the Built-in-Test (BIT) equipment. It can be installed on a heightadjustable tripod. The sighting system of the CLU features x7 magnification and incorporates a thermal imaging system. The CLU is operated via an attached game console style control stick with buttons for different functions. Footnote: Javelin LFATGWS should not be confused with the Shorts Javelin, predecessor to Starstreak and successor to Blowpipe, which was a shoulderlaunched anti-aircraft missile used by UK Forces post-Falklands and well into the 1990s.
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Main Image: Royal Marines live-fire exercise in Arctic Norway in March 2006 - the target (arrowed) is a rocky outcrop the size of a house on the other side of the alley around 2,000 metres from the firing point [Š Bob Morrison] 8: Although the British Javelin comes with a tripod the weapon system was originally a shoulder launched weapon and it can still be employed as such as seen here - it can be one man operated 9: During exercise COLD RESPONSE 2012 in northern Norway Royal Marines have deployed a Javelin LFATGWS to secure the beachhead from any armoured threat
RAF C17 Globemaster from 99 Squadron taking off from RAF Brize Norton on 5th December to provide air transport assistance to France for the International Support Mission to CAR [Crown: Paul Crouch]
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In response to a rapidly deteriorating situation, on 10th October 2013 the United Nations Security Council issued Resolution 2121 in support of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA). After the follow-up UNSCR 2127 was issued on 5th December, President François Hollande announced his decision to reinforce the French military contingent already deployed in the Central African Republic, an independent state since 1960 but which before this was part of French Equatorial Africa for fifty years, to attempt to prevent a humanitarian disaster following a year of civil war, including a takeover by a coalition of Muslim militias.
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he adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 2127 provided for both United Nations support to the African Standby Force of MISCA, whose strength was initially expected to reach 4,000 personnel, and support of the African force by French military forces, with authorisation to use force as necessary. Reacting to this UN decision the French President stated: "Given the urgency, I have decided to act immediately, that is to say tonight, in coordination with the Africans and with the support of our European partners. Already, 600 French soldiers are on the spot. This number will double in the next few days, if not hours." In November 2010 Britain and France signed a Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty with the
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1: French armoured vehicles - including a VAB ambulance and two VBL armoured cars - in the hold of an RAF C-17 at Bangui M'Poko International Airport on 6th December [EMA / Armée de l'Air]
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2: RAF Movers and French troops unload military trucks and equipment from the back of a 99 Sqn C-17 on its arrival at Bangui in the Central African Republic on 11th December 2013 [Crown: Cpl Neil Bryden] 3: On the night of 9/10th December a French foot patrol from 8th RPIMa came under fire in Bangui and two Para Marines - Nicolas Vokaer and Antoine Le Quinio were mortally wounded in the exchange [EMA / Armée de Terre]
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On 6th December Puma helicopters of the French Forces in Gabon (FFG) redeployed from Libreville to Bangui to support the ground troops participating on Operation SANGARIS [EMA / Armée de Terre]
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purposes of: developing cooperation between the two nations' armed forces; sharing and pooling of materials and equipment, including through mutual interdependence; the building of joint facilities; giving mutual access to each other’s defence markets; and bringing industrial and technological co-operation. To assist the rapid deployment of French forces on Operation SANGARIS (at time of writing no British name had been assigned to the operation) RAF C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft from 99 Squadron were speedily offered and this offer was accepted. Clearly Britain and France had contingency plans in place before UNSCR 2127 was issued, as on 5th December the first C-17 took off for France from RAF Brize Norton and by the following day it had delivered its first load of armoured vehicles to Bangui M'Poko International Airport.
Main Image: The five French armoured vehicles (EAE l’escadron d’aide à l’engagement) transported in the initial RAF Globemaster lift and seen here immediately deployed forward on the night of 6/7th December [EMA / Armée de Terre]
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4: The VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blind) 4x4 armoured personnel carrier, seen here with 12.7mm heavy machinegun. has a combat weight of 14 tonnes and can transport up to ten troops plus its crew of two [EMA/ECPAD] 5: A French C-130 Hercules and a CASA CN-235 tasked to Op ÉPERVIER in Chad were redeployed on 6th December to ensure an air bridge between Libreville in Gabon and Bangui to strengthen Op SANGARIS [EMA / Armée de Terre] Combat & Survival
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The dastardly Kamarian soldiers had chosen their ambush site well. The location was a ridge-line overlooking a main road, with a stream and marshy ground preventing cross-country vehicle movement. Elements of the ambush included Javelin anti-armour missiles, main battle tanks and 8x8 armoured vehicles.
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he vanguard of the Australian Army’s 3rd Brigade, part of a United Nations task force mandated to rid Legais of its Kamarian invaders, cautiously nosed up the road. The 120mm main gun of a Kamarian tank boomed and an Australian M1A1 Abrams shuddered to a halt in a ball of flame. Within seconds, another Australian tank was knocked out, as were supporting M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers. Soon the road was chock-ablock with destroyed vehicles, stalling the Australian advance. The Kamarians on the ridge gleefully scrutinised their handiwork and consulted maps as they prepared to move to their next ambush point. The Australian Army had been inexorably pushing them back, but the Kamarians were making their foe pay
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Main Image: Soldiers advance behind a Bushmaster 4x4 Protected Mobility Vehicle to gain a measure of protection as they continue their assault of the urban facility at the SWBTA 1: Battle-weary Australian Army soldiers take shelter behind a building during a highly kinetic assault on a town held by Kamarian regular soldiers during TS11 Images © Gordon Arthur
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heavily via a series of raids that targeted the logistics tail of the 3rd Brigade. Without, fuel, food, water and ammunition, the Australian advance would falter. The Kamarians were employing the same hitand-run tactics against US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC) forces that were part of a bilateral effort to liberate Legais from Kamarian forces.
2013 EXERCISE
The ‘Kamarian’ enemy and the territory of ‘Legais’ are, of course, fictitious. Instead, the above scenario was taking place on the tableau of the central Queensland coast in Australia during Exercise
TALISMAN SABRE (TS) 2013. Occurring every two years, TALISMAN SABRE is the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) largest training activity and their biggest bilateral event with the USA. Thus it is that the Kamarians pop up every two years to do battle with Oz and Uncle Sam yet again! Held from 15th July to 6th August, TS13,involved more than 28,000 participants, of which 21,000 were American. C&S has attended the past few exercises, and this article offers photographs of various units participating in this latest large-scale exercise.
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2 The majority of TALISMAN SABRE ground action takes place at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), an enormous 4,545km² tract of land near the town of Rockhampton in Queensland. Simultaneously, US and Australian naval task forces exercise in the Coral, Timor and Arafura Seas and aircraft fly from RAAF Bases Amberley and Townsville to support this massive exercise. The scenario for 2013 was a Peace Enforcement mission to set conditions for a handover to a UN peacekeeping force. While the scenario was fictitious, it is the kind of real-world operation that has previously occurred in Timor-Leste (East Timor) and the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. It was a typical ‘Three Block War’ involving full-scale conventional warfighting, peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance elements all within close proximity. Australia and the USA enjoy an enduring and solid relationship. Indeed, Australia’s Defence White Paper released in 2013 states: “Australia’s alliance with the United States is our most important defence relationship and is recognised in Australia’s National Security Strategy as a pillar of Australia’s strategic and security arrangements.” The US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC) are permanent fixtures at all TS exercises, that require
Main Image: An ASLAV-25 leads a convoy after an urban assault during TS11 organised into an HQ, three sabre squadrons and a support squadron, cavalry regiments conduct long-range reconnaissance 2: The Land Rover Perentie has been the standard light utility vehicle since 1987 this 6x6 Interim Infantry Mobility Vehicle can carry eight passengers in the rear - note the gunner in the roof hatch
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3: This Bushmaster from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER) is rare as it mounts a full-width Self-Protection Adaptive Roller Kit (SPARK) mine clearance roller Combat & Survival
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Main Image: An M777A2 howitzer fires a 155mm round - Australia initially ordered 35 M777s from the USA to replace the M198 but later asked for another 19 units 4: A Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) takes off from a grass airfield - the 1st Aviation Regiment in Darwin operates 16 Tigers in two squadrons 5: Australia calls its NH90 helicopter the MRH90 Taipan this one is lifting off the stern flight deck of the HMAS Choules landing ship during TS13
the use of about 160 umpires and 130 Observer Trainers (OT).
NEW EQUIPMENT
The Australian Army has been inducting a lot of new equipment in recent years, and TS provides an excellent workout for newly introduced kit. For example, in TS11 the Brisbanebased 7th Brigade employed the Tactical Operational Command and Control Headquarters (TORC2H) Battle Management System (BMS), supplied by Elbit Systems, for the first time. This system provides an excellent advantage in knowing where forces are deployed on the battlefield. Australia has been working hard to align this Battle Group and Below Command, Control and Communications (BGC3) system with American systems in use such as the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) used by new M777A2 155mm lightweight towed howitzers. The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV), made by Thales Australia, is now a common vehicle in army ranks. It has been manufactured in six variants: Troop, Command, Mortar, Assault Pioneer, Direct Fire
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Support Weapon and Ambulance. The upgraded M113AS4 APC fleet is also in use by two battalions of the 1st Brigade, with these vehicles easily identified by their stretched hulls featuring an extra road wheel on each side. Army aviation has also seen increased use of Tiger and NH90 helicopters in this massive exercise series.
