Combat & Survival 2017-04

April 2017 Vol 29 Issue 01

COMBATANDSURVIVAL.COM

ARMOUR FOCUS „GERMAN „G GERMAN PUMA PUMA „FINNISH SISU

+ FIREARMS FN 7.62mm3 MINIMI MK

CRISIS RESPONSE

FINNISH RAPID DEPLOYMENT FORCE

CAMOUFLAGE

Volume 29 Issue 01 £4.25

FINNISH M05 MAASTOKUVIO

EL I TE FORCES

11e BRIGADE

PARACHUTISTE

BRITAIN’S LEADING INDEPENDENT MILITARY MAGAZINE

P17

COMBAT śSURVIVAL Vicky Lindsay, Magazine Director

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

Bob Morrison, Editor Carl Schulze, Senior Correspondent Gordon Arthur, Far East Correspondent Mike Gormley, Gear Tester Robert Shaw, Security Consultant Ian Young, Scale Models Neal Molyneaux, Designer

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

Moira Spencer, Sales Director Fran Smith, Admin & Accounts Manager

MARKETING DEPARTMENT

Ciaran Jarosz, Head of Marketing Daryl Crowther, Marketing Manager

PAGE 09: Elite Forces - 11e BRIGADE PARACHUTISTE Carl Schulze reports on France’s Airborne Spearhead and UK Forces’ CJEF partners

PAGE 17: Armour In Detail - SCHÜTZENPANZER PUMA Carl Schulze reports on Germany’s newly ´elded tracked Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle

PAGE 24: Crisis Response - Finnish RDF Bob Morrison reports on Finland’s all-volunteer and neutral Rapid Defence Force on exercise

PAGE 30: Helicopter Focus - Finnish MI-8 HIP Bob Morrison delves into the archives for photos of this Russian built transport helicopter

PAGE 33: Firearms 01 - 7.62mm MINIMI MK3 Richard Brown looks at the larger calibre version of the FN Herstal Light Machine Gun

PAGE 38: Pull-out Poster 7.62mm MINIMI MK.3 We have turned a superb manufacturer-supplied er-ssup er-s er uppl up ppl plie ied ie ed image into a wall poster for our gun fans ns

PAGE 42: Firearms 02 7.62mm MINIMI Mk.2 Yves Debay (assassinated in Syria in 2 2013) 0113) p photographed ho oto ogr grap aphe phe h d the 7.62mm Minimi in Afghanistan

PAGE 52: Armour Focus SISU XA-180/185 Bob & Carl collaborate to bring a photo to al album lbum bu um o off Finland’s 6x6 APC on exercise and deployment plo pl oy yme ment

PAGE 58: Kit & Camo M05 MAASTOKUVIO Bob Morrison photographs a commercially cia allly available uniform in this interesting Finnish nnis nn i h is pattern

[Cover Image : © Carl Schulze]

PAGE 64: Outdoor Gear - TRIED D& TESTED Mike Gormley ´eld trials a camp axe, Leatherman Signal, sleeping bag, leggings and cooler bag

PAGE 70: Footwear MEINDL EQUATOR ALPHA Bob Morrison tests the new desert boot o v ot version ersi er sion sion on featuring a newly unveiled Gore-Tex laminate am miina ate e

PAGE 05: Comms PAGE 45 + 48: Reviews PAGE 68: Security

Published by Hit Media Ltd Printed & Distributed by Warners Group Publications PLC The Maltings, West Street, Bourne PE10 9PH Subscriptions and Back Issue Orders to: COMBAT & SURVIVAL Magazine which is published by: Hit Media Ltd, 1st Floor Turnbridge Mills, Quay Street, Hudders´eld, HD1 6QT Tel: (01484) 437319 ISSN: 0955-9841 To Subscribe or order a digital edition visit www.combatandsurvival.com Advertising: [email protected] Editorial: [email protected] ©Copyright here and abroad of all material is held by the publishers. No reproduction permitted whatsoever reprod rep rod duct u ion on n is pe p rm m without prior consent withou wit h utt prio hou p rio or c onsen ons e in writing. en IMPORTANT: combat and IM IMP M ORT O ANT ANT:: All All iindividual nd personal survival activities involve risk per e son sonal all sur a u viv ur vall ac off injury oneself and others and great injury to on o ese sse elf a care car c are must must be ta taken k carrying out any ke ken such guidance should such activities. acti c vit vities ies.. Expert ies Exp x be sought and equipment checked for sou ught ht an nd e qu qui reliability before reliab rel iabili ility ty bef be ore an any y activities described here carried out. The publishers here in in are are car arrie ried do cannot can annot not accept accep ac ceptt any any responsibility for any injury, loss inj n ury ury,, death, deat eath, h, los os or damage which may result. resul re sul ult. ul t.. ARTICLES ART RTICL ICL CL LE AND PHOTOGRAPHS PHO OTO O will be will b e welcomed and considered for publication. c con onsi si Submission of such shall Sub ub be c considered a warranty thatt they are original and tha do not infringe on the copyright of others. co o Unsuitable material U can only be returned c iff you include a S.A.E. Loss or damage is not L the th responsibility of th COMBAT & SURVIVAL. C CO DISCLAIMER: The publishers DI DIS DISCLA ISCLA CL make mak ke no no representations, endorsements, endors end o eme or ors emen n guarantees or warranties concerning the products warran war rantie ran tie es c on n and/or and d/or /o o se sservices ervi rv v ces ce e advertised within magazine. We expressly disclaim thiss maga thi m agazin aga zine. zin e W e. and alllll lia liability a an any da liabil iabil bility ity ty relating to or arising from sale, manufacture, distribution, fro r m the the sal ale, e man e, anuf uff misuse u or us use o m mi su sus u e of of suc ssuch. uc

COMBAT CO OMB MBAT A & SURVIVAL | 03

comms

On 24th February an advance party from 5th Battalion the RiÁes joined the Estonia Independence Day Parade through the capital of Tallinn [© Estonian defence Forces]

Comms S ometimes all our ducks line up in a row and we end up with a ‘mini-special’ issue which has several articles on a common theme in addition to our main opening features. This month is one such issue, with the Finnish Rapid Defence Forces (FRDF) featuring heavily. It had originally been my intention to run a single feature on the FRDF, with a two-page addon featuring their SISU 6x6 personnel carriers, but while Carl and I were mulling future issue content over a couple of pints in my Devon local we realised we had a much wider range of photos of these well-proven vehicles than I originally thought.

Helsinki-based Varusteleka then chipped into the pot by offering us a Finnish M05 pattern uniform for our Kit & Camo feature and also offered us one of their own design of Särmä assault packs for review. When the package from Finland arrived I discovered they had also included one of their Terävä range of Jaeger knives, so we now also had a Finnish-themed Working Blades page to throw into the mix. Then, while looking through my photo archive for FRDF images for the main feature I realised that I had managed

to photograph one of Finland’s Mil Mi-8 Hip helicopters on the ground and taking off, during BATTLE GRIFFIN in 2005, which allowed us to drop in a Finnish-themed Aviation Focus page. Finally, a copy of The White Sniper, the biography of Finn Simo Häyhä who is credited as the world’s greatest sniper, landed on my doormat for review. That’s quite a lot of Finnish ducks for one issue.

On the UK Forces side, the NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) mission to bolster defence of the Alliance’s North-Eastern nation members in case President Putin should decide to further expand Russia’s borders, is now well underway with an advance party from the 5 Riµes Battle Group in-situ. On 24th February the Estonian Defence Forces and UK MoD announced: “UK Armed Forces in Estonia have taken part in celebrations to mark the country’s Independence Day. Ahead of the deployment of 800 British troops to lead part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Estonia, an advance team from 5th Battalion the Riµes already in country today joined the Estonia Independence Day Parade, marching through the capital of Tallinn to a crowd of thousands. The

event marks the Estonian Declaration of Independence in 1918, after Britain played a key role in helping the Estonians to gain their independence.” Last July the UK Secretary of State for Defence announced that 150 British troops would deploy to Eastern Poland in early 2017 as part of NATO’s eFP reassurance measures in the Baltic Region. In late November Prime Minister Theresa May con´rmed that this 150-strong deployment would consist primarily of personnel from the Catterick-based Light Dragoons. The armed forces, through their Social Media pages, have revealed that the Light Dragoons have had their vehicles repainted from Desert Stone to NATO Green for the eFP deployment and in late February MoD Whitehall made available the accompanying photo of two of their Green Jackals under Open Government Licence terms. C&S will do its level best to cover both the UK contribution to eFP and the UK Forces units leading NATO’s VJTF (Very High Readiness Task Force) during 2017, but to do so we are highly reliant on the Directorate of Defence Communications and the Army Media Communications department giving us suf´cient notice and granting us access to closed training areas, so no promises I’m afraid. BM

Cavalrymen from the Light Dragoons with their Jackal 2 armoured vehicle during a training exercise in early February [Crown Copyright/OGL: Army Photographer]

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 05

BRITISH ARMY MTP SPECIAL FORCES WEBBING

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01: The Béret Rouge with the winged dagger badge is the trade mark of the French paratroopers of the 11e BP - 2e REP Legionnaires wear the FFL green beret

elite forces

Report & Images by

CARL SCHULZE

11e BRIGADE PARACHUTISTE FRANCE’S AIRBORNE SPEARHEAD

Images © Carl Schulze

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The French counterpart of the British 16 Air Assault Brigade is the 11e Brigade Parachutiste. Falling under command of the 3e Division and belonging to the French rapid reaction forces, the airborne brigade is the only combined arms formation of the Armée de Terre specialising in conducting airborne and air assault operations. With this brigade being earmarked to deploy as advance element of the FrancoBritish Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) we thought it a good idea to provide readers with a quick brief on it.

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ormed out of units of the 11e Division Parachutiste under the post-Cold War restructuring of the Armée de Terre, the Land Army, the 11e Brigade Parachutiste came into existence in 1999. Since then the brigade has, as a whole or in parts, seen

quite a share of operational service. French paratroopers, for example, took part in Opération LICORNE in Ivory Coast from 2003 onwards. From 2006 they saw action with the NATOled International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. From January 2013 onwards troops of

the brigade deployed to Mali under Operation SERVAL; some 200 paratroopers originally based in Ivory Coast deployed with wheeled APCs and light armour overland to Mali, while 250 troops of the brigade jumped into Mali in order to join them for the battle for Timbuktu.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 09

elite forces

across the full range of the military mission spectrum, ranging from human disaster relief operations to high intensity war ´ghting. A deployment can be conducted independently or as part of a larger formation. During a possible deployment, the forces of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste can utilise their unique capability to use the third dimension as a means of reaching an area of operation, allowing them to deploy to areas with restricted access and avoiding possible deployment constraints. A likely scenario for the deployment of the ENU airborne/air assault task force would be to conduct a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation.