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AUSTRALIA’S EXPANDING AMPHIBIOUS CAPABILITY
An important facet of TS13 from the Australian point of view was exercising its nascent amphibious capability. As a Pacific nation, Australia’s possession of such a capability is particularly pertinent considering the frequency of regional disasters, as illustrated by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, Japan’s Tohoku earthquake/tsunami in 2011, and most recently Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in November 2013. Australia underwent a bloody baptism in amphibious warfare during the unsuccessful Gallipoli landings by the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), which resulted in the loss of 8,709 Australian lives. In December 2011, Australia commissioned the British landing ship RFA Largs Bay; sister ship to Mounts Bay and Lyme Bay, which have
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Main Image: This is a member of B Company, 8/9 RAR, during a live-fire event - TS exercises generally give soldiers a fortnight-long training iteration to hone their warfighting skills 6: It is not often that soldiers get to live-fire FGM-148 Javelin missiles - here a team from 8/9 RAR uses the Command Launch Unit’s (CLU) thermal sight to examine their target 7: The acquisition of HMAS Choules from the UK included two Mexeflotes - here, one is being used to move vehicles of 2 RAR ashore on the opening day of amphibious operations 8: A Royal Australian Navy clearance diver gets ready to examine a beach landing site ahead of amphibious landings - note his M4A1 carbine; useful because it can still fire after being submerged Combat & Survival
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This 7.62mm MAG 58 has been placed on a tripod for sustained fire - this weapon team from 8/9 RAR is normally transported inside a Bushmaster
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been participating in the UK RFTG COUGAR '13deployment. Renamed HMAS Choules, this 16,160-tonne ship participated in TALISMAN SABRE for the first time in 2013. Choules provides an interim amphibious capability that will be eclipsed by the arrival of two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships, the first of these 27,500-tonne vessels entering service in 2014. About 350 army personnel embarked aboard Choules for an amphibious landing in TS13, as well as members of a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Clearance Diving Team. C&S also boarded HMAS Choules ahead of the amphibious assault, and went ashore with early elements of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR). This battalion based in Townsville is the designated Amphibious Ready Element (ARE) of the Australian Army. Its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Smith, said the battalion has embraced its new role: “The soldiers love it. Everyone is enjoying it.” The USMC, in particular, has been helping Australia improve its amphibious capability. The other country helping Australia is the United Kingdom through its Royal Marines. Australia plans to attain a full Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) capability by 2017, and TS13 was an important stepping stone along this pathway.
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9: US Air Force JTACs accompanied the US Army airborne battalion on their jump from C-17 transport aircraft during TS13 - this American JTAC is dressed in MultiCam combat uniform
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10: A member of the 1/501st Infantry Battalion of the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division immediately after jumping into Australia following an arduous 15-hour flight from Alaska during TS13 11: A typical M113AS4 APC from 7 RAR based in Adelaide which began receiving the new M113AS4 in November 2007 - note extra road wheel, stretched hull and one-man turret (no machinegun fitted) 12: Fifty-nine M1A1 AIM tanks were ordered from the USA, with 41 allocated to the 1st Armoured Regiment - as well as daubing their tank with wet mud, the crew has applied a grass skirt too!
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A Royal Marine, wearing his green beret to present a less menacing appearance, guards an entrance to KuçovÍ Airbase - behind him a colleague provides back-up with a 7.62mm GPMG atop a BvS10 Viking
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Fighting wars, or preparing to do so, is only one facet of military operations and although warfighting has been very much to the fore over the last decade Britain's armed forces have also participated in various humanitarian assistance and multinational operations where direct combat was not the primary role. Operation PATWIN in the Philippines, where military personnel have been deployed to provide aid to civilians in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, and Operation TOSCA in Cyprus, where troops (mostly unarmed) are deployed on United Nations peacekeeping duties to patrol the land boundary between former combatants, are just two current missions where fighting is not the primary aim.
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third type of mission which the UK Ministry of Defence has to both prepare contingency plans for and ensure a force of trained personnel is always available to participate on is the NonCombatant Evacuation Operation or NEO. This type of mission is very much military in nature and the troops go into it armed and issued with live ammunition, but shooting enemies is also not the primary goal
Main Image: Just a few miles from KuçovÍ there is actually a major oilfield so the scenario involving oil industry workers requiring evacuation was not far-fetched 1: One of the sixteen Vikings belonging to RM Armoured Support Group inside the main gate of the Albanian base - twenty years ago this would have been unthinkable 2: Royal Marines on perimeter patrol pass a line-up of mostly Chinese-built MiG fighters 3: Inside the requisitioned hangar used for processing evacuees a pair of Royal Marines stand in front of a Chinese copy (Y-5) of the Antonov An-2
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... though those with boots on the ground need to be prepared to open fire to protect both themselves and those civilians they are there to assist. Operation PALLISER in war-torn Sierra Leone in May 2000, which saw the evacuation of around 500 British nationals and friendly nation civilians by a combined force of UK Special Forces, Paratroopers and RAF personnel, was a typical and noteworthy successful NEO.
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As part of the recent COUGAR '13 deployment the Royal Navy's Response Force Task Group (RFTG) was called upon to assist the fictional government of Benalia to deter aggression from an insurgent group and to help restore stability in the country. Not specifically
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Once the airbase was secured Commandos erected tents where evacuees were searched before being allowed into the hangar linked to any world events but designed to test the Task Group in a variety of scenarios, the four day exercise ashore culminated in a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation in which British expatriates and contractors employed at oilfields in the region were shepherded to safety despite the efforts of insurgents to prevent this happening. For the purpose of the exercise, insurgent group activity by the notional BLA (Benalian Liberation Army) and recent de-stabilising events were deemed as having endangered the nation's economy and security, following a period of relative stability within the borders of this fictional NATO member country. It was assessed that this instability would continue to worsen and, without intervention, threaten the Government of Benalia's ability to govern successfully as well as causing wider regional problems. As a result of the instability UN Security Council Resolutions (fictional) were issued, directing external assistance with security within Benalia and Britain's RFTG was ordered to deploy to the country for up to 90 days, setting conditions for follow-on forces. As British citizens, including many civilian contractors working in the region, were trapped in the fictional country by an upsurge in violence by the BLA, an extraction by helicopters and RAF transport
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Evacuees were conveyed inside Vikings from the perimeter to this initial reception point - note observation post and sniper position on the hangar roof
4: Conditions for the troops were spartan but at least the sun was shining - the map taped to the hangar door showed Juliet Company's area of responsibility (AoR) 5: The unit ambulance was used as a forward aid post to give evacuees any necessary medical care Images © Bob Morrison : Military Scene
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aircraft was mounted from a regional airfield (actually the disused former Cold War era base at Kuçovë in Albania) to which civilians and dependants had been told to proceed. With the ships of the RFTG anchored in Vlorë Bay, the Lead Commando Group, formed around 42 Commando, was put ashore by landing craft (including both LCU and LCVP), Mexeflote powered rafts, and
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helicopters. Juliet Company of 42 Commando, plus elements of 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group, then moved overland by BvS10 Viking all-terrain armoured vehicles of the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group to Kuçovë under cover of darkness to seize the inland airfield from the control of armed insurgents and allow Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff to be helicoptered in to receive and process eligible evacuees.
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8 The Albanian Ministry of Defence kindly agreed to grant C&S unfettered access to KuçovÍ airbase on the day of the NEO to record the events so we pitched up very early in the morning, after the night assault had gone in and the base had been secured by Royal Marine Commandos, to await the arrival of the FCO team and the influx of evacuees. With Commandos manning a secure perimeter and ready to deter any attempt by insurgents to disrupt the evacuation, the base was in total lock-down and those wishing to be evacuated had to convince the men of Juliet Company guarding all approaches that they were entitled to proceed to the requisitioned hangar where the FCO team had set up their temporary processing centre.
Above: Female military personnel accompanied the Marines to search female evacuees
Over the next four hours the trickle of role-players became a torrent and various spanners were thrown into the works to challenge both troops and FCO staff alike. By early afternoon, however, the evacuation was in full flow with scores of civilians fed, watered, processed and despatched out of theatre. They did not know it at the time but the next mission for Juliet Company, Operation PATWIN, would be for real.