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PRIME MISSION

The prime mission of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste is to provide an airborne/ air assault task force for the Échelon National d’Urgence (ENU), which is the emergency response force of the French Armed Forces. The brigade therefore maintains, round the clock, a high readiness force of 700 paratroopers for long distance strategic deployments, of which a ´rst contingent can be deployed twelve hours after being alerted with the rest following after 48 hours.

Images © Carl Schulze

This force can be deployed anywhere in the world and can conduct operations

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BRIGADE STRUCTURE

The 11e Brigade Parachutiste numbers some 7,500 troops. Its units are based in South-Western France and Corsica. In addition to its own command, reconnaissance, combat, combat

support and logistic support assets, the brigade also is in charge of two training establishments. The following units belong to the 11e Brigade Parachutiste:„ État Major de la 11e Brigade Parachutiste (EM 11e BP) ~ brigade headquarters „ 11e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions Parachutiste ( 11e CCTP) ~ airborne headquarters and signal company „ 1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes (1er RHP) ~ light armoured regiment „ 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes (1er RCP) ~ airborne infantry regiment „ 2e Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes (2e REP) ~ airborne infantry regiment „ 3e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine (3e RPIMa) ~ airborne infantry regiment

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04 „ 8e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine (8e RPIMa) ~ airborne infantry regiment „ Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes (GCP) ~ path´nder group „ 35e Régiment d’Artillerie Parachutiste (35e RAP) ~ airborne artillery regiment „ 17e Régiment du Génie Parachutiste (17e RGP) ~ airborne engineer regiment „ 1er Régiment du Train Parachutiste (1er RTP) ~ airborne logistic regiment „ École des Troupes Aéroportées (ETAP) ~ airborne forces school „ Centre de Formation Initiale des Militaires du Rang (CFIM 11) ~ recruit and basic training centre „ Centre Délégué à la Livraison par Air (CD-LPA) ~ air drop centre, based at Toulose-Francazal

EM 11E BP AND 11E CCTP

The État Major de la 11e Brigade Parachutiste (EM 11e BP) is based at Toulouse. Fully air-droppable, the HQ can serve as command element for a national force as well as for a multinational force. It is specialist in the conception, planning and leading of airborne and tactical air landing

02: After being inserted by parachute troops of 8e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine move off the drop zone in order to engage enemy forces 03: 11e BP can Àeld a 200-strong GCP Special Operations Capable PathÀnder element to conduct special reconnaissance and independent commando operations 04: The RTF1 mortar has a maximum effective range of 13,000m, can be inserted by parachute and transported as external load by helicopter 05: Members of the Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes - the PathÀnder element of 11e BP - board a SA330 Puma utility helicopter 06: Part of the French rapid reaction forces 11e BP is the only Army combined arms formation specialising in airborne and air assault operations

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07: For air defence purposes the 35e Régiment d’Artillerie Parachutiste Àelds the man-portable Mistral short range surface to air missile system

platoon and a GCP signal section.

07 operations and features the usual cells (G1 to G9). Parts of the EM 11e BP are kept constantly at extreme high readiness, allowing the HQ to deploy at very short notice. The 11e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions Parachutiste ( 11e CCTP) – the airborne headquarters and signal company - is also based at Toulouse. Its main mission is to provide the brigade HQ with communication links to its subordinate units and higher commands. The company numbers 160 personnel and is structured into a command platoon, three signal platoons, one headquarters and signal

1ER RCP, 2E REP, 3E RPIMA AND 8E RPIMA

The main combat power of the 11e BP is provided by four nearly identically structured airborne infantry regiments, namely: 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes based in Pamiers; 2e Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes of the Légion Étrangère, based at Calvi on Corsica; 3e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine, based at Carcassonne; and 8e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine, based at Castres. All regiments number a headquarters and logistic company, a reconnaissance company, four airborne infantry companies and a reserve company, and 1er RCP features a ´fth airborne infantry company.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 11

“THE GCP PERSONNEL ARE HAHO/HALO TRAINED AND CAN ALSO BE INSERTED AND EXTRACTED USING THE SPECIAL PATROL INSERTION/EXTRACTION (SPIE) SYSTEM.”

elite forces

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Images © Carl Schulze unless noted otherwise

As a unit of the French Foreign Legion, the 2e REP features an additional administration company plus its own logistic and maintenance company. All airborne infantry companies of the 2e REP have an individual specialisation; e.g. urban warfare and riot control, mountain and Arctic warfare, amphibious warfare and irregular warfare. Each of the regiments also can ´eld its own Special Operations Capable GCP (Path´nder platoon). The airborne regiments can be employed in their traditional role as airborne infantry or as mechanised infantry equipped with the VAB 4x4 wheeled APC, while the reconnaissance companies can ´eld VBL amphibious light armoured reconnaissance vehicles.

09 12 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

In recent years the units were issued the Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons Intégrés (FÉLIN) integrated infantry and communication equipment. Infantry weapons in use include: the 5.56mm FAMAS assault riµe, including FÉLIN

version; the 7.62mm FRF2 sniper riµe; the 12.7mm PGM long range sniper/ anti-materiel riµe; the 5.56mm MINIMI light machine gun; the 7.62mm F1 light general purpose machine gun; the 7.62mm MAG58 general purpose machine gun; the AT4 CS light shoulder launched anti-tank weapon; the ERYX short range anti-tank guided missile system; the MILAN anti-tank guided weapon system; the 51mm LanceGrenade Individuel Mle F1 light mortar; and the 81 mm Léger Long Renforcé Modèle F1 mortar.

GCP

The Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes (GCP) is a company size unit formed out of the Special Operations Capable Path´nder elements of units of the 11e BP and is usually specially tailored to a certain mission. It can have a strength of up to 200 personnel and either falls under command of the HQ of the 11e BP or the HQ of a deployed Combined Arms Airborne Task Force.

The famous 11e BP badge features an eagle attacking its prey in front of a parachute, symbolising the airborne forces and their capability to attack from the third dimension - the sea symbolises the capability to deploy overseas, the anchor refers to the colonial troops history of the RPIMa units, and maroon and green symbolise paratroopers and legionnaires

08: The standard sniper riÁe employed by the French Paras is the 7.62mm FRF2 seen here Àtted with a Sword Sniper Multifunction Weapon Sight [Bob Morrison] 09: The standard parachute employed by the units of 11e BP for static line jumps is the Ensemble de Parachutage du Combattant (EPC) 10: The airborne infantry units of 11e BP were among the Àrst to be issued the Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons Intégrés (FÉLIN) equipment [Bob Morrison] 11: Legionaries from 2e Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes patrolling somewhere in Africa - note the VAB 4x4 wheeled APC [† Yves Debay] 12: The Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 (RTF1) towed mortar is one of the indirect Àre weapons Àelded by the 35e RAP 13: Here a Véhicule Aéromobile Logistique (VAL) of the 2e REP has just been dropped by parachute [† Yves Debay]

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and logistic squadron, three light armour squadrons, two reconnaissance squadrons, one reserve squadron and a GCP platoon.

In addition to the u usual Path´nder drop zone missions, such as d marking and security reconnaissance, ma airborne operation, for and during an a the GCP can als also perform various other mission missions such as special reconnais reconnaissance, gathering human iintelligence and conducting independent conduc command type operations comm deep behind the enemy lines, lines including direct action actio missions. The GCP personnel are HAHO/ per HALO trained and HA can also be inserted ca and extracted using a the t Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction In (SPIE) system. (S

1ER RHP

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Based at Ta Tarbes the 1er Régiment de d Hussards Parachutistes is the light armoured regiment regime of the 11e BP. It is structured into a headquarters

The light armour squadrons are equipped with ERC-90 Sagaie wheeled light tanks ´tted with a 90mm F4 tank gun and AMX-10 RC wheeled light tanks ´tted with a 105mm F2 tank gun. The reconnaissance squadrons are equipped with VBL amphibious light armoured reconnaissance vehicles ´tted with a 7.62mm F1 machine gun, 12.7mm M2HB heavy machine gun or the MILAN antitank guided weapon system. The VBL and the ERC-90 Sagaie can be transported in the C-160 Transall transport aircraft while all three types of vehicles can be air lifted in C-130 Hercules and A400M transport aircraft. In addition the VBL can be air-dropped by parachute or inserted as underslung load by heavy transport helicopters. The missions of the 1er RHP are reconnaissance, µank protection and anti-tank warfare.

35E RAP

The 35e Régiment d’Artillerie Parachutiste is also based in Tarbes. It is structured into a headquarters and logistic battery, a brigade Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) battery, three ground-to-ground ´re support batteries, an air defence battery and a reserve battery.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 13

elite forces

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Images © Carl Schulze unless noted otherwise

The mission of the regiment is to provide ISTAR, indirect ´re and short range air defence support to the 11e BP and its sub-units. It also provides the brigade with an electronic warfare asset. The regiment’s Joint Fire Support Teams (JFST) direct artillery ´re and close air support, while its Joint Fire Support Coordination Teams (JFSCT) and Joint Fire Support Coordination Group assist HQs at battlegroup and brigade level in all questions of indirect ´re support and close air support as well as air defence.

engineer asset of the 11e BP. Numbering some 850 troops, the regiment is structured into a headquarters and logistic company, three airborne combat engineer companies, one airborne engineer support company (includes among other assets the unit’s GCP platoon, diver platoon and EODD element) and one reserve company. The main mission of the regiment is to provide mobility and counter-mobility support to the 11e BP and its units, as well as to advise commanders at all levels on matters regarding the ´eld of

engineer support. As part of its mission the sub-units of the regiment can create and clear mine´elds, deal with IEDs, build bridges or operate a ferry service during river crossing operations, create and breach obstacles, build ´eld forti´cations and so on. The main focus of the training of the regiment is set on providing engineer support during airborne and air assault operations, for example the unit is capable of reconditioning an existing air´eld in a few hours after it has been taken over by the brigade, or to build a completely new airstrip within a couple of days.

Equipment ´elded by the regiment includes: the CAESAR 6x6 truckmounted 155mm L/52 howitzer; the 155mm Tr F1 towed ´eld howitzer; the Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 towed mortar; the Drone de Reconnaissance au Contact (DRAC) mini reconnaissance UAV; the manportable Mistral short range surface to air missile system; the RATAC battle´eld surveillance radar mounted on VAB wheeled APCs; the RASIT battle´eld surveillance radar; and the MARTHA NC1 Mistral air defence early warning and command & control unit, including a pulse Doppler radar.

17E RGP

Based at Montauban, the 17e Régiment du Génie Parachutiste is the integral

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16

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14: Infantry weapons Àelded by the French paratroopers include the 5.56mm FAMAS assault riÁe, including FÉLIN version, and the 5.56mm Minimi (right) 15: Paratroops of 11e BP await being lifted forward by transport helicopters - soldier in the foreground wears FÈLIN integrated infantry and communication equipment 16: The airborne infantry Àelds the ERYX short range anti-tank guided missile system - it has a range of 600m and can penetrate up to 900mm of conventional armour 17: For long range sniping and anti-materiel purposes the snipers of 11e BP employ the the 12.7mm PGM bolt action riÁe [† Yves Debay] 18: The mission of 1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes is reconnaissance, Áank protection and anti-tank warfare using the ERC-90 Sagaie [† Yves Debay] 19: 11e BP was formed in 1999 and since then units of the brigade have seen a lot of operational service – this is 3e RPIMa in action in Chad in 2008 [† Yves Debay] 20: One speciality of the 1er Régiment du Train Parachutiste is the dropping of heavy resupplies by parachute

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The bulk of the equipment of the 17e RGP is air-transportable or can be inserted by parachute, such as the EGAME 4x4 multi-purpose bulldozer or the MADEZ mine clearing µail system.

1ER RTP

The 1er Régiment du Train Parachutiste, airborne logistic regiment, is based in Toulose-Francazal and numbers some 600 troops. The unit is structured into a headquarters and logistic squadron, three airborne logistic squadrons and a reserve squadron.

The main mission of the regiment is to provide logistic support to the units of the 11e BP at home and when deployed on operation. As such the unit is specialist in the air delivery of personnel and supplies by parachute, helicopter or transport aircraft, using rapid air landing techniques. It is capable of simultaneously operating three Bases d’Opérations Aéroportées (BOAP) or airborne forward operating bases, in two different operational theatres. The unit also provides maintenance support for the full range of equipment employed by the units of the brigade and holds

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the parachutes and air drop/ air transport equipment of the brigade. The regiment also operates the Centre Délégué à la Livraison par Air (CDLPA) air drop centre.

CFIM 11 AND ETAP

With the École des Troupes Aéroportées, airborne forces school, based at Pau and the Centre de Formation Initiale des Militaires du Rang, recruit and basic training centre, based at Caylus the 11e BP is also in charge of two major training establishments of the French Armed Forces. CFIM 11 turns new recruits into soldiers and prepares them for their future service with the French airborne forces. Basic training lasts three months and includes everything from parade drill, skill-at-arms training and section level live ´re training to tactical ´eld exercises. On graduation the recruit is awarded the Attestation de Fin de Formation Initiale Militaire (AFFIM) granting him the status of a soldier of the French Land Forces. Any follow-on training is then conducted at unit level or at one of the schools of the French Armed Forces, such as ETAP. ETAP is responsible for the individual and collective technical and tactical training of all parachute trained personnel of the Armée de Terre, the Marine Nationale, the Armée de l’Air and the Gendarmerie. Annually some 3,500 troops participate in courses conducted by the school, ranging from basic parachute training to HALO/HAHO courses and also including courses on air delivery, parachute drop techniques for material, parachute packing and so on.

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armour in detail

Images © Carl Schulze

01: The Schützenpanzer Puma is currently Àelded with the Panzergrenadier armoured infantry units of the German Army 02: The Puma features modular protection incorporating explosive reactive armour on the sides of the hull

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Report & Images by

CARL SCHULZE

SCHÜTZENPANZER

PUMA

GERMANY’S NEW AIFV

The Schützenpanzer Puma is possibly the most modern in-service Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle of the world. Within the German Army it replaces the variants of the Schützenpanzer Marder 1, which initially entered service in 1971. A total of ɯve Panzergrenadier armoured infantry battalions will be issued with the new vehicle, which entered unit service in 2015. With the Puma now becoming a more common sight, C&S decided this is a good time to brief our readers on it.

D

uring World War II Germany pioneered the concept of armoured infantry. These soldiers transported on half-track vehicles and ´ghting mounted or dismounted in quick succession alongside tanks, were called Panzergrenadiers. During the Cold War, Germany was again at the lead in the ´eld of armoured infantry, being the ´rst nation to ´eld an Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV) type in the form of the Schützenpanzer (lang) HS 30 in 1959. From 1971 onwards the Schützenpanzer Marder 1 AIFV replaced the Schützenpanzer (lang) HS 30.

The Schützenpanzer Marder 1 was the very ´rst proper AIFV ´elded by a NATO nation and entered service more than a decade before the British FV510 Warrior and the US M2 Bradley. With the ´elding of the Schützenpanzer Puma, the German Army addresses

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the requirement of its Panzergrenadier units for a vehicle that can cope with the challenges of the battle´elds of the 21st Century.

FROM MARDER 1 TO PUMA

In the 1980s the German Army issued a tactical requirement for a new AIFV that could replace the original Schützenpanzer Marder 1. A ´rst prototype of the Schützenpanzer Marder 2, as the vehicle was called, was built by Krauss Maffei AG in 1991. Weighing 44,300kg, it featured a

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armour in detail

SCHÜTZENPANZERPU

Images © Carl Schulze

35mm MK Rh 503 automatic cannon, convertible to 50mm, and could reach a top speed of 60km/hr. As a result of the changing security situation in Europe, development was stopped in 1992. In 1996 a new attempt to introduce a replacement commenced. This time the approach included the development of a family of new vehicles, among them a new MBT and a new AIFV. The project was called Neue Gepanzerte Plattform (NGP) or New Armoured Platform. The new AIFV was designated Neuer Schützenpanzer and it was supposed to offer the same protection as the MBT, which would have resulted in a weight between 55 and 72 tonnes. Again the project was shelved, one reason being that the Bundeswehr by now had become increasingly involved in stabilisation and peace support operations and new equipment was now required to be air-transportable in the future A400M transport aircraft. Next, planning work for the Schützenpanzer Panther was initiated.

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04 Under this the air-transportability issue was addressed, but the project was cancelled in 2002 after it was deemed that development of the vehicle would take too long. The involvement of the Bundeswehr in operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan required ´elding the new vehicle as soon as possible.

Following this, still in 2002, Projekt System Management GmbH (PSM), a joint venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Gmbh and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, was issued a development contract for the Schützenpanzer Igel (Hedgehog) AIFV. Main requirements for this vehicle

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UMA

03: The unmanned turret of the Puma incorporates a Rheinmetall 30mm automatic cannon [© Markus Strauch] 04: Puma has a crew of nine consisting of driver, commander, gunner and six dismounts 05: Note AD&S Multi-functional Soft-kill System sensor on the turret side in front of the smoke dischargers 06: Rear of the hull has slat armour - access to rear compartment is via a hydraulically operated ramp

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07: Puma is Àtted with an optronic observation system with side and rear cameras allowing crew 270° near range monitoring 08: Rear of the turret houses ammunition magazines – note also left smoke grenade discharger battery 09: Three periscopes with a wash/wipe system are installed in front of the driver’s sliding hatch

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06 were a high degree of protection for the crew, state of the art mobility and a high level of ´repower. In 2003 the name for the new AIFV was changed to Schützenpanzer Puma. In December 2005 a ´rst system demonstrator of this AIFV was completed and in May 2006 it was revealed for the ´rst time to the greater public.

PROTOTYPES AND SERIES PRODUCTION

By 2008 ´ve prototypes of the Schützenpanzer Puma had been built and testing now started in earnest. During the trials many modi´cations were carried out on the vehicle to address discovered issues; the running gear was, for example, improved by an additional wheel station.

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In 2009 user trials were conducted in Munster using two of the prototypes. During the same year a production order for 405 Schützenpanzer Puma was issued to the company, but this was

later reduced to 342 AIFVs and eight driver training vehicles. In December 2011 the ´rst two series production vehicles were of´cially handed over to the Bundeswehr, although they did not feature the ´nal series standard yet and, together with the next ten these were used for further trials, doctrine development and so on. An of´cial intoservice ceremony for the Schützenpanzer Puma was eventually held in June 2015. Earlier on, the training of the ´rst crews on the new vehicle had started. In order to make the ´elding and training process as smooth as possible this work has been centralised and is conducted by the Ausbildungs zentrum Munster (training centre for armoured forces) assisted by the 2. Kompanie, Panzergrenadier lehr bataillon 92; this unit was the ´rst to be trained on the new vehicle and serves as Puma Ausbildungs kompanie (training company). The ´rst line units to of´cially receive the Schützenpanzer Puma were 4. Kompanie of Panzergrenadier bataillon 33,

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 19

Images © Carl Schulze

armour in detail

SCHÜTZENPANZER 11

followed by 2. Kompanie of the same battalion. By early 2017 a total of 100 Schützenpanzer Puma out of the 342 ordered had been handed over to the German Army, as well as all of the driver training vehicles.

FUTURE UPGRADES

The current vehicles of the Schützenpanzer Puma µeet are fully operational, but have not yet achieved ´nal operational standards. This will only be achieved after the new MELLS (Mehrrollenfähiges Leichtes

20 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

Lenkµugkörper-System) anti-tank guided weapon system and the 40mm TSWA (Turmunabhängige Sekundärwaffenanlage) turret independent secondary weapon system are available for ´elding and ´tted to the vehicles; projected as being in-service in the early 2020s.

A SHORT WALK AROUND

While the Schützenpanzer Puma is stuffed with state of the art technology and features many innovations, the vehicle mainly follows the proven layout used by the Schützenpanzer Marder 1 and other modern NATO AIFVs. Inside its hull the engine compartment is situated at the front, with the ´ghting compartment behind it. The complete crew of the vehicle of nine soldiers is seated inside the hull. The driver is seated to the front left, the gunner is directly behind the driver and the vehicle commander to the right of

the gunner. In the rear of the hull six dismounts are seated facing inwards, four on the right side and two on the left.

A hydraulically operated rear ramp allows the dismounts to leave and enter the vehicle quickly. Sliding hatches are provided for the driver and the vehicle commander. A large hatch is situated in the roof above the rear of the ´ghting compartment. A total of 15 periscopes is provided: 3x with wash wipe system for the driver, 2x for the gunner, 6x for the vehicle commander, and 4x for the dismounts.

UNMANNED REMOTE CONTROLLED TURRET

The unmanned remote controlled turret of the vehicle is mounted centrally on top of the hull, set off to the left. It carries the fully stabilised armament of the vehicle, namely the Rheinmetall

10 10: Puma unmanned remote controlled turret is Àtted with a 30mm automatic cannon and a 5.56mm MG4 11: Three periscopes with a wash/wipe system are installed in front of the driver’s sliding hatch 12: The roof of the hull and the turret feature aerial bomblet protection matting panels 13: A storage basket at the front of the hull incorporates rails for the storing of snow grousers 14: Puma uses a decoupled running gear with hydro-pneumatic suspension and hydraulic bump stops 15: Explosive reactive armour is mounted on the hull along the sides with passive armour segments below 16: The gunner’s WAO sight includes a daylight CCD video channel, thermal sight and laser range Ànder

RPUMA

12 14

13 WAO, both including a daytime CCD video channel, Airbus Defence & Space GmbH Attica thermal sight and an LDM 38 laser range ´nder. The muzzle of the cannon incorporates a programming unit for 30mm Kinetic Energy Time Fuze (KETF) ammunition. Also known as Air Burst Munition, it engages enemy targets behind cover out to a range of 3,000m. Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot Tracer (APFDS-T) ammunition for use against armoured vehicles out to a distance of 2,500m is also available. The turret also

15 accommodates the IR jammer, the four sensor units and the two batteries of four smoke dischargers each of the Airbus Defence & Space GmbH Multifunctional Soft-kill System (MUSS) active self protection system. MUSS provides protection for the vehicle against anti-tank guided weapons by jamming and the use of multispectral fog.