8: In the holding area the evacuees fill in paperwork while awaiting processing and onward transportation
6: FCO staff were flown into the secured airfield by helicopter to process those requesting evacuation 7: One of the FCO team greets a recently arrived evacuee - the Marines laid on water and snack food (from ration packs) for their guests on arrival
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9: On arrival every evacuee was escorted through the reception stage by an unarmed Commando Combat & Survival
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10: One of the curved balls thrown in was a heavily pregnant woman - played by an officer cadet from HMS Illustrious 12
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11: A Commando medic checks out the expectant mother in the back of the unit ambulance 12: FCO and Royal Navy personnel comfort a distraught female inside the hangar following a domestic altercation 13: This roleplayer has suspected appendicitis - the FCO team member was used as an interpreter as the doctor examined him 14: The backload at Pasha Liman at the end of the NEO - Juliet Company's next humanitarian assistance mission would be Op PATWIN in the Philippines
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This classic image of a modern amphibious landing shows two Dutch and two US LCUs plus two LCVPs coming ashore on Curaçao in the Dutch Antilles in 2006 with RNLMS Rotterdam in the background [US Navy: PH3(AW) Jeremy L. Grisham]
LAST MONTH WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE LCVP (LANDING CRAFT VEHICLE PERSONNEL) WHICH IS A SMALL AND SHALLOW DRAFT VESSEL, DERIVED FROM A WWII DESIGN, CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING A TROOP (PLATOON) OF COMMANDOS FROM SHIP TO SHORE, ALONG WITH THEIR WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT, AND WHICH CAN ALTERNATIVELY BE USED TO TRANSFER A LAND ROVER SIZE VEHICLE WITH TRAILER ASHORE DURING AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS. BIG SISTER TO THE LCVP IS THE LCU, OR LANDING CRAFT UTILITY, WHICH IS LARGE ENOUGH TO CARRY EITHER A MAIN BATTLE TANK, SEVERAL TRUCKS OR SMALL ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS LIKE THE BVS10 VIKING, OR A 120-STRONG COMPANY GROUP OF AMPHIBIOUS TROOPS. BOTH THE ROYAL MARINES AND THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS MARINE CORPS USE THE LCU, AS DO THE US MARINE CORPS, SPANISH NAVY (LCM1E) AND FRENCH NAVY (CTM CHALANDS DE TRANSPORT DE MATÉIELS OR LANDING CRAFT EQUIPMENT) BUT DESIGNS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
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1: A Commando REME SVR (Support Vehicle Recovery) is backed onto a Royal Navy LCU at Pasha Liman naval base in Albania, September 2013 Images © Bob Morrison: Military Scene unless noted
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he current generation of British LCU is the Mk.10, which started to replace the Mk.9 in 1998, and at present there are ten of these 240 tonne sea-going vessels in service. Britain's two Amphibious Transport Dock (i.e. Landing Platform Dock type) ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark are each able to accommodate four LCUs in their well deck, and the three Bay Class RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) Landing Ship Dock vessels can accommodate two. Unlike the Mk.9
LCU, which only had a bow ramp as the bridge and crew quarters were at the rear, the Mk.10 has a full width bow ramp plus a reduced width stern ramp and the bridge and accommodation are offset to starboard meaning these landing craft are effectively RO-RO or roll-on/roll-off ferries. In the same year that the Royal Navy introduced the LCU Mk.10 the Royal Netherlands Navy introduced the broadly similar (NL) LCU Mk.1 to
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2: A BV206 on the bow ramp of Mk.10 LCU in Cyprus during the COUGAR '09 deployment 3: The Mk.10 has a three-quarter width stern ramp to give Ro-Ro capability 4
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4: A recently stretched (NL) LCU Mk.2 photographed in Norway during BATTLE GRIFFIN '05
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5: Stern ramp of the Dutch Mk.2 LCU is wide enough for two BV-206s carriers to load side by side 7
6: The earlier (NL) LCU Mk.1 photographed in Scotland during NORTHERN LIGHT '03 7: Rear view of an (NL) LCU Mk.1 - the 9 metre stretch increased capacity but reduced draught 34 Combat & Survival
Also seen during NORTHERN LIGHT '03 in Luce Bay, this is a French CTM delivering two VABs
operate from the two ships in the Rotterdam Class of Landing Platform Dock, which were part of a joint Enforcer project with Spain and formed the basis for the UK Bay Class RFA vessels. These Dutch LCUs can operate from either British or Dutch amphibious ships, and vice versa, as part of the 40-year partnership UKNL Landing Force. Originally HNLMS Rotterdam could accommodate four LCUs in her well deck but in 2005 these craft were extended by nine metres (30 feet) to increase vehicle capacity and reduce draft, meaning only two could be transported inside an LPD, but this modification and strengthening of the bow ramp allowed the latest Leopard 2A6 version of main battle tank to be carried. The American 1600 Class LCUs are slightly wider than the British craft and slightly longer than the Dutch vessels, but like both it has a stern ramp as well as a bow ramp. Its increased size and carrying capacity mean it has a greater draft than either when fully loaded, but there is still a degree of interoperability on joint ops.
The LCM does not have a stern ramp so is less functional that current US, UK and NL landing craft
Earlier Royal Navy LCU Mk.9 during TEAMWORK '90 in Norway - it too had only a bow ramp
The French CTM design, of which four can be carried inside the French Navy's three Mistral Class amphibious assault ships or two Foudre Class LPDs, like earlier generations of British and American LCUs only has a bow ramp and it is considerably wider than the RN and RNLN vessels so there is not full interoperability. The new and much wider catamaranhulled EDA-R, of which four have been built to date, is replacing the CTM in some roles.
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US Navy LCU 1660 enters the well deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall in the Atlantic, 8th December 2013 - these sea-going craft are of the Ro-Ro type [US Navy: Specialist Seaman Jesse A. Hyatt]
Three French CTM landing craft inside the dry well deck of the Foudre Class amphibious assault ship Sirocco in transit to the Indian Ocean on 28th November 2013 to participate in Operation ATALANTA [French MoD image] 36 Combat & Survival
1 The Mercedes-Benz Geschütztes Transportfahrzeug (GTF) Zetros 5-tonne logistic support truck is the new armour protected 4x4 logistic vehicle fielded by the German Bundeswehr since December 2012. In this feature C&S looks at the role of the new truck and its capabilities.
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n recent years protected mobility vehicles have become a main focus in the field of military vehicle procurement, the requirement arising after armed forces deployed on peace support, stabilisation and counter-insurgency operations had encountered a massive mine and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) threat. The British Army, for example, procured hundreds of Protected Patrol Vehicles in different classes, such as the Ridgback and Mastiff. In order to increase the operating time and range of patrols, a range of light, medium and heavy tactical support vehicles such as the Coyote TSV-L, the Husky TSV-M and the Wolfhound TSV-H was procured by the UK MoD. Armourprotected variants of logistic vehicles
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Main Image: To date the German Bundeswehr has ordered a total of 110 GTF Zetros 5 tonne tactical support trucks the first was delivered in December 2012 and the last ones should be issued in 2014 1: In late September 2013 this Zetros 5 was seen during the Informations lehrübung Land Operations 2013 demonstration exercise held at the Munster and Bergen Training Areas in northern Germany
with a heavier payload were also procured, for example MAN SV trucks fitted with the Fortress armour package. Like UK Armed Forces, the German Bundeswehr also procured a large number of protected mobility vehicles from the beginning of the new millennium onwards. Under the Geschütztes Führungs-und Funktionsfahrzeuge (GFF) programme, protected mobility vehicles were sourced in different classes and with different payloads; such as protected
patrol vehicles, protected command and liaison vehicles, ambulances and vehicles that can be fitted with special mission kits. In addition to this, the procurement of protected logistic vehicles in different payload classes was initiated under the Geschütztes Transportfahrzeuge (GTF) programme. A little over a year ago, on December 6th, 2012, an initial GTF programme vehicle in the form of the first series production Mercedes-Benz Geschütztes
The Zetros 5 tonne tactical support truck can negotiate even difficult terrain - it features permanent all-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer case plus three differential locks give it outstanding traction
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Transportfahrzeug (GTF) Zetros 5-tonne tactical support truck, was handed over to the Bundeswehr during a ceremony at the company's production plant at Wörth. During 2014 the Bundeswehr will have received a total of 110 of these new logistic support vehicles, which can be fitted with a remote controlled weapon station. Shortly after the first Zetros 5-tonne trucks were brought into service they were rushed to Afghanistan and issued to elements of the German ISAF contingent deployed on operations there.
GESCHÜTZTES TRANSPORTFAHRZEUGE (GTF) PROGRAMME
The GTF programme is aimed at the
development and procurement of protected trucks which can be used both on and off roads. The vehicles are earmarked for transporting supplies or equipment such as containers, communication shelters and special purpose kits. GTF vehicles feature a protected crew cab, mine protection, ballistic protection and IED protection. NBC protection and the possibility to fit them with a remote controlled weapon station are other requirements. Last, but not least, to reduce costs the vehicle type was specified as needing to be based on designs already available commercially. The procurement of vehicles in the
2: The Zetros 5 tonne tactical support truck has a wheelbase of 4,800mm, an approach angle of 34° and a departure angle of 27° - crossing railway tracks is absolutely no issue for this vehicle 3: The cargo bed is manufactured by DOLL Fahrzeugbau AG - its side walls and tailgate are hinged and can be removed if required - the cargo bed itself measures 5,100mm x 2,450mm
2-tonnes, 5-tonnes, 9-tonnes and 15-tonnes, as well as a 25-tonnes tractor truck, payload classes is planned under the GTF programme.
ZETROS FOR 5-TONNE CLASS REQUIREMENT
GTF was initiated by the Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung (BWB) – today Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) - material and equipment development and procurement agency in 2004. After comprehensive trials the procurement staff finally selected the Zetros 5t LKW Model 1833 truck in 4x4 configuration, designed by Mercedes-Benz, from several contenders in the 5-tonne payload class.
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Main Image: Since 5 early 2013 Zetros has been fielded by the German ISAF contingent in northern Afghanistan - this vehicle with FLW 100 7.62mm RWS was seen at Camp Marmal near Mazar-e-Sharif in July 2013
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On May 14th, 2012 the Bundeswehr signed a contract for the delivery of a total of 110 vehicles, the last of these to be delivered in 2014. All vehicles will feature a self-recovery winch and will be fitted with a dropside cargo bed. The first 25 vehicles were delivered in late 2012 and after training the drivers on three of them at the Kraftfahr ausbildungs zentrum Mechernich, or driver training school, the bulk of the trucks were deployed to Afghanistan by March 2013. Once in Afghanistan the vehicles were used for re-supply runs to combat outposts and Forward Operating Bases as well as to accompany patrols in order to increase their sustainability.