MOBILITY AND PROTECTION

The power pack of the Puma incorporates an MTU Friedrichshafen

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17: Driver is seated to the front left, gunner is seated directly behind driver and commander sits to his right

Waffe Munition GmbH 30x173mm MK30-2/ABM (Air Burst Munition) automatic cannon, and the coaxial Heckler & Koch GmbH 5.56mm MG4 EBW machine gun as well as the Airbus Defence & Space GmbH commander’s independent panorama periscope PERI-RTWL and gunner’s sight

MT892KA-501-A turbocharged 10cylinder direct injection diesel engine with an output of 1,100hp and a Renk HSWL256 hydrodynamic gear-shift, steering and braking transmission with six forward and six reverse gears. It is connected to SPF 1801 ´nal drives. This power pack allows the vehicle to reach a top speed of 70km/hr.

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The running gear of the vehicle has been decoupled and is mounted on the left and right running gear supports. These supports incorporate six interconnected fuel tanks with a total capacity of 900 litres and are attached to the hull by rubber bushings, reducing vibration

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 21

SCHÜTZENPANZER PUMA TECHNICAL DATA*

armour in detail and noise transmission into the hull. The running gear uses a hydropneumatic suspension and hydraulic bump stops at each wheel-station. On each side it incorporates six double road wheels, three return rollers, the front drive sprocket and the idler at the rear as well as a Type 464E lightweight double-pin track with 72 track links.

18

19 The armour of the Puma is modular and can be tailored to meet different protection levels. The highest level of protection is applied to that part of the hull in which the crew is seated. With all modules installed, the armour of the vehicle offers protection against 30mm kinetic energy ammunition, shape charges, splinters of artillery shells and mines (blast and explosive formed penetrator). A passive armour suit is installed on the hull, accompanied by explosive reactive armour installed in the upper areas of the sides of the hull. The bottom of the hull incorporates a mine protection module and the rear of the hull features slat armour.

Images © Carl Schulze

For air transport purposes the armour can be taken off partly, reducing the weight to 31,450kg. Further protection for the vehicle 18: Glacis plate of the Puma the power pack is positioned under the engine deck cover and grille 19: Exterior loudspeaker connected to the intercom allows the commander to address those outside 20: By early 2017 a total of 100 of the ordered 342 Schützenpanzer Pumas had been handed over 21: The roof above the rear compartment has a large rectangular single piece hatch with railing around it

and its crew is provided by the bomblet protection installed on top of hull and turret, as well as by the MUSS and blast protected seats.

OTHER SYSTEMS

The Schützenpanzer Puma also features a ´re suppression and extinguishing systems in the power pack compartment and the ´ghting compartment, an SBL 100-160M NBC protection system, air-conditioning, an optronic observation system with ´ve CCD video cameras covering an arc of 270° (left, right and three to the rear ) and the Honeywell Tactical Advanced Land Inertial Navigator (TALIN) 500 navigation system. It is also ´tted with the Integriertes Führungs-und Informationssystem (IFIS) command and information system.

Crew: 3 + 6 (driver, vehicle command, gunner and six dismounts) Length: 7,624mm Width: 3,955mm Height with IR jammer: 3,575mm Height without IR jammer: 3,095mm Gross vehicle weight: 43,000kg Weight Conɯguration Level A: 31,450kg (A400M transportable) Weight Conɯguration Level C: 41,600kg Ground clearance: 450mm Trench crossing: 2,500mm Fording: 1,200mm Deep fording with preparation: 1,800mm Gradient: 60% Side slope: 30% Vertical step: 800mm Maximum road speed: 70km/hr Range on road: 550km Range oɬ road: 250km Main armament: Rheinmetall 30mm MK30-2/ABM On board ammunition: 361 rounds of 30mm Eɬective range: 3,000m Secondary armament: H&Koch 5.56mm MG4 EBW machine gun On board ammunition: 2,000 rounds of 5,56mm Eɬective range: 1,000m *According to Bundeswehr sources and for current series production vehicles without future MELLS and TSWA.

The type and number of radios ´tted to the AIFV depends on its role: section vehicles are ´tted with two SEM80 radios; the vehicles of platoon 2ICs, platoon commanders and company commanders with one SEM80 and one SEM90; and vehicles of battalion commanders with one SEM80, one SEM90 and one SEM93. Footnote: Throughout this feature some compound German terms have been split for clarity.

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20 22 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

crisis response

FRDF Report & Images by

Images © Bob Morrison

BOB MORRISON

FINNISH R APID DEPLOYME

Finland, a neutral country at the North-East end of the Baltic Sea which shares land borders with Sweden, Norway and Russia, has been a member of the European Union since 1995 but to preserve its neutrality it has never joined the NATO alliance. Un hat being said the Finns, like their equally neutral neighbours Sweden, have been That members memb mbers of NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme since May 1994.

S

hortly after the Norman Conquest of Britain, what we now know as Finland was absorbed by what would become the Kingdom of Sweden and it remained Swedish until the end of the Great Northern War (1700-1721) with the Czardom of Peter the Great, at which point it was ceded to the Russian Empire. In 1809 the Russians granted the Finns autonomy and in 1917 the new Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic granted it Independence. For the next couple of decades

24 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

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the Finns lived peaceably with their neighbours until, following the August 1939 non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union and the outbreak of World War Two, which saw the Nazis and the Soviets invade Poland from both sides, on 30th November the Soviets invaded Finland. What became known as the Winter War would only last just over one hundred days but the plucky little nation, which is over four times the area of Scotland but has only roughly

“FINLAND HAD FOUGHT ITS OPPONENT’S MASSIVE ARMY TO A STANDSTILL AND WAS ABLE TO WALK AWAY WITH ITS REPUTATION INTACT”

01: An FRDF mortar team sets up a position on the beachhead to cover the BALTOPS ‘15 beach landing 02: An FRDF volunteer in front of her squad’s SISU Pasi during Ex. STRONG RESOLVE ‘02 in Poland 03: Military crisis management is a key FRDF force duty – here a refugee role-player is being searched

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04: One in ten FRDF members are female volunteers – military conscription is only mandatory for males 05: These FRDF troops photographed on STRONG RESOLVE ‘02 wear the older M91 three-colour camo 06: Instructed by a Polish Directing Staff ofÀcer role-players start ramping up the pressure during a demo

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07: An FRDF squad with their SISU Pasi photographed in Norway during Ex. BATTLE GRIFFIN ‘05

01

NT FORCE E the same population, gave ave the Sov ody nose. By Soviet Red Army a bloody the time both sides sat around the table to agree a truce, Finland had tabl fought its opponent’s massive army foug to a standstill and was able to walk away with its reputation awa n intact for the loss of only about a tenth of land area in the East. its la t. When Hitler invaded Russia (Operation Hitle Operation BARBAROSSA) in June BAR e 1941 the Finns recommenced d hostilities with the Soviets host ets in what became known n as the Continuation War, but they mostly stopped their advance after recapturing their territory lost in 1939/40. 0. In September 1944 the Soviets, and their then

04

07 British allies, signed an armistice with Finland which ended hostilities and at the 1947 Peace Treaty the Paris Pe Finns’ independence was reaf´rmed by the Allies. Thro Throughout the Cold War Finland remained neu neutral but, having sig signed a Friendship Tr Treaty with the So Soviet Union in 1948, un until the fall of the Iron Curtain its major Iro trading partner was trad effectively Russia, though effectiv

in the last quarter of the 20th Century it started to trade more with the EEC/EU block. When the Soviet Union broke up at the start of the 1990s Finland temporarily went into recession, but it quickly fought its way out of this to allow speedy joining of the European Union. Right, that’s enough of a history lesson, but for a little more on the Winter War turn to Page 72. The Finnish Defence Forces (Puolustusvoimat) were established in 1918, following Independence being granted

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 25

crisis response

08: Rear view of the same half squad on BATTLE GRIFFIN ‘05 – the rest of the team were inside the Pasi 09: In addition to the Pasi AFV, SISU/ Patria builds reliable military trucks and has done for over 85 years 10: FRDF personnel usually wear RAPID DEPLOYMENT FORCE shoulders tabs above national Áag 11: Rear view of an FRDF soldier wearing uniform and body armour in the now replaced M91 camo 12: This FRDF soldier carries the AK-47 derivative 7.62x39mm Rk95 TP assault riÁe with folding stock 13: Seen during BALTOPS ‘15, this FRDF soldier is armed with the 7.62x39mm Rk95 TP assault riÁe 14: BATTLE GRIFFIN ‘05 was the last major exercise on which the FRDF wore M91 camo uniforms 15: Although wearing the current M05 Maastokuvio pattern this Jaeger’s body armour is M91 pattern

08

Images © Bob Morrison

the year before, and they have always been predominantly conscript-based with a permanent staff. Currently there are around 8,000 permanent personnel and about 25,000 conscripts, but once trained most conscripts become reservists and in theory around 900,000 troops could be called up to defend their country if necessary. In addition to headquarters and training staff, Finland also maintains an allvolunteer Finnish Rapid Defence Force (FRDF) whose personnel are all trained to at least NCO standard. Current legislation allows for up to 2,000 Finnish Defence Forces personnel to serve operationally at any one time and the FRDF accounts for most of this number. Finland’s tri-service spearhead formation, on the Land Forces side the FRDF comprises: a brigade-level headquarters and communications company; a mechanised infantry Jaeger battalion, mounted in SISU/Patria Pasi 6x6 APCs; a combat engineer battalion; a CIMIC company; and a Military Observer Group. The force can also call on a Finnish Navy minesweeper and a squadron of six Finnish Air Force F-18C Hornets supported by up to 300 personnel.

26 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

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“THE FINNISH DEFENCE FORCES REPRESENT FINLAND ABROAD IN OPERATIONS THAT CREATE PEACE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.”

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15 In total Finland has contributed to 30 different peacekeeping and/or crisis management operations over the last six decades.

14 Norm Normal m basic FDF conscription is for months, but those selected for six m specialist trades or who are deemed spec c suitable for leadership serve for nine suita a months. If a conscript volunteers, and is mon n acce e accepted, for FRDF service he, or she, will u undertake a further three months

of training which will usually include a month-long ´eld exercise phase abroad. Finland has long played an active part in United Nations missions, and since the creation of the FRDF in 1996 it has also contributed to a number of European Union missions.

According to an of´cial statement: “The stability of neighbouring regions is important for Finland’s security. The Finnish Defence Forces represent Finland abroad in operations that create peace in our environment. We implement Finland’s security policy in practice both at home and abroad. Our peacekeepers work in crisis areas around the world to improve security. Finnish volunteers serve in UN and NATO tasks from the Balkans to Pakistan”. FRDF Land Forces troops have participated as part of, among others: UNTSO, in the Middle East; UNIFIL in

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 27

crisis response

Images © Bob Morrison

“FINLAND CAN TAKE PART IN AN OPERATION THAT SECURES OR RESTORES INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY.” Lebanon; KFOR in Kosovo; UNMOGIP in India and Pakistan; ISAF & Op. RESOLUTE SUPPORT in Afghanistan; Op. INHERENT RESOLVE in Iraq; EUFOR’s Op. ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the EU Training Mission Somalia; MINUSMA and the EU Training Mission in Mali. The Finnish MoD also states that military crisis management is one of their Defence Forces’ statutory tasks and

further explain: “Finland’s participation in military crisis management is governed by our Act on Military Crisis Management. Finland can take part in an operation that secures or restores international peace and security. In addition, Finland can participate in crisis management that has humanitarian goals or seeks to protect a civilian population”.

16 16: Another FRDF soldier armed with the Rk95 TP assault riÁe developed from the Polish AK47 model 17: During BALTOPS ‘15 the FRDF mechanised infantry were transported by US Navy hovercraft 18: Although only partners and not full NATO members Finland contributes to the NATO Response Force

Over the last twenty or so years our

17

18 Senior Correspondent, Carl Schulze, and myself have worked alongside the FRDF on many occasions. As the FRDF celebrates its 21st birthday and Finland itself celebrates 100 years of Independence, this seems a good time to look back through our archives to ´nd images of Finnish volunteers in the ´eld. „ For more on FRDF SISUs, turn to page 52 and to see their current uniform camouµage pattern turn to page 58.

28 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

By BOB MORRISON

aviation focus

01: Finnish Mi-8T Hip C with tailcode HS-11 preparing to lift off during the multinational Exercise BATTLE GRIFFIN in Northern Norway in 2005 02: The Finnish Hips were used for Special Operations, Border Patrol and Search & Rescue duties – note the winch above the port side door 03: The starboard tail rotor is the identifying feature of earlier Mi-8 Hips – the later Mi-17 model Hips have their tail rotors on the port side 04: Unlike the Polish Hips we featured last month, this Finnish aircraft has its removable clamshell rear troop compartment doors Àtted

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Mil MI-8 HIP

IN FINNISH SERVICE

Images © Bob Morrison

The Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter, referred to by NATO as the Hip, was a mainstay of both Warsaw Pact Forces and nations the Soviets supported plus the armies or air forces of a number of neutral countries. First entering service in 1967, the aircraft celebrates its 50th Birthday this year and is still in reasonably widespread use, though its upgraded Mi-17 derivative is more commonly encountered today.

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spotted this example on the ground at the multinational ISTAR headquarters just after a Joint Combined Forces SpecOps display.

Most reference sources cite the now cast Finnish helicopters, which entered service in 1981 and were retired in late 2010, as being Mi8T Hip C versions. In addition to a crew of three, these aircraft could carry around 24 troops, 12 stretcher casualties plus a medic, or 4,000kg of cargo. Unsurprisingly, as these photos were taken inside the Arctic Circle, the clamshell tail doors are ´tted; last month’s Polish Hips were µying with rear doors removed. This aircraft, tailcode HS-11, was one of the last pair in Finnish military service.

ast month we brieµy covered the Mi-17 Hip in recent Polish service. While looking through my photographic archives for Finnish Rapid Defence Force images I stumbled across these shots of the Mi-8 Hip, taken during Exercise BATTLE GRIFFIN in Norway in 2005, and decided they really needed to see the light of day again. Now replaced by the NH-90, these Hips were the workhorses of the Army Aviation Battalion of the Utti Jaeger Regiment, tasked primarily in support of the Finnish Airborne and Special Operations battalions; we

30 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

In very simple terms, the Mi-8 entered Soviet service in 1967 and a decade later the design was upgraded with more powerful engines, resulting in the tail rotor shifting from starboard to port; this version was re-designated Mi-17 for foreign sales. Having said that, the Russians still designate their modernised port tail rotor versions as the Mi-8 but use various suf´xes to denote precise variants.

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firearms

01: The 7.62mm Minimi Mk.3 Tactical model

FN HERSTAL’S VERSATILE LIGHT MACHINE GUN

In the previous article on the FN Herstal Minimi 5.56mm Machine Gun, see March ‘17 issue, we ɯrmly established the class-leading characteristics of the new MK3 variant of the weapon. Achieving such a technical benchmark, it was no surprise that the manufacturer, FN Herstal of Belgium, would take the opportunity to oɬer the same platform in 7.62mmx51 NATO calibre.

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he 7.62mm variant of the Minimi MK3 is also a next-generation belt feed weapon with most of the same characteristics offered in the 5.56mm model, such as a buffer

system to reduce recoil, revised quad rail and feeding system and a propriety delayed locking mechanism. Although it is interesting to note that a key emergency feature on the 5.56mm, the ability to feed from a STANAG

box magazine, is omitted from the 7.62mm. We can surmise that this is most likely due to the lack of consistency in 7.62mm magazines deployed internationally.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 33

Images © FN Herstal

Images g © Bob Morrison

MINIMI Mk3 7.62MM

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firearms

02 Unlike the 5.56mm Minimi, which is available in two barrel lengths, the 7.62mm version is only available with 19.8” (502mm) barrel. However there are three interchangeable buttstocks to give ´xed stock (Standard), sliding collapsible stock (Para) and ´ve-position extendable stock (Tactical) versions, with the latter two being more suited for use by Paratroopers and dismounts travelling in armoured personnel carriers respectively. The new larger calibre Minimi joins a venerable collection of support platforms which have distinguished themselves since the 1960s. For the last 60 years, this market has been dominated by another FN weapon, the FN MAG and its parallel model the UK MoD GMPG. In the US, there is the

ubiquitous M60 variant, which can still be seen in service regularly. Have FN succeeded in bringing something new to the table? Evidence suggests yes, as the armed forces from Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, Poland, Spain and the UK have all made the decision to retire their existing 7.62mm belt weapons at section/squad level in favour of the new arrival. One of the key enhancements nts with the 7.62mm MK3 is that it is unequivocally equivocally y a single operator weapon, just ust like e its smaller 5.56mm brother. Although hough h MPG, one soldier can operate a GMPG, many countries base their belt elt feed training around a two-man man team so the addition of the MK3 genuinely frees up a soldier. The 02: The 7.62mm Mk.3 Tactical model has a Àveposition extending buttstock and four-position cheek rest 03: Comparison. Mk.3 versions of the Minimi are available in both 7.62mm (top) and 5.56mm calibres 04: The Mk.3 Tactical has both lower and lateral MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rails and optional heatshield

Images © FN Herstal

05: The Mk.3 Minimi can be fed by either a belt or from a 50- or 100-round pouch magazine

03 34 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

two weapon platforms are also fundamentally the same. If your operators are trained on the 5.56mm they will be able to operate the 7.62mm, with only some rudimentary revised ballistic instruction required. Operationally, the muscle memory from one platforms transitions completely to the other. Indeed, so modular are the platforms that thatt 7.62mm Minimi can be bought with a 5.56mm NATO conversion kit, thus negating the need to buy two platforms.

“THE 7.62MM ROUND IN A SUPPORT WEAPON REALLY DOES ADD A TACTICAL ADVANTAGE TO A SQUAD.”

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Given the undeniable effectiveness of the 5.56mm round in combat and its enhanced capability in a platform such as the Minimi one cannot assess the larger MK3 7.62mm without taking a moment to consider what the 7.62mm NATO round brings to the sand table. The 5.56mm round came in for serious criticism some years ago, when countless tales of lack of effectivity spread around the worlds of military operations and then to small arms manufacturers. Some of these tales were judged to be spurious and were generated by the 5.56mm being ´red from inappropriate platforms; remember the round was designed to offer maximum potential when ´red from a 51cm barrel, whereas the M4 assault riµe barrel is 37cm. So, the 5.56mm round is effective and here to stay but, nevertheless, the 7.62mm round

COMBAT & SURVIVAL L | 35

firearms 07

06 in a support weapon really does add a tactical advantage to a squad. With a limited lethality range the 5.56mm does eventually run out of steam. Shot over 400-500metres it is not the most effective round. The 7.62mm round, conversely, punches harder at longer ranges; i.e. 800m plus. It is also more effective against hard targets giving the squad greater tactical capability. Higher recoil is a factor but, as the platform has wider tactical viability, the 7.62m platform lends itself to be vehicle-mounted as well as manportable. Combine that with the MK3 recoil buffers and there is a good (if not 100% compelling) argument that the 7.62mm NATO FN Minimi MK3 is the light machine gun at the top of its game. The 5.56mm versus 7.62mm discussion will go on for many years, but what is inescapable is that FN have created a superb weapons platform in the latest incarnation of the Minimi. It is the class leader now and is leaving the competition behind. As suggested in the previous article it is hard to see where belt feed LMG technology will go from here; what will the next game changer be? Certainly, in the here and now, the FN Minimi is the military weapon of choice for good reasons. „ Richard Brown is an UK-based independent ɯrearms consultant. He began his career in the Foreign Oɭce, serving overseas and in London, latterly in a specialist Counter-Proliferation role. After leaving HMG he worked for 10 years at Heckler & Koch and then SIG Sauer. Richard has a number of international small arms qualiɯcations and is an active instructor to overseas VIP clients. He is a member of International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors.

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06: Left side view of 7.62mm Mk.3 Àxed buttstock versions without (top) and with forward Picatinny rails 07: LHS views of 7.62mm Mk.3 sliding buttstock versions without (top) and with forward Picatinny rails 08: RHS views of 7.62mm Mk.3 sliding buttstock without Picatinny and Àxed stock with Picatinny versions 09: All three Mk.3 full Picatinny versions - from top - Àxed, sliding and Àve-position extending buttstock

36 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

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Magazine Save Token It’s been brought to our attention that some readers are having trouble getting hold of their regular issues. Naturally, we can’t have anyone missing out on their regular dosage of military know-how. If C&S doesn’t have pride of place at your local news-agent, simply hand over the slip displayed here [or a photocopy]to the person behind the counter. They should be able to order it for you and your missing issues shouldn’t be an issue anymore! Of course, C&S also has a subscription service, with each issue delivered straight to your door... C&S - Don’t miss out

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To my News-agent, I wish to receive a copy of Combat & Survival each month.