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Despite the fact that, prior to introduction of the Mercedes-Benz GTF Zetros 5-tonne tactical support truck, a larger number of MAN MULTI FSA A4 15-tonne palletised load systems logistic trucks manufactured by the Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH had been procured, the Zetros was the first vehicle purchased under the GTF programme. With the procurement of a vehicle that matches the requirement catalogue for the GTF in all aspects, a capability gap in the field of protected logistic support vehicles has now been closed.
PRIVATE VENTURE
The Zetros 5-tonne truck belongs to a family of vehicles of conventional
4: Zetros trucks deployed to Afghanistan feature a three colour camouflage pattern of the Umtarnfarben nonpermanent camouflage colours Helloliv (RAL 6040 F9 light olivegreen), Sandbraun (RAL 8031 F9 sand brown) and Sandbeige (RAL 1039 F9 sand beige) 5: The roof of the armoured crew cab features a large circular hatch which was designed rather large on purpose in order to allow soldiers wearing body armour to use it without difficulty
design, featuring a rather large bonnet in front of the cab. The Zetros family was designed by Mercedes-Benz as a private venture after market analysis conducted at the beginning of the new millennium indicated that there was sales potential for a new heavy duty offroad truck in Germany and abroad. Many of the technical components used in the Zetros come from the Actros truck family, which is manufactured on a large scale and used on civvy street worldwide. In 2008 the newly designed heavy duty off-road truck was presented to the public for the first time at the IAA Commercial Vehicle exhibition, held in Hanover. Currently Mercedes-Benz is marketing
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Main Image: View underneath the rear of a Mercedes-Benz GTF Zetros 5-tonne tactical support truck - clearly visible are the leaf spring of the rear axle and the rear axle differential 6: The hinged tailgate of the cargo bed can be easily removed if required - it features built-in steps allowing 9 the crew easy access if climbing aboard
variants of the Zetros truck in both 4x4 and 6x6 configuration. A 6x6 tractor truck is also available.
WHY CONVENTIONAL CAB WITH BONNET?
Compared to cab over engine (COE) designs the conventional bonnet layout offers several advantages from a tactical point of view. These vehicles have a relatively low silhouette, as the cab sits behind the engine rather than on top of it, which benefits mobility and air transportability and also results in a lower centre of gravity. In the case of the GTF Zetros 5-tonne tactical support truck, the slightly angled side walls of the crew cab also have a positive impact on its ability to be loaded into transport aircraft. By tilting the bonnet the crew quickly gains access to the engine for maintenance purposes. In cab over engine design trucks, the whole cab has to be tilted for this purpose and the complete crew has to leave it. As a result, the vehicle not only loses its mobility during minor maintenance or repair work jobs conducted in the engine compartment, but also the use of cab mounted systems important for the
survival of the crew, such as radios or a remote controlled weapon station, is lost. In the case of a conventional bonnet design truck, however, such systems can be operated continuously while maintenance work is in progress and not all crew members have to leave the safety of the armoured cab. Another positive design feature of conventional bonnet design trucks is that they have a more balanced axle load distribution that benefits their handling.
PROTECTED CAB
The main features of the GTF Zetros 5tonne tactical support truck are its extreme cross-country abilities and its protected crew cab. The cab is manufactured from homogeneous armour steel and can be fitted with composite add-on armour packages. It offers the two-man crew of the vehicle protection from the effects of small arms fire, splinters of mortar and artillery rounds as well as the blast and fragmentation of mines and IEDs. The protection level of the cab under NATO AEP-55 STANAG 4569 equals that of the ATF Dingo 2 protected patrol vehicle, also in service with the German Bundeswehr. Suspended seats with four
7: View into the crew cab - the controls in front of the driver's seat are placed in a logical manner - note the large diameter steering wheel and the gear shift lever to the right of the driver's seat 8: The driver station has been designed following the latest ergonomic standards - the driver's seat features a suspension and a four-point safety harness 9: The passenger's seat also has suspension and four point safety harnesses - behind the seats there is storage space for personal equipment and note the top cover gunner's platform between the seats
point-harnesses offer additional protection. The cabin of the vehicle is also prepared for installation of the FLW 100 remote controlled weapon station (RWS) manufactured by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG. The control panel for the weapon station is installed in front of the passenger's seat, while the system itself is mounted on a special base on the front of the crew cab on the right side. The accompanying photographs of the Zetros 5-tonne truck were mostly taken in Germany in January 2013 or Afghanistan in July 2013.
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In addition to 4x4 and 6x6 variants Mercedes-Benz is marketing the Zetros in 6x6 tractor truck variant - this is a 6x6 prototype which has a payload of up to 10 tonnes and a 6,200mm long cargo bed [Mercedes-Benz image]
Crew: 1+1 (Driver and Passenger) Length: 8,800mm Width: 2,550mm Height 1: 3,250mm (top of crew cab, RCWS excluded) Height 2: 3,690mm (with tarpaulin cover and frame) Wheelbase: 4,800mm Cargo bed: 5,100x2,450mm Gross vehicle weight: 19,500kg Combat weight: 14,830kg (no cargo) Payload: 5,000kg Drive train configuration: 4x4 Top speed: 89km/h Suspension: leaf springs Tyres: Michelin XZL 395/85 R 20 radial, tubeless Steering: ZF 8098 Brakes: Drum type Fording: 1,200mm Turning circle: 20,600mm Approach angle: 34° Departure angle: 27° Road range: approx. 800km
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Engine: Mercedes-Benz OM 926 LA 6-cylinder EURO 3 diesel engine developing 326hp at 1,600rpm Transmission: Allison 3000 SP automatic transmission with retarder, six forward gears, one crawl and one reverse gear Other systems: selfrecovery winch with 40m cable and 7 tonne pulling capacity, prepared for the fitting of a command and control/battlefield management system, vehicle navigation system and radios, air conditioning system, NBC-protection system and fitted for the installation of the FLW 100 remote controlled weapon station
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G
erman bootmakers Meindl, who are based in the small town of Kirchanschoring in Bavaria close to the Austrian border, have been producing footwear for over three hundred years and indeed not only has their Desert Fox boot been issued for several years by UK MoD but it has also recently been reordered in the new brown colourway as one of two choices in the Desert Combat High Liability category. In the past I have worn both tan Desert Fox boots and black full leather Meindl combat boots, so I know what the company can do in the way of conventional military boots but I have to admit I was stunned when I picked up the box containing their new Black Cobra 8" Police Patrol Boots as I thought a mistake had been made and fully expected to find it contained a pair of trainers. These fully waterproof Gore-Tex membrane boots are not lightweight,
Images © Bob Morrison
JUST AS COMBAT FOOTWEAR DESIGN HAS LEAPT FORWARD IN MASSIVE BOUNDS IN RECENT YEARS, AS THOSE IN UK FORCES WHO HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO BE ISSUED THE OLD DMS BOOT WILL TESTIFY, SO TOO HAS THE DESIGN OF THE BLACK PATROL BOOT WORN BY POLICE OFFICERS. INDEED IN SOME AREAS POLICE BOOT DESIGN IS A STRIDE AHEAD OF ITS MILITARY EQUIVALENTS DUE TO FACTORS SUCH AS HIGHER QUANTITIES PRODUCED, GREATER AMOUNT OF PAVEMENT POUNDED AND MORE DIVERSE RANGE OF SPECIFIERS WHOSE NEEDS AND WISHES THE BOOT MANUFACTURERS HAVE TO CATER FOR ... NOT TO MENTION THE GREATER NUMBER OF COMPETITORS.
they are ultra-lightweight. I immediately weighed one and compared it to one of my lightweight YDS Resolve GTX Ground Crew Boots ( a boot model both Jitka and myself have been wearing quite a bit over the last few months) and was gob-smacked to discover that a UK
Other than its incredibly lightweight hi-tech sole composition, which offers good traction and has an effective flex line as well as Size 10 Black Cobra was 10% lighter a stabilising shank, the than the YDS boot even though it is a Meindl Black Cobra patrol boot is of essentially much higher 8-eyelet design. conventional 8-inch, 8-eyelet design having leather and As the upper is of relatively fabric uppers and a Goreconventional leather and textile Tex breathable waterproof design with an Gore-Tex XCR lining, this weight saving is mostly achieved membrane lining
through the Contagrip moulded sole design which gives the impression of having rubber tread blocks bonded to a clear resin containing a reinforcing mesh. You really need to look at this up close to try to understand what has been done. Only time will tell us how durable this design is, though I bet Meindl have experimented well and I don't foresee problems. What I must say, however, is that these are the lightest 8" patrol boot I have ever worn, and my legs sure enjoyed the experience.
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The Nielsen Kellerman Company designs, manufactures and distributes waterproof instruments used for all type of applications and in numerous activities where knowledge of atmospheric conditions is important to the performance of those participating in both work and leisure related activities. This can encompass everything from agriculture to wind surfing to heating & ventilation air flow to scientific experiments to manufacturing to construction or fire-fighting. The list of applications is extensive, but for this C&S review we will focus on the applications such as measuring wind speed and calculating ballistic data as an aid to improving a shooter's or sniper's long range rifle accuracy capabilities.