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Images © FN Herstal

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7.62mm MINIMI Mk.3

FN HERSTAL’S VERSATILE LIGHT MACHINE GUN

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 39

Unless noted images by Yves Debay †

firearms 02

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01: A ‘Red Devil’ from 152 Infantry Regiment with 7.62mm Minimi near FOB Hutnik in southern Kapisa 02: A 7.62mm Mk.2 Minimi in Afghanistan - note the top, side and underside Picatinny and the Para stock 03: An Australian Special Operations Task Group operator with 7.62mm Minimi, Afghanistan, Oct 2009 [ADoD photo: Captain Stu Wood] 04: Although 1.5kg heavier than the 5.56mm Minimi the 7.62mm version is 4kg lighter than the FN MAG

Photographed by the late

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YVES DEBAY

7.62mm MINIMI IN FRENCH SERVICE WITH ISAF The Belgian-designed FN Minimi was originally conceived as a 7.62mm calibre weapon but was subsequently redesigned to accept the 5.56x45mm NATO round. This smaller calibre squad weapon was very successful for around a quarter of a century, seeing service with about ɯfty nations, before US Special Operations Command issued a requirement for a lightweight 7.62mm calibre weapon to replace the post-WWII M60 machine gun.

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he 7.62mm calibre production version of the Minimi, which some call the Maximi even though this is neither a company nor a US SOCOM designation, entered US service in 2003 as the Mk.48 Mod 0 lightweight machine gun. This weapon was well received by its specialist users and, with the exception of requiring one minor modi´cation, has served continuously since its introduction with both US and other allied nation’s SpecOps and Special Forces formations on active service. Around 2009 France decided to procure the then current 7.62mm Minimi model as an infantry squad weapon for use with its battalion-strength GTIA (Groupement Tactique InterArmes or Joint Task Force) military contribution to the ISAF mission operating in Afghanistan’s Kapisa

Province, astride the main transit route to the east of Kabul to/from Pakistan. C&S Senior Correspondent Yves Debay, assassinated while on assignment in Aleppo in Syria in January 2013, worked with GTIA Kapisa in 2011 and shot the accompanying images for us.

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According to Yves, the in-service 5.56mm Minimi had given full satisfaction to its French Forces users, but in Afghanistan things were never quite like in other combat theatres. About 80% of ´ghting took place in ‘green zone’ labyrinths of dense vegetation and compounds where the visibility seldom exceeded 50 metres and the enemy was often entrenched behind walls of very strong, hard packed, sun-baked, earth. Against this obstacle the 5.56mm calibre showed its limitations but, once deployed, the 7.62mm calibre Minimi soon proved its worth.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 43

01: The Terävä Jääkäripuukko from Varusteleka is a modern take on a traditional Finnish hunter’s sheath knife available in either carbon or stainless steel

working blades 02

02: This is the 140mm blade length version but a shorter 110mm model is also available for those who prefer a shorter blade for skinning and chopping

03

03: Leather sheath is of traditional design but has an internal plastic liner - if wishing to make your own sheath the knife can be bought just with a liner

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04: The trailing edge of the blade is slightly clipped - see red line which increases the piercing ability of the point without losing strength 05: Blade thickness is a decent 4mm making this knife strong and capable for many of those outdoor tasks a hunter or survivalist may need to undertake

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01

JÄ

FINNISH JÄGER KNIFE

Varusteleka of Finland, in addition to producing its own brand Särmä combat clothing and rucksacks etc (see pages 48 and 58), also produces and markets a small range of traditional style Finnish knives. Translated into English, Jääkäri means Jaeger or Hunter and puukko means sheath knife with 140 being the blade length in millimetres. This particular knife is part of their Terävä (Sharp) range.

Images © Bob Morrison

D

esigner Stefan M. explains the thinking behind the Terävä Jääkäripuukko: “The basic idea for the Jääkäri was very simple: to make a functional knife with all the pros and none of the cons of a traditional Finnish puukko. A traditional puukko is ´ne, but the rat tail tang, wooden grips and µoppy sheaths are not exactly the most practical designs any more. So we made the blade strong, 4 mm thick, and with a full tang that goes all the way through the grip. The handle is shaped for a good grip and made from rubber. The basic leather sheath is nothing like its wildly swinging

ancestors, this one is made with a sturdy turning belt loop and a press stud to secure the knife in place. This is not rocket science really, but just a simple good puukko for real use. Nothing fancy, works like a charm!” There is not really a lot more to say about this traditional but modern knife, which is very reminiscent of the sheath knife I carried on my belt in my early teens when a Boy Scout, back in the days before Political Correctness throttled Common Sense, other than to make readers aware that the Jääkäripuukko is available with either a 110mm or 140mm blade

length. It is also possible to specify either 80CrV2/59HRC carbon steel or X55CrMo14/57HRC stainless steel for the blade, though naturally you pay a few pounds more for the latter. For those interested in dimensions, blade width is 26mm, thickness is 4mm, total length is 270mm and weight without sheath is 190 grammes. A plastic liner holds and protects the single-edged clip-point blade in the sheath and a simple press stud ´rmly retains the knife. To purchase this hunting knife online go to either varusteleka.com (English language) or varusteleka.´ (Finnish language).

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 45

KREMLIN REGIMENT

RUSSIA’S PRESIDENTIAL GUARD

Images © Bob Morrison

Marching Display At IDEX 2017, Abu Dhabi

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 46

kit k it r review eview 01

Images © Bob Morrison

F R O M VA R U S T E L E K A O F F I N L A N D

In mid February, just before heading oɬ to Abu Dhabi to the IDEX defence expo, I was invited up to Catterick for a couple of days to cover a unit training on Wathgill Ranges (precise details embargoed at time of writing) and decided to ɰy from Devon to Newcastle then hire a car to beat the chain of motorway roadworks seriously aɮicting what is usually a near six hour journey.

T

o keep journey costs down I decided not to book hold luggage, but as a result I had to cram all my camera gear plus netbook, not to mention spare shirt & smalls, into a compact package weighing less than

48 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

10kg. My normal camera bag, an old Source daysack I have used for several years, is not only a little bit on the heavy side when empty, but is also in need of replacement, so when Varusteleka of Finland (see page 58) asked if I fancied reviewing their low cost, lightweight

02

01: The basic conÀguration Särmä Assault Pack Mk.III but with the waist belt removed 02: There is a sternum strap to hold shoulder straps in position and a removable waist belt

04

03: All three compartments have sturdy double action SBS zips with cord toggles 04: The two external zipped compartments can be easily accessed - note PVC backing 05: There is a bladder pocket on the rear face with a small document pocket behind 06: There is a two-thirds depth mesh pocket behind the zipped main compartment Áap

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own brand Särmä (Edge) Assault Pack Mk.III, I almost bit their arm off.

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Weighing in at around 1kg when empty, this 44x30x20cm three compartment daysack, manufactured from 1000 Denier polyester with internal PVC coating for water repellence, can hold up to 20 litres in basic con´guration yet will ´t all airline carry-on gauges. If additional pouches are ´tted to the MOLLE/ PALS tapes several more

litres of kit can be carried and compression straps let the user draw in the outer envelope to ensure gauge compatibility. The main compartment has a double action zip around the two long sides and the top, meaning the front hinges right back to allow full access to all contents; this can be very useful when passing through security points as it also allows inspection of contents without the need to unpack. On the back face of this

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 49

“TOP MARKS FOR DESIGN, FUNCTIONALITY AND COST.”

kit reviews 07

08

compartment there is a nylon pocket with elasticated top, inside which a hydration bladder can be slipped; there is an elasticated port in the top of the daysack for the drinking tube and there is also a velcro-type tape for securing the top of the bag. Behind and slightly above the bladder pocket there is a small zipped document pocket. On the inner face of the main compartment lid there is a deep mesh pocket almost as long as this magazine. On the front face of the lid are two 50mm deep zipped compartments; the lower of the pair has four PALS tapes on the outer face and the

upper has a felt outer face for attaching patches etc. Down each side of the main compartment there are ´ve more PALS tapes. Two compression straps each side and two on the base, each with UTX quick release buckles and strap keepers on the loose ends, both allow the pack to be compressed and give the option of strapping items to the outside. The back of this daysack is well padded and so too are the contoured shoulder straps. To keep the daysack in position there is both an elasticated sternum strap and a removable waist belt. There are D-rings on both shoulder straps and there is a grab handle on the top of the bag.

09 Possibly the most remarkable feature of the Särmä Assault Pack Mk.III is the cost. At time of writing the online price was just £28.29 and standard shipping to the UK was just £6.99. Not at all bad for a very handy and well thought out daysack. To shop online go to either varusteleka.com (English language) or varusteleka.´ (Finnish language). Final verdict? Top marks for design, functionality and cost.

07: There is a drinking tube port under the top handle and D-rings on shoulder straps

Images © Bob Morrison

08: Back is well padded for comfort - waist belt can be easily removed if not required 09: Here the lower compression strap is securing my large lens pouch to stop it bouncing 10: On the Àring ranges up North my spare lithium battery pouch is strapped to the base

50 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

10

01

armour focus Report & Images by

BOB MORRISON 02

FINLAND’S SISU PASI

XA-180/185 The XA-180/185 Pasi is a large 6x6 Armoured Personnel Carrier produced originally by the Finnish truck manufacturer SISU Auto, which in 1997 saw its defence business transferred to the then stateowned Patria plc aerospace and defence industry manufacturer. Production of the Pasi has now ceased, but a large proportion of Finland’s in-service XA-180 ɰeet is being upgraded to XA-200 standard with better armour and more powerful engine.

O

ver the best part of the last twenty years the C&S team has photographed Finnish Rapid Defence Force (FRDF) personnel using the SISU Pasi several times in the ´eld, both on exercise and deployment, and all photos, with the exception of the Estonian APC at the end, are of Finnish vehicles. In addition to Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have also procured vehicles from the XA-180 family in quantity, and the type has also seen widespread United Na-

52 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

tions service, including with Austria and Ghana plus several contingents rotating through Lebanon. Turning ´rst to the designation, which seems to confuse some: the X stands for all wheel drive, the A stands for armoured and the ´rst two numbers denote either a c.180kW or c.200kW engine, with the third number being what many NATO armies would consider to be the Mark. For example, the XA-180 is the original production vehicle with 236hp (176kw) Valmet 611

03

engine, the XA-185 is the Mk.5 version of the same vehicle built with the same engine, but later upgraded, and the XA-203 is the Mk.3 version of the modernised and up-armoured vehicle originally built with the 271hp (202kW) Valmet 612 engine. At this point we should point out that the body of the XA-200 series, which is relatively new to Finnish service, looks a little different and is not covered here. In basic XA-180 build speci´cation the SISU Pasi is a 20 tonne combat

Images © Bob Morrison and Carl Schulze

04

05

06

01: The SISU Pasi is a highly mobile APC capable of carrying a full infantry squad and their equipment 02: SISU Pasi No. 675-169 photographed with SFOR in Bosnia in 1998 – note the 12.7mm Itkk 96 turret 03: No. 675-169 from the rear – as there was no air threat the turret was for ground support only 04: SISU Pasi No. 677-511 was photographed on Exercise STRONG RESOLVE in Poland in 2002 05: Close-up of the standard 12.7mm NSV (Itkk) machine gun and mount – this is Pasi No. 677-511 06: No.677-629 also on STRONG RESOLVE ‘02 – this is the standard method of stowing snow chains 07: The two propulsion units for amphibious travel are quite clear in this rear left shot of No.677-629 08: Snow chains have been Àtted to No. 677-564 – note the four hooks that they are normally stowed on 09: This is No. 677564 at a different location – there are three vision blocks and Àring ports in each side

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08

09 weight vehicle with a kerb weight of 13,500 kg and design payload capacity of 6,300kg. In addition to driver and commander, it can seat up to twelve dismounts. Powered by a 6.6 litre turbocharged Valmet 611 DSBJA/4-T engine, similar to those used

in several SISU military trucks, the vehicle has a road speed in excess of 100km/hr and can be propeller-driven through deep standing water at 10km/ hr. Basic dimensions are 7,350mm long, 2,900mm wide and 2770mm high (without armament). In addition to

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 53

10

armour focus

11 being amphibious, the XA-180 can ford 1,800mm of water, has 400mm ground clearance, and has approach/departure angles of 42/38°. For self-recovery there is an 80kN hydraulic winch (seen on the right side of the hull) with 50m wire cable. The standard armament usually seen on the SISU Pasi is the 12.7x108mm NSV (Nikitin Sokolov Volkov) heavy machine gun, introduced by the Soviet Union during the Cold War as a replacement for the 12.7mm DshK,

54 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

12 which is ´tted in an elevating mount that allows it to be used for both ground support and air defence roles; its Finnish designation is 12.7 Itkk 96 (i.e. ilmatorjuntakonekivääri or anti-aircraft

machine gun). However, both 7.62mm machine guns and 40mm Heckler & Koch Grenade Machine Guns, known as the 40 KRKK 2005 in Finnish service, have been spotted ´tted.

SISU PASI

Images © Bob Morrison and Carl Schulze

Finnish forces served with SFOR, the multinational NATOled Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which maintained the peace from 1998 until relieved by the EUFOR Op ALTHEA in late 2004. Early in the SFOR deployment Carl photographed Finnish Rapid Deployment Force SISU Pasi APCs with small armoured turrets protecting their 12.7mm NSV gunners, but these only seem to have been used in the Former Yugoslavia. There are other

10: No.677-700 spotted on Ex. COLD RESPONSE 2010 in Norway gun appears to be a training weapon 11: Hinged armour plates further protect the cab armoured glazing when vehicle is driven shut down 12: There is a vision block and Àring port in each rear door - hull is V-shaped and high off the ground 13: No. 675-288 on a Polish beach during BaltOps ‘15 - commander is standing in the cab roof hatch 14: There are two staggered oval roof hatches above the troop compartment for top cover soldiers 15: Pasi 675-315 is seen being reversed off a US Navy LCAC - users are the FRDF/NRF contingent

13

14

15 COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 55

armour focus

16: Both front and middle axle are steerable to give the 20 tonne Pasi maximum manoeuvrability 17: This Estonian SISU Pasi on VEGT ‘16 in Germany is the more heavily armoured XA-188 model

Finnish variants of the XA-180 family, including ambulance, anti-armour, command, ISTAR and recovery versions, but these are outside the scope of this brief photo feature.

SISU PASI

17 56 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

Images © Bob Morrison and Carl Schulze

16

At time of writing no 1/35th scale injection moulded model kits of the SISU Pasi exist, which is probably unsurprising as, other than the now cast Netherlands µeet, it has only been purchased in bulk by nations around the Baltic or a small number of UN contributor nations. However, with tension in the Baltic states high again, following the Russian expansionism into The Crimea and Ukraine, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that one of the new generation of Far East kit manufacturers might spot sales potential. We are sure a few of our readers who build scale armour to ´ll their leisure time would be interested in a quality model of this versatile 6x6 APC.

kit & camo

01 This month we are fortunate to have a complete Finnish M05 Maastokuvio (Terrain Pattern) camouɰage uniform, supplied by military and outdoor clothing specialists Varusteleka of Helsinki. Prior to last September, eptember, was M05 pattern was tected copyright protected Defence by the Finnish Defence commercial Forces and all commercial ds ales production and sales ed. T his were prohibited. This niform m was was commercial uniform d iin n tthe he manufactured n ffactory actory same Estonian itary as current military production.

01: The Särmä range combat jacket has a full-length front zip with weather bafÁe and four front pockets 02: Finnish M05 bush hat, jacket and trousers with knee pads - all supplied by Varusteleka of Helsinki 03: There are elasticated adjuster cords at both waist and hem of the jacket the back is plain 04: Lower pockets are slanted at the top and are bellowed at sides and bottom to give more volume 05: An m/62 (left) and m/91 jacket side by side – other than camo the M05 jacket is similar to the m/91 06: Jacket can be zipped right up to chin to give a Mandarin-style collar to help keep out the elements 07: The front and pocket zips are quite chunky and robust – note the cover Áap press studs 08: Flat sewn top pockets are accessed by a vertical zip – note loop tape strip for attaching name tape

02

Images © Bob Morrison

I

h East and a n the 1960s, with ach West squaring up to ea each e now other in what we know as the Cold ld War, e neutral Finland became ean one of the ´rst European e nations to widely issue terial disruptive pattern material camouµage garmentss to its h DPM army. The ´rst Finnish he m/62 m/62 camo uniform, using the pattern developed in 1962 an and d nits by issued to all combat units he colou rs 1966, was based on the colours d’s fore sts. and patterns of Finland’s forests. Quoting from an article le in the e March 2008 issue of C&S, thiss

58 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL URVIVA AL

03

Report & Images by

BOB MORRISON

07 04

08

05

M05 MAASTOKUVIO FINLAND’S TEMPER ATE CAMO 06

camo consisted of linear and smaller rounded patterns of an almost maroon reddish brown and a dark green on a light green background. This m/62 uniform was replaced after the end of the Cold War by a more modern tailoring design, designated m/91 and nicknamed Kurkkusalaatti or Cucumber Relish as the colours of the camo fabric were more vibrant.

patterns issued to troops of nations that Finland’s peacekeepers were regularly working alongside. Additionally, as the m/91 temperate camo uniform issued to Finnish Rapid Deployment Force (FRDF) volunteers serving in arid theatres was not really suitable for purpose, a new and sand-coloured pattern (M04) was developed as a desert camo.

In the early years of the new millennium, with the three-colour m/62 camo and its m/91 having been in service for four decades, Finnish camouµage was beginning to look a bit outdated alongside the new generation of ‘digital’

From a distance the three-colour Finnish M04 desert pattern appears to be of digital or pixellated design, but in reality the colour patches mimic foliose lichen. When the new four-colour M05 Maastokuvio pattern of temperate

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 59

11

kit & Camo

09

Images © Bob Morrison

10 camouµage was designed, the lichenlike edges to the secondary and tertiary colour shapes were retained so again, although from a distance this camo can appear to be digital, it is actually mimetic. The base colour for M05 is an earthy brown, the secondary colours are contrasting apple green and olive green, and the tertiary colour which gives the pattern its depth is black.

60 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

Turning now to the uniform, which I must stress is a commercial design carrying the Särmä (Edge) brand labels rather than an issue set, but we understand it is produced in the same factory in Estonia and to the same speci´cation as government contract garments. This consists of 50/50 polyester/ cotton Cooltex 3 NIR-compliant

09: Close-up of the jacket back panel - colours are apple and olive green plus black on an earth base 10: There are side accessed concealed zip document pockets at the top of each arm 11: Sleeve cuffs have broad wrapover heavy duty hook and loop fastening tabs 12: Vertical loop tape on outer face of left sleeve pocket is for national Áag and unit patch 13: Waist and hem adjuster cords have thumb toggles - note also the matt black press stud 14: Trousers have slant pocket and thigh cargo pocket each side - waist has elastic adjuster

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“WE PHOTOGRAPHED THE SET IN SOMERSET IN FLAT LIGHT ON A VERY COLD FEBRUARY DAY AND WERE SURPRISED JUST HOW WELL IT BLENDED IN WITH THE BACKGROUND...” fabric jacket, trousers and bush hat. We photographed the set in Somerset in µat light on a very cold February day and were surprised just how well it blended in with the background - I suspect some hunters in the UK might ´nd this camo to be very useful from Autumn through to Spring, and possibly longer.

Starting with the jacket, which is shirt-like but intended to be worn outside the trousers, this has a full-length, double-action, heavy duty front zip with a weather bafµe which closes with ´ve black press studs; in cold weather zip it up and in warm weather just use the studs. Sleeve cuffs are fastened by heavy duty hook & loop, when fully zipped

the collar can be worn standing or Mandarin-style, and there are elasticated adjustment cords with thumb toggles at both waist and hip. The two chest pockets are µat sewn with vertical access zips, the lower cargo pockets are bellowed with slanted top zip opening, and there are µat sewn concealed upper sleeve pockets with zips hidden

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 61

kit & camo

15 16

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15: Varusteleka M05 pattern bush hat is similar to FDF issue but has foliage tape all round 16: The thigh cargo pocket is quite large - cover Áap is secured by hook & loop tapes 17: Knee reinforcement panel is accessible from the bottom to insert a CPE knee pad if desired 18: The CPE knee pads can be bought online from Varusteleka with use they conform to knee shape 19: Bush hat has a cord chinstrap with both end and back thumb toggles for comfort adjustment

18

adjustment for ´t and there is a fabric sweatband all the way round. All these garments, plus a newly introduced Under Body Armour Combat Shirt and various caps and hoods, can be bought online through varusteleka.com (English language) or varusteleka.´ (Finnish language).

Images © Bob Morrison

Model: Victoria

behind the leading edge. There are loop patches on the chest for rank and on the left sleeve for unit and national µag patches. The trousers are pretty conventional, with zipped µy, slant pockets each side, and thigh cargo pockets with bellowed lower and trailing edges plus hook & loop fastened cover µap, but there are no hip pockets. The hems are elasticated, there are six deep belt loops at the waist, and the knee reinforcement

62 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

patch has a hook & loop fastener ener on the lower edge to allow CPE knee pads to be inserted. Finally, the bush hat. This is quite similar to the FDF issue item, but Varusteleka have incorporated foliage tapes above the brim. There is a sturdy chin strap cord, with two thumb toggles (under chin and back of head) to allow easy

19

comfort & Survival

OUTDOOR GEAR Images © Mike Gormley unless noted

BY MIKE GORMLEY

03 An axe is also something a bit personal. I have, and somewhat treasure, a large axe that was my Dad’s, which I still use to split logs. I also own a mid-sized one I used and carried around Southern Africa in my Land Rover, which enabled me to provide ´rewood to cook on and keep warm by when out on safari. Back to the Buck Compadre 106 Camp Axe. This I use around home to prepare the small wood for my stove and it is perfect for this task. It can be used single or double handed and the handle is shaped walnut wood which clads the one-piece spring steel handle and blade. The forged blade carries an appropriate insignia of an anvil which doubles as a means to hang the axe.