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Main Image: In strong winds or in different shooting positions the 4500NV can be positioned on a camera tripod using a tripod you can also turn the meter into a weather vane to show wind direction 1: For snipers the team spotter can keep the shooter updated with data, allowing him to concentrate on the shot
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he company's product line includes a series of weather meters from the Kestrel 1000 to the 4500 NV, and Nielsen Kellerman instruments can be found in a variety of locations from the shooting range to hunting grounds, industrial complexes or construction
sites and even in combat zones like Afghanistan as well as being used globally by professional motorcycle and car racing teams. The company manufactures its products in the USA and has been in business for over twenty five years.
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Using a tripod also allows the shooter to position the 4500NV so that they can view the data - a Leopold 12x40 spotting scope was also used during the C&S review
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ACCURATELY READING WIND STRENGTH
Law enforcement and military snipers, hunters and long range target shooters know that understanding the strength and direction of the wind, and being able to use this information, will help them shoot more accurately. If you are a target shooter firing on a known distance range, or a hunter or sniper using a laser rangefinder to accurately determine the distance to the target, you can then accurately work out the elevation required to hit the target. Shooting out to those distances, especially at the longer distances, you can still get an occasional miss. You have to correctly determined the distance to the target, so your elevation is correct, but the bullet impacts to the left or right of the target due to the direction and strength of the wind. You can determine if a crosswind is present by looking at the environmental conditions. You can feel the wind on your hand and face and in the movement of dust, grass, foliage and branches on trees. Determining how strong it is and just how much of a difference it is making is the difficult part. Many hunters, long range target shooters and law enforcement and military snipers have known that the Kestrel Meters have long been a
standard instrument in checking wind speed to improve the accuracy of shooting. The Nielsen Kellerman 4500 NV meter comes with wind features to determine environmental conditions and also contains a ballistic calculator that you can use to plot the information to enable you to accurately hit a target at distance. For long range shooting, knowing the value of a crosswind will assist you in making windage adjustments to your telescopic sight and enable you to determine exactly where your bullet is going to impact.
DETERMINING WEATHER CONDITIONS
The Kestrel 4500 NV comes packed with a lot features built into it to determine or calculate environmental conditions. These include altitude, average wind speed, barometric pressure, compass, crosswind, current wind speed, dew point, relative humidity temperature, headwind / tailwind, temperature, wet bulb temperature, wind chill, wind direction and wind gust. The weather mode is able to measure up to 15 environmental parameters. Although other factors will come into play, the direction of the wind and wind speed will be the important features to assist with long range rifle accuracy. Game animals can react to changes in
2: The Kestrel 4500NV can be positioned on a mini tripod, which both keeps the unit vertical to ensure the compass works accurately and allows the user to view the data - laser rangefinder is a Vectronix Vector 21 which sees use with long range rifle shooters. 3: One of the rifles that we used during our trial of the 4500NV was the Accuracy International AX model in .338 Lapua Magnum calibre 4: The Kestrel tripod holds the meter vertically to ensure the compass reading is accurate - a Schmidt and Bender PM II telescopic sight fitted with a MSR Reticule was attached to the Accuracy International AX rifle
the weather. Being able to read the rise and fall of the barometric pressure and the changes that this will bring in associated weather patterns and being able to view this information on your hunting trips can help you to put together a database of information during every hunting season. With a built-in digital compass, the Kestrel is able to account for the wind’s direction and speed, along with the target’s bearing. The screen allows the user to monitor up to six targets. Each target is customised for location, distance, direction, declination and winds. Individual functions can be displayed in different formats: current, minimum, maximum, average and chart. The bladed impeller is a push in–push out unit, which can be changed by the user without tools.
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AND ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
The Kestrel 4500 meter measures station pressure, which is the actual air pressure in the measurement location and uses this value to calculate barometric pressure and altitude. Station pressure changes in response to two things; these are changes in altitude and changes in the atmosphere. Because the Kestrel meter is constantly changing location and altitude, it is important to enter adjustments or 'references' when accurate pressure and altitude readings are needed.
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Barometric pressure is station pressure corrected to sea level. In order to make the correction, the Kestrel meter needs an accurate reference altitude. Altitude is the height above sea level. In order to correctly calculate altitude, the unit needs an accurate barometric pressure reference, also known as an 'altimeter setting'. You only need to know one of these values (current barometric pressure or current altitude) in order to set your Kestrel meter up to show accurate readings.
BALLISTIC CALCULATOR
In addition to viewing the environmental conditions that Kestrel meters calculate and display, the 4500 NV can be switched to Advanced Ballistics mode where the ballistics calculator is found. To develop a precision shooting tool, the three main data input groups are Gun, Target and Environment. The instrument combines critical environmental data from the Kestrel with an integrated targeting software solution. Users can load and customise multiple guns and ammunition from the extensive database. Once these customised parameters are set, the Kestrel takes over. It tracks the real time environmental data and automatically updates the firing solution. The 4500 NV allows you to enter all your cartridge’s ballistic variables and velocity along with your rifle’s data; such as bore diameter, bullet weight and diameter, height difference between the sights and bore centre line, barrel rifling twist rate and direction along with zero range. This will, in a
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6: The information presented to the user on the screen is both clear and concise to allow them to make the correct decisions to take accurate shots 7: Nielsen Kellerman make some eleven different types of specialist wind meters to suit the needs of different user groups 8: The Applied Ballistic software allows you to store multiple data sets for different rifles in different calibres and then use this data to plot solutions to ensure that you can accurately hit a target at a long range
compact and weather resistant instrument, output all the required elevation and windage data you need for a long range shot. The details of up to sixteen rifles can be saved in this area with their own specific features, the sight click adjustment can also be specified, whether it be in MoA (Minute of Angle) or Miliradians. The 4500NV calculates accurate elevation and windage targeting solutions for long range rifle shooting. You can use either G1 or G7 ballistic coefficients, or select from the entire library of Applied Ballistics Custom Curves for more than 200 common long range bullets. Access to the entire Applied Ballistics Custom Curve library requires the Applied Ballistics Profile Loader PC application, together with either Bluetooth data transfer capability on the Kestrel Meter and PC, or the Kestrel Computer Interface accessory. The Applied Ballistics Profile Loader can be downloaded from the Kestrel website. One of the rifles that we used when trialling the Kestrel 4500NV was the Accuracy International AX model in .338 Lapua Magnum calibre. Attached to the AX was a Schmidt and Bender PM2 telescopic sight fitted with a MSR
Reticule. We also used a Vectronix, Vector 21 laser rangefinder during our trial. This type of equipment is in use with long range rifle shooters. To enable in-depth analysis of data at a later time, the Kestrel 4500 with Applied Ballistics can be set up to log data automatically. The stored data can also be uploaded wirelessly using integrated Bluetooth technology, or via an additional PC interface. With the optional computer interface a Kestrel 4500 with Applied Ballistics can transfer field data and gun libraries between the instrument and a PC. The Kestrel 4500 with Applied Ballistics and Bluetooth wireless technology enables both real time and logged data to be transferred wirelessly and automatically to a laptop or PDA. If you are shooting at relatively close ranges in a country where during the course of the day there is not a big shift in temperature and relative humidity, then you will not need to make big corrections to your point of aim. But, correspondingly, if you are shooting at very long ranges in a location where during the course of the day there is a big shift in temperature and relative humidity you will need to make corrections to your point of aim. This is where the Kestrel 4500 meter comes
9 into play. The information that you can access when using the meter as a weather station can be combined with the applied ballistics data relating to your rifle and ammunition combination. This will allow you to make adjustments to your sights to enable you to accurately hit the target at extended ranges during the different environmental conditions during the course of the day.
BLUETOOTH ENABLED
Kestrel Weather Meters with integrated Bluetooth technology offer the user a portable and accurate environmental data recording device that will work as a hand-held weather station. It can measure and log numerous critical environmental conditions, such as wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, altitude, density altitude, wet bulb, dew point and more. Both real time and logged data can be transferred wirelessly and automatically to laptop or PDA, making a Kestrel G NV weather meter the perfect tool for virtually any job that requires quick and reliable climatic data. Bluetooth wireless technology is available throughout the entire Kestrel 4000 series, including speciality Kestrel units. Wireless data transmission eliminates the need for a separate interface and cabling. Every Bluetooth Kestrel meter includes communication software designed to quickly and easily download logged data and transfer data to other applications. Data transmission range
Main Image: Along with the Vectronix Vector 21 Laser Range Finder the 4500 NV Kestrel wind meter is another useful tool that can be used on the range, hunting field and by law enforcement and military snipers 9: Knowing and recording different strengths and directions of the wind and being able to use this information will help you shoot more accurately our .338 Lapua Magnum test ammunition was loaded with 300 grain Lapua Scenar moly coated bullets Images Š Greg Roberts
adjustment allows you to maximise power to communicate with your Kestrel wirelessly at up to 30 feet (9 metres) range, or reduce power for closer, more secure operation. Individual unit IDs ensure you pair with the Kestrel you want, even when more than one system is operating in the same area. A permanently coded four digit pin number provides extra security when pairing and transmitting data.
METER BACKLIGHT
Military personnel and aviators flying in darkness are often concerned with preserving their night vision. The Kestrel 4500 NV has a night vision preserving backlight. This backlight incorporates an optical filter to reduce overall brightness and minimise blue and green spectrum light to preserve night vision of users such as military personnel, pilots and night fishermen.
This backlight appears soft greyish pink and is still in the visible spectrum, so is not compatible with night vision equipment. It takes some 30 to 45 minutes for the average eye to adapt to darkness and maximise night vision. Even a short burst of white, yellow, green or blue light 'bleaches out' the rod cell photoreceptors in the eye and causes night blindness until the entire adaptation process can take place again. Light in the red spectrum does not cause this 'bleaching out', preventing night blindness and night vision fatigue. This unit’s backlight is also much dimmer than a standard backlight, making it more difficult for others to detect with the naked eye in night operations.
WIND METER ACCESSORIES
To enable you to view the information on the screen while lying in the aiming position behind your rifle, the meter can be set on a small collapsible tripod. In
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high winds the meter can be mounted on a camera tripod, which can be weighted down to keep it stable. Keeping the meter vertical is critical to obtain an accurate compass setting and the small tripod or camera tripod combined with the Kestrel tripod clamp will assist with this. Using a camera tripod you can also turn the meter into a weather vane to show wind direction. The meter sits in a pivot clamp, which includes a spirit level bubble to position it upright. A collapsible lightweight metal rod inserts into both the pivot clamp and vane. As the meter will spin and sit according to the prevalent wind direction you obviously may not be able to read the screen. In a sniper pair this is where the number two comes into play to keep the shooter updated with relevant data.
MOLLE CASE
Sized for the Kestrel 4000 line, a MOLLE carry case is available for those wishing to carry their Kestrel on a MOLLE/PALS mounting system. As well as holding the Kestrel meter it also has an inner pouch for spare AAA batteries. This mounting system also adapts for use on a belt up to 2 ½ inches or 63 mm wide.
COMPACT SIZE
The Kestrel 4500 with Applied Ballistics is a compact 127 mm (five inches) long and weighs only 101 grammes. It is designed to be both waterproof and rugged to IP67 and MIL-STD-810F standards. The Kestrel's robust design has survived years of use by the military world wide and their quality is backed up with a five year warranty. If you are serious about your shooting, be it on the range or in the hunting field a Kestrel 4500 NV with Applied Ballistics will be an important
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part of your equipment. Each Kestrel meter is supplied with two AAA batteries, a soft carry pouch, impeller cover, instructions and a Certificate of Conformity. If you intend to use the Kestrel 4500 NV to its full potential then you will need to spend some quality time with the instruction manual doing a bit of book work to enable you to both understand how the various functions operate and what the user needs to do to operate the device properly. To get full use from this device a serious study of the instructions and practise with the 4500 NV in the field will be crucial. This will be time well spent in order for you to obtain all the information that this wind meter and ballistic calculator is capable of supplying you with. In addition to the extensive list of capabilities, the Kestrel 4500 NV has these distinct monitoring functions:• Digital Compass • Wind Direction • Crosswind • Headwind / Tailwind These added features make the 4500 the Kestrel Meter of choice for HAZMAT teams, military units and flight crews. The Kestrel NV is capable of storing and charting up to 1400 data points for later analysis. Measurements include heading (true and magnetic), wind direction, crosswind, headwind / tailwind, altitude, pressure trend, barometric pressure, relative humidity, heat stress index, dew point, wet bulb temperature, density altitude, wind chill, temperatures, current and average wind speeds and maximum wind gust. Target shooters, hunters and law enforcement and military snipers alike will find the Kestrel NV 4500 has the most complete list of usable features in the entire Kestrel Meter family. If you want to shoot out to long ranges
Main Image: The 4500 NV is compact in size as seen when compared to the four inch blade on my Spyderco knife used for game preparation 10: Recording ammunition details and the environmental conditions that you shoot in will enable you to reproduce accurate groups on the target 11: The Kestrel 4500 NV can be used both on the range and in the field to allow you to read and keep records of different climatic and environmental conditions that can affect your accuracy 12: The 4500 NV is Bluetoothenabled to allow you to quickly transfer and store data onto a laptop computer
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consistently on your shooting range days or if you are interested in recording how the climatic conditions can effect the movement of game animals, then a Kestrel 4500 NV will be of great assistance to you. You will have to take time to learn the instructions so that you will understand how the meter works so that this tool can really help you in improving your marksmanship and hunting abilities. The Kestrel 4500 NV, along with a laser rangefinder and binoculars, will be one of the tools that I will be carry in my trips throughout the hunting season. For those of you who will be skiing in the European Alps between now and April, a Kestrel weather meter will also be a useful tool with which to check and predict local weather conditions. For further information on the range check out kestrelweather.com and for the UK distributor, Richard Paul Russell Limited, see www.r-p-r.co.uk or telephone 01590 679 755.
SNUGPAK, OF WATERLOO MILLS IN SILSDEN, IS A NAME WHICH SHOULD BE FAMILIAR TO MOST, IF NOT ALL READERS, AND THEIR TRADEMARKED SNAIL SHELL LOGO WHICH IS FOUND ON ALL PRODUCTS IS PRETTY MUCH SEEN AS A GUARANTEE OF A HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT WHICH IS BOUND TO BE FIT FOR PURPOSE. A VERY HIGH PROPORTION OF THE COMPANY'S PRODUCT RANGE IS DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE UK, BUT THEY ARE NOT AVERSE TO SOURCING PRODUCTS AIMED AT MILITARY USERS FROM MANUFACTURERS IN OTHER NATO NATIONS IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SPECIALIST MACHINERY TO PRODUCE THEM IN THEIR OWN YORKSHIRE FACTORY.
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he new generation of computerdesigned 'technical' socks requires such a large investment in specialist machinery that it makes sense to source from a wellestablished manufacturer in that field, so this is what Snugpak have done with their Military Boot Sock range. Priced competitively at £7.95 a pair, Snugpak's military socks are available in two colours - olive green for Army or black for RN, RAF or blue light services personnel - and comes in two sizes covering UK6-9 or UK9.5-13. They are sold both online through snugpak.com and over the counter at some of the more specialist military kit and clothing outlets. These socks have an in-turned welt (the horizontal band at the top) for a comfortable fit plus a true heel and toe shape to prevent movement and
Look out for the Snugpak shell on both display packaging and the socks themselves. Unlike some of the military boot manufacturers Snugpak have limited their branding to the sole area meaning their socks are more tactical. We have been trialling the black version but these socks are also available in olive green for wearers of MTP camo
improve the overall fit. The lining is of wool-rich terry loop type for both warmth and comfort and the toe seam is smooth so that it, too, is comfortable on the foot. Composition is 35% polyester, 30% wool, 18% polyamide, 16% acrylic and 1% Lycra Elastane. I have now been wearing these socks roughly one day in three over the last month and have found them to be very good indeed.
Few modes of transportation are as discreet and easily manoeuvrable as a kayak, making it an excellent means of stealth infiltration. Through the years some adaptations have been made to take advantage of new technologies and changes in weapons and tactics, but for the most part the basic design hasn't changed and the military kayak seems to have become standard issue in Special Forces amphibious arsenals around the globe.
PRODUCTION
The first workable folding kayak, forerunner of the military kayak, was built and patented by Alfred Heurich, a German architect, back in 1905. As early as 1906 Johannes Klepper,
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whose factory was at Rosenheim in Germany, began manufacturing a folding kayak which, being popular for its compact size and ease of transport, was commercially successful. Over the years the market for folding kayaks was developed and several other companies started producing similar models. After the Great War of 1914-18, kayaks become more and more popular as recreational craft and the use of kayaks by adventurers for Arctic and jungle exploration highlighted the boat's ability to function in extreme weather conditions. As the military started to develop Special Operations units and the use of unconventional warfare and tactics grew in importance, several companies began producing kayaks for the military. Klepper still produces kayaks and their military model, the Klepper Aerius II, is used by the Royal Marines and UK Special Forces.
Main Image: Foreign Legion combat diver of the 2nd REG equipped with closed circuit breathing apparatus and carrying FAMAS assault rifles emerge from the water after paddling ashore by kayak
In America, Long Haul Products Inc. produces the Mark II Commando, used by US Special Forces, USMC recon units and US Navy SEALS.
Images Š Richard Lucas or from the author's private collection
Compared to the civilian model the Mark VI has some slight modifications, including a reinforced structure, carbon fibre paddles, a modified rudder and special mounts for navigational devices and other military gear and weapons. The
In France the Nautiraid company modified their adventure line kayaks, developed for use in extreme conditions, for example Arctic exploration, for military employment. The kayak they currently market for the military, the SB Commando Mark VI seen here in the photos, is typical of the type of kayak used in combat operations. This style of two-man, tandem design, folding kayak can be broken down into two portable 20 kg packs.
Main Image: Having used a kayak to clandestinely approach from ship to shore elite Legion combat divers swim up a waterway using their camouflaged packs as both cover and floatation aids 1: Using a kayak allows a lot more gear to be brought ashore than if the combat divers were to swim - it is not unusual for equipment packs to weigh over 45kg (100lbs) 2: Here a French Commando recon team from the 2nd REG sends images and observations complete with GPS data back to operations centre via satellite hookup 1
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upper deck is covered with a non-reflective, anti-infrared fabric and has been fitted with special lift points for hauling up onto naval vessels. The total length is 5.4 metres, with a beam of .9 metres when the side flotation is inflated. Basic weight is 40 kg and the carrying capacity is around 350 kg. Nautiraid, who also produce waterproof packs and containers, camouflage wet suits and other articles for the military, began essentially to supply the European market. All French amphibious Special Forces groups use the Mark VI, as do military units in Belgium, Holland, Italy and Spain. As more African and Asian regions are faced with low intensity combat situations involving insurgent groups and foreign infiltration a worldwide market is developing.
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Armed with silenced 9mm Uzi sub-machineguns a combat team of the French Foreign Legion's 1st REG uses a kayak to infiltrate and secure a riverbank during amphibious operations
Commandos of the 2nd REG make their approach during a reconnaissance mission - as the kayak team leader manoeuvres toward the shoreline the man in front is ready for any eventualities.
FRENCH MILITARY KAYAKS The diverse uses of kayaks for military operations is well illustrated by the way the French armed forces have incorporated them in a number of different combat units. French Marine Commandos, similar to the US Navy SEALS, first began developing kayaks for military use in the 1980's in collaboration with the French kayak builder Nautiraid. After extensive fresh and salt water testing, the unit obtained a number of kayaks and began using them in their training and on actual missions. Following suit, other French special operations units began to incorporate kayaks into their operations; most notably these are the 13th RDP and the 1st RPIMa. The 13th RDP (R?iment Dragoons Parachutistes) is an elite reconnaissance regiment whose origins go back to 1676, when it was created as a cavalry regiment. Its
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mission is to acquire and transmit intelligence through using small autonomous and discreet units operating behind enemy lines, at any time and in any hostile environment (aquatic, cold mountain, equatorial forest, desert), The regiment's 2nd squadron is specialist in aquatic infiltration using divers and kayaks. The 1st RPIMa (Marine Paratroop Regiment) is the French Army's Special Forces Regiment. It is a direct action group trained in reconnaissance and surveillance, counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and sabotage and demolition. Other units of the French Army equipped with kayaks are the 1st and 2nd REG and the 2nd REP; both 1st and 2nd REG being French Foreign Legion Combat Engineer Regiments. Part of the 6th Amphibious Assault Brigade, the 1st REG engineer commando teams are used by their brigade as part of the preliminary landing forces. Their job is to arrive before the main force and clear a beachfront landing zone of mines and other obstacles, often
3: Equipment carried by 4 a recon diver including electronic observation, imaging and communication kit, combat rations, sleeping and shelter materials, clothing, boots, gloves weapon and ammunition 4: Adapted for military use, this kayak is fitted with an anti-infrared camouflage cover, as well as fixation points for weapons and materiel - the navigation system usually includes a compass and GPS
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using kayaks to get to the combat zone. The 2nd REG is part of the French Mountain Brigade which, strangely enough, uses divers in reconnaissance, sabotage, demolition, and mining/demining missions. The unit's commandos are specialists in fresh water operations which entail cold water dives in low visibility and aquatic infiltration by rivers and lakes. The kayaks are primarily used to carry the necessary equipment for mining, demining and demolition operations. The elite French Foreign Legion Paratroop Regiment, the 2nd REP, is often the 'spearhead' of the French Rapid Strike Force. Most recently in the conflict in Mali they parachuted behind rebel positions in order to cut off retreat routes as the main French attack force progressed north by land. The 3rd Company of the REP is specialist in amphibious operations; the company includes combat divers and combat swimmers and often uses kayaks to secure and mark out a waterfront landing zone so that the rest of the company can debark from motorized craft or the entire regiment can be transported to the combat
Main Image: A kayak borne recon group of the 2nd REP returns to the support vessel after beach reconnaissance exercises near their main base at Calvi on the zone in landing craft launched from naval French island of Corsica
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vessels.
5: Each kayak is crewed by two Legionnaires and normally they would Kayaks are usually deployed when the work in mutually use of divers becomes impractical. The supporting pairs maximum range of a combat diver is about six or seven kilometres, dependent infiltration and exfiltration would usually on conditions, whereas the kayaks can be under cover of easily cover 20 or 30 km. Kayaks are darkness also considerably faster and can carry
DEPLOYMENT
substantially more necessary equipment. All French forces use two-seat kayaks. The team leader, in the rear seat, steers the craft and, using compass, maps and/or GPS, is in charge of navigation. He is also in communication with the Command Centre. Upon arriving in the zone of interest the soldier in front, weapon in ready position, assures the security of the team as the soldier behind manoeuvres through the zone.
6: Kayaks, which are collapsible, can be deployed from a wide range of vessels - from submarines to destroyers to aircraft carriers - but a shallow draft landing craft is ideal as an exercise mother ship
7: Although a recent photograph, this timeless shot of two Most kayak-borne recon teams, whose recce commandos primary concern is to avoid contact and paddling a kayak could detection by the enemy, are armed with have been taken seventy a silenced Uzi compact subyears ago during WWII machinegun. Equipped with a proper suppressor, the only audible sound when as the basics have hardly changed over the fired is the click of the bolt sliding years through the chamber.
ARMS THEY CARRY
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Recently amphibious deployment units in the French Army have been issued the Belgium FN built SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) available in 5.56mm NATO calibre as well as the heavier 7.62 round. The SCAR has proven to be reliable in extreme conditions, especially in the aquatic environment, can literally be fired underwater, and is available in a variety of configurations. As a side-arm most units carry a Glock 9mm pistol, specially treated to be salt water resistant. As it stands, even in the age of stealth helicopters and HALO jumps, the simple and reliable kayak, with its low visual signature, is an effective tool that can be used in number of military applications.
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The Keela Belay Smock really came into its own on a cold and windy day in the Lakes
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Product - UK Contact: Telephone/Web:
Keela/Keela 01592 777 000/keela.co.uk
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Main Image: Although not raining hard for the photo, this day was quite wet and the Belay kept it all on the outside 1: The full side zips are really good on this top with loads of venting if you need it - most times the Belay smock and a T-shirt are good for an active day out
I am a fan of this design concept and it is one used by a number of manufactures these days. All have their own little differences.
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eela have taken this garment to a high level. For a start, they use Primaloft insulation. For my money, this is definitely a good thing and in practice it works very well. Not only is it warm but also highly water-resistant in its own right, so if the outer layer gives up against the rain this will also help to keep you dry. Starting at the top there is a basic hood which folds into the collar. The collar has a drawcord and there is a front zip. The side vents on the Keela not only zip up the side for access and ventilation but also continue down the arms and so work as 'pit zips' and are double-ended for total flexibility. This works very well and gives a lot of venting options which, given the ability of Primaloft to keep you warm, is a good thing when you are ‘busy’. The ends of the sleeves have Velcro cuffs to adjust to suit needs. On the front is a ‘kangaroo’ pouch pocket as well as handwarmer pockets, which are soft feel material for added warmth. All in all this is a great garment from Keela in their Outerwear Thermal range, with good features.
These may not look much ... but they work!
When cruising the aisles at DSEi, amidst all the multimillion lumps of hardware, I came across a small stand with some interesting small items. Among them were these insoles.
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ver time I have got to try many types and have to say few have proved to be comfortable and stay in my boots after trying them. Not so these. They now live in a pair of boots I wear often.
They are simple and they work. The insole is made from Poron XRD material, which has specific properties that are soft to touch but good at absorbing repeated impact; as they have to when inside a hard worn boot. The use of this material goes well beyond boot insoles. If you want the full techie bit, take a look at the website.
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Product - UK Contact: Telephone/Web:
Algeos/Algeos Power Monkey/Power Traveller Snugfeet/Snugpak Tree Trunks/Sue-Me 0151 448 1228/algeos.com 01420 542 980/powertraveller.com 01535 654 479/snugpak.com 0844 800 9718/sueme.com
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Not quite as they might immediately sound, these are in fact Boxers ... but made from Beech Tree pulp. They are in reality a lot softer than they sound, in fact, these are very comfortable. (I'll second that as I wear this brand most days, Ed.)
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took these away on a (hot) trip and found them to be really good to wear and have worn them loads since then. Tree Trunks have a natural anti-bacterial ability so are good if you are not able to wash them as often as you might like. And they dry quickly when you do get the chance. With each pair they even give you a little envelope of Beech Tree seeds to plant (collected by the Sue-Me team themselves) so you can start the next generation of trees. I'm happy with these, worth a try.
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Most mobiles will do a day, perhaps two if not used too much. But for 'us', we are often away from a mains supply for long periods of time or if making full use of our device a means of refuel is required.
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ower Traveller has a new item in their inventory which is neat and effective. It seems to be durable and comes with a soft protective case. Chargeable from mains/USB or solar device, the Discovery will not only add time to your phone, it will also supply the likes of games units, GPS and MP3 players. A neat and easy way of taking added power along on your trip or as a 'just in case' back-up. Another good one from Power Traveller.
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Main Image: The Discovery is compact and comes with soft case and power transfer lead - ideal for keeping the phone and other items topped up 2: No! I am not modelling these! These are beech pulp Boxers and they work. Take it from me. Not sure about the Beech tree It’s that time of year! Unless you are lucky, it is seeds – I'm still likely to be cold at night and even during the day. waiting for them to germinate o, if in a cold tent or even at home and you need 3: Snugfeet designed to keep the feet warm and relaxed when camped up Images © Mike Gormley
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something cosy for your feet when not wearing your boots/shoes, Snugfeet could be the answer. Although apparently bulky these pack into a small stuff sack (supplied) so can be stowed in the Bergen to keep your feet comfy when you are at rest. Not outdoor items but able to cope with the odd foray out of the tent. The clue is in the name!
DEPLOYED IN THE LATE SUMMER ON COUGAR '13 ABOARD HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, FOR A TOUR THROUGH THE MEDITERRANEAN AND OUT TO THE HORN OF AFRICA, THE ROYAL MARINES OF JULIET COMPANY FROM DEVON-BASED 42 COMMANDO UNEXPECTEDLY FOUND THEMSELVES RETASKED TO THE PHILIPPINES AS PART OF BRITAIN'S RESPONSE TO THE CATASTROPHIC TYPHOON HAIYAN WHICH HIT THE ISLAND NATION IN EARLY NOVEMBER. ARRIVING IN-THEATRE ON THE 25TH ABOARD WHAT HAD EFFECTIVELY BEEN TURNED INTO A FLOATING WAREHOUSE OF EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES, THE ROYAL MARINES AND THEIR COLLEAGUES FROM THE RESPONSE FORCE TASK GROUP IMMEDIATELY COMMENCED DELIVERING AID ASHORE.
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Main Image: By 25th November HMS Illustrious had arrived in the Philippines and commenced disaster relief operations including flying teams out to some of the more inaccessible islands to carry out a recce [RJ] 1: Officer cadets from Britannia Royal Naval College aboard HMS Illustrious who previously participated in the NEO in Albania (see page 26) help shift and sort aid supplies on the ship's hangar deck [NW]
Images Crown Copyright: PO(Phot) Ray Jones & L(Phot) Nicky Wilson
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ajor Andy Dow RM, Officer Commanding Juliet Company, stated: “J Company is a highly trained team with fit, strong and extremely motivated men at its core. Working side by side with our Royal Navy and Army colleagues there is a tremendous amount that we can do to help the communities affected by the typhoon. The company has deployed to some of the worst hit areas and we have done everything possible to help the people and set them on a path to longer term recovery.” By 3rd December Operation PATWIN, the UK contribution to the multinational humanitarian aid effort, had distributed roughly 130 tonnes of stores including: 2048 family food packs, each intended to feed a family of five for one week; 5400 tarpaulins; 46 debris clearance packs of shovels, wheelbarrows, hammers, saws, tarpaulins, rice bags and assorted tools; and 1500 litres of water to islands where they did not have a fresh water supply.
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2: On 30th November a group of Royal Navy and RM personnel went ashore to Magalumbe in North East Panay to help deliver aid, set up a medical clinic for the village and carry out general repairs [NW]
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3: Juliet Company from 42 Commando RM busy at work in Magalumbe assembling wheelbarrows brought ashore from HMS Illustrious to allow them to distribute emergency supplies where most needed [NW] 4: Among others the shore party included a naval nurse who helped DFID (Department For International Development) doctors set up a medical clinic and skilled engineering personnel [NW] 5
5: Commando Engineers embarked onboard HMS Illustrious measuring up the roof of Magalumbe school prior to commencing major repairs with assistance from the local population [RJ]
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6: When C&S last saw the LCG they had just undertaken amphibious raids, an airfield assault and an non-combatant evacuation half a world away from this assistance mission in the Philippines [NW] 7: RM Commando Lance Corporal Frans Navarro hard at work helping the reconstruction effort amongst the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan which was one of the worst storms ever recorded [NW] Combat & Survival
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With the drawdown in our military commitments to Afghanistan, many in the security and defence arena have been asking questions for a while concerning what is next? Where is the next contemporary operating environment likely to be? What threats will we encounter there? What about Homeland Security, will the threats be the same?
in the middle of the spectrum, (medium forces) that can cover as much of the spectrum as possible from military aid to the civil community as far up to high intensity armoured warfare as possible. Typical forces of this nature would be equipped with less tracked fighting vehicles than wheeled ones, which are cheaper to run and can operate on expeditionary operations as well as in the cities of the homeland; although this will always be a political decision and take public view into consideration (the reason the Met Police have their own EOD teams is because having the Army publicly deployed on the streets of London is politically unacceptable). One thing the reduced size and capabilities of both military and police forces will ensure though, is increased cooperation between troops and police and the intelligence services.
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he perception seems to be that there will be a huge difference and that the two areas of conflict are somehow separated. This perception is true in some areas but this depends on the country concerned and other factors, such as the level of cooperation between the military and civilian powers and, of course, the financial imperatives.
Certainly the conflict will decrease as we are not operating in countries abroad and providing an amount of targets just by being there but the TTPs are global; men are being trained abroad as well as radicalised at home. There are going to be hundreds of young men with combat experience returning from Syria once that conflict resolves itself, who could feasibly then train radicalised individuals or networks to strike within the homeland. As the saying goes: “you may not be interested in the war, but the war is interested in you”! Conflict may currently be abroad, but it will come home to roost. Added to this issue is the fact that after decades of conflict, unpopular with the British public, the military have
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encouraged its personnel to wear uniform openly to gather public support for the forces. This could mean as we withdraw from being targets abroad we can now be targeted in the homeland. Of course, although it’s easier to target personnel in uniform on the streets of UK, you can always be targeted of duty or in plain clothes as we see with the recent tragic case of Drummer Lee Rigby. One aspect of the threat and security spectrum that the military will get increasingly involved in within homeland security is helping the civil powers and the community during environmental emergencies and complex catastrophes, which have seen increase in not only number but intensity. Not only are we going to be
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.
A severe restriction on government budgets and continued cuts to achieve savings each year means smaller security forces with increased use of reserves. Although this will stretch forces that must be capable of operating across the complete threat spectrum, one way of saving money has been to have more forces equipped for operations
IMAGE © BOB MORRISON : MILITARY SCENE
Another aspect of the current and potential future cuts in the armed forces and police is that due to the drawdown in operational commitments there will be a lack of of military abroad, aside from that on training, and therefore to prevent further cuts the military will look for roles within homeland security such as counter-terrorism, surveillance operations and the potentially most damaging threat of cyber warfare. Throughout the police, intelligence and military domains, resources now have to be trained and allocated to protecting out cyber infrastructure.
dealing with these types of emergencies in the homeland, but we will still need to help other nations abroad as we see with the deployment of naval forces to help with Hurricane Haiyan in the Philippines. In the future the public in the homeland will have increased expectations and expect faster help on a larger scale. So what we will see in the future is continued asymmetrical attack by nonstate adversaries, whether we are deployed abroad or not, and they will continue to pursue attacks such as mass casualty events. Cyber warfare will increase. The one fact we see is that homeland security neither begins nor ends at a country's borders. Our homeland is also a contemporary operating environment.
I have been a wearer of Snugpak thermal jackets, though personal choice, for a great many years as, just like their sleeping bags which I swear by, they do precisely what it says on the tin. Although lightweight despite their obvious bulk, their Softie Jackets (SJ) provide incredible insulation yet compress down very small (into their own stuff sack) when you need to carry rather than wear. There are three different insulation levels catered for in the SJ series (SJ3, SJ6, SJ9) with this one being intended for autumn wear rather than winter (SJ9) or spring (SJ3).
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Main Image: SJ-6 inner lining is Paratex Light and main YKK zip is of the waterresistant type 1: Review jacket is baggy as it is XXL (Editor) size but hem can be drawn in to keep warmth inside
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Main Image: The standing collar is deliberately capacious - the hood rolls away neatly inside it
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he latest SJ6 model featured this month has actually been around since the end of 2012 but as I really wanted one of these in ATACS AU pattern rather than in one of the other five colours on offer, and there was a bit of a run on the first batch produced in this camo fabric once they were advertised in C&S, I wore my MultiCam Sleeka Reversible through the cold spring until another bulk order of Paratex Micro was bought in to produce the autumn 2013 batch of jackets. My review sample in ATACS arrived just as the weather was turning in the UK and I immediately put it to good use. Although similar in function to the Sleeka Original and Reversible models, which also use the excellent Softie Premier filling, the SJ6 has a roll-away fleece-lined hood inside the adjustable high neck collar, water-resistant YKK main zip, concealed zipped side
pockets, quilted side panels and Velcro pads for attaching insignia on the upper arm. The back of the jacket is scalloped and elasticated drawcords with side toggles allow it to be pulled in under the seat. The outer is Paratex Micro and the inner is Paratex Light, which make it windproof and showerproof. Comfort level is -5C but it should keep you warm down to -10C. Available in six sizes, colours include blue and outdoor black for the civvy market plus military black, olive green, MultiCam and A-TACS Arid/Urban. We we will look closer at A-TACS, which uses soft edged digital micro and macro patterns to confuse both the eye and vision devices, in a future issue. An alternative to MultiCam, it uses mostly sand and stone shades and its lighter shades reflect surrounding colours meaning it changes shade and colour to some extent.
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2: Top of collar can be drawn in tight and hood can also be drawn in around the face 3: Lower side panels are quilted and rear hem is scalloped in under the seat 4: A-TACS camo is a blend of digitally sampled micro and macro patterns we will look closer at this in a future issue
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Model
VICTORIA Images Š Bob Morrison
For more on the SJ6 go to snugpak.com Combat & Survival
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