01 02

BUCK COMPADRE 106 CAMP AXE

If you have anything to do with producing and preparing ´rewood, you need a small handy axe. Be this around home or when out in the woods, it needs to be good to handle and able to keep its edge.

64 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

The entire steel part of this axe is powder coated so should be well protected for a long life. The Compadre 106 comes complete with a substantial real leather sheath which has a hanging rings sewn on. I expect this to be a longlasting member of my family of axes.

01: THE COMPADRE MAKES A VERY HANDY SMALL AXE FOR THE OUTDOORSMAN 02: BUCK’S CAMP AXE COMES WITH A LEATHER BELT HOLSTER 03: THE COMPADRE 106 FITS NEATLY INTO THE AXE POCKET OF FJALLRAVEN TROUSERS

06

07

Images © Mike Gormley unless noted

08

is a very handy feature. There is also a clip to secure the tool closed. On the inside is a clip-secured yellow plastic retainer which holds a surprisingly effective whistle and a ferro rod striker to create a ´re-lighting spark. In the second handle are tin opener, awl and multi-ended screwdriver. The somewhat skeletal handles are nicely rounded so easy on the hands when pressure is applied.

04

04: THE LEATHERMAN SIGNAL – READY FOR ACTION WITH ALL BUT THE COMBINATION KNIFE BLADE STOWED

LEATHERMAN SIGNAL MULTITOOL

The Leatherman range is astonishing these days, with just so much to choose from. When I started reviewing gear they had just a small selection of multitools, but these days they produce something for more or less every activity. Choosing used to be quite easy, but now we are spoilt for choice. The Signal is perhaps the most appropriate Leatherman for many C&S readers as it offers most of the features you will require in day-to-day outdoor activity, as well as around the home. Typically, it has the familiar pliers and, in this case, the replaceable hard wire cutters. While still folded, for ready access you have a plain/serrated knife blade and a saw. As I have said in the past, I must emphasise just how good the Leatherman saws are.

The Signal comes with a nylon belt sheath which can be ´tted to the belt either vertically or horizontally. For me the Signal is a good choice as an all-round multi-tool for the outdoorsorientated person.

05: SHOWING ALL THE FEATURES OF THE LEATHERMAN SIGNAL - A GREAT CHOICE FOR THE C&S READER 06: THE SIGNAL HAS DETACHABLE ITEMS LIKE THIS EFFECTIVE WHISTLE / STRIKER UNIT 07: THE SECOND DETACHABLE UNIT IS THE BLADE SHARPENER WHICH CLIPS TO THE OTHER HANDLE 08: THE BRIGHT SURVIVAL-COLOURED WHISTLE & STRIKER UNIT NESTS INSIDE ONE OF THE HANDLES

05

09: THE CAPABILITY OF THIS COMPARATIVELY SMALL SAW BLADE COULD POSSIBLY BE UNDERESTIMATED

09

There is a hammer at the end of one asymmetric handle with two built-in hex ‘spanners’ (imperial as it comes from the US). There is a carabiner hook which, importantly, doubles as a bottle cap opener. Also, on the outside is the diamond-coated blade sharpener, which

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 65

Images © Mike Gormley unless noted

comfort & Survival

10

SNUGPAK TACTICAL 4 SLEEPING BAG

A friend wanted a very cosy sleeping bag for cold winter nights out, but a balance had to be struck between weight/bulk and cold temperature capability. The Snugpak Tactical 4 covered these conµicting requirements well. Rated at -12C Comfort and down to -17C Extreme, this bag weighs in at 2,100g (74oz) and is really not that bulky for this capability. It is ´lled with Snugpak’s own Softie Premier insulation, as used in most of their top end insulated kit. Actually, everything about this bag is top end. Steelplate Paratex material provides a resistant outer shell, whereas the inside has Thermal Suede to give it a very cosy feel. Added PRODUCT Buck Coleman Keela Leatherman Snugpak Storm

to all these features is a layer of Reµectatherm, which helps to keep body heat inside the bag so as not to waste your energy trying to warm the rest of the world. A neck bafµe helps with this and there is a two-way zip so you can vent if it all gets a bit too warm. Unusually for a sleeping bag reviewed on these pages, I have not slept in this bag as it is for someone else. Generally I use everything I review on one of my trips, but as I sit here writing with it over my lap I feel that warmth making my legs glow, so I just know it will be great.

10: SNUGPAK’S TACTICAL 4 BAG IS MADE FOR COMFORT AND WARMTH IN COOLER PLACES 11: THE TACTICAL 4 HAS A HIGH SPECIFICATION AIMED AT THOSE SLEEPING OUT IN THE COLD

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12: DESPITE ITS CAPABILITY THIS BAG IS NOT AS BULKY AS YOU MAY IMAGINE FOR THE RATING

UK CONTACT Whitby and Co Coleman Keela Whitby and Co Snugpak Storm

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11

TELEPHONE 01539 721 032 01275 845 024 01592 777 000 01539 721 032 01535 654 479 01773 521 309

WEB whitbyandco.co.uk coleman.eu/uk keela.co.uk whitbyandco.co.uk snugpak.com stormcare.co.uk

14 13

KEELA MERINO LEGGINGS

Before we run out of winter I should draw attention to these leggings from Keela; they are a match for the Merino long sleeve top I covered last month. I had hoped to get out to somewhere very cold and very snowy to give these a proper try out, but it was not to be this year. Like the top, these are not as tight-´tting as many others, which I ´nd rather restricting. This pair, on the other hand, gives a more comfort than close ´t and allows freedom of movement, particularly for those with let’s say larger proportioned limbs. (No Ed, not fat!). A wide elasticated belt and wide hems to the lower leg help to keep the garment where it should be, aided by µat seams. A de´nite aid to keeping warm and comfortable in colder weather.

13: KEELA MERINO LEGGINGS ALONGSIDE THE MERINO TOP I REVIEWED IN THE LAST ISSUE

15

COLEMAN 12 CAN COOLER BAG

Hopefully by the time you get to read this, in the Northern hemisphere at least, we will be looking to warmer weather and the need to keep things cool rather than warm - although, as I write this, I am look out on a frosty morning. Coleman have a large range of cooler bags, but this one is designated as a ‘12 Can’ and is of 10.5 litre capacity. Clearly, this is a good item to have if out and needing to keep a few beers, or small drinks bottles, on the cool side of warm. However, this bag can clearly be used for many things and is certainly designed to be a lot more than just a cool bag for beer/cold drinks.

Although a soft bag, it comes with a rigid plastic liner that can be removed; this liner is intended for when using ice, rather than packs, for cooling but it can also be used to give the contents a degree of protection from knocks. The bag has a zipped front pocket and mesh pockets at either side plus in the lid, with shoulder strap and bungees on the top. Well worth a look if you need to keep things cool for an event or just need to transport food and drink or other items that require looking after.

14: COLEMAN 12 CAN HAS MULTIPLE USES IF YOU NEED TO KEEP THINGS COOL - NOTE REMOVABLE INNER HARD LINER 15: A GOOD BIT OF DESIGN THOUGHT HAS GONE INTO THIS USEFUL COLEMAN COOLER BOX

STORM MERINO & WOOL CLEANER

UK manufacturer Storm have developed a special cleaner for Merino wool garments to add to their already extensive range of care products for outdoor kit. There are a lot of Merino clothing garments from several manufacturers around now and, I must say, I have been a fan and user of this wool for some years now. As these are not cheap

items they really need to be looked after with a bit more sympathy than just being bunged in the washer with a load of other stuff. Also, as we probably wear these for multiple outings, which they are very good for, they need and deserve a bit of special treatment. This pH-balanced cleaner is fairly neutral smelling which many will consider to be a good feature.

16: STORMS MERINO & WOOL CLEANER PROVIDES SPECIFIC CARE FOR YOUR MERINO GARMENTS

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COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 67

DANGER UXB! security industry

THE EXPLOSIVE LEGACY OF W WII

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n late February in Portsmouth Harbour, during a dredging operation, a World War Two aircraft bomb was found and dealt with by a Royal Navy EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Team based there. The team removed the unexploded bomb, UXB in WWII parlance, from the scene and destroyed it at sea. The event disrupted local rail, ferry and ground movements around the Gunwharf Quays and, according to the EOD team, it posed a “very serious threat”.

Image © Bob Morrison: Military Scene

Since an increasing amount of unexploded ordnance is being found in and around Portsmouth recently, why the increase and what danger does it pose to the public? The dredging operation was part of a large-scale improvement of Portsmouth Naval Dockyards, by widening and deepening a four mile channel, as it will have to accept the two new 70,600 tonne Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The increasing quantity of ordnance is being found due to this work. Unexploded ordnance is ammunition that’s been ´red and its fusing system hasn’t functioned as intended. This means it’s an explosive hazard, even 60 years after delivery. The explosive content of old ordnance breaks down just as any other chemical substance and can become quite volatile. Although unlikely to detonate suddenly by itself, an event such as being struck hard by an excavator bucket could cause sensitive primary explosive to detonate, which might lead the main ´lling to subsequently detonate as well. An excavator driver was recently killed when he hit an unexploded bomb in Euskirchen near Bonn in Germany. The ordnance in this latest Portsmouth case was an SC250 (Sprengbombe Cylindrisch 250), which was the most common aircraft bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe during WW2. It was ´lled with 130 kg of Amatol and TNT and could be ´tted with a variety of fuses to have the bomb function in the air, instantaneously on contact with the ground, or after a time delay of seventeen seconds. The bomb could also be ´tted with time delay

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fuses which would cause detonation between two and seventy hours later: these fuses were designed to cause continued disruption to the target area and target the bomb disposal teams trying to defuse the bombs. Another type of fuse targeting the bomb disposal operators was the ZUS 40, that would cause the bomb to function if the bomb disposal operator attempted to remove a fuse and they also used the Type 50, which was an anti-movement switch that caused detonation if the bomb disposal team tried to move it. The bombs themselves could be dropped as a standalone high explosive weapon, but were frequently dropped in conjunction with incendiaries so that the blast waves could shatter windows and roofs and then the incendiaries could land on any combustible material exposed and start ´res.

There was 687 tonnes of high explosive dropped on Portsmouth during the war and most of this was in three main air raids which occurred on the 10th January 1941, called ‘the night of terror’, the 10/11th of March 1941, and the 27th of April 1941. The ´rst two raids caused death and damage to the city centre and the third targeted the dockyards, so it is possible that the bomb found came from that raid. This ´nal major raid killed one hundred people and injured over 300. Although there were another 20 raids on Portsmouth throughout the war, the ´rst three were the heaviest and most effective. When aircraft bombs hit the ground, they do not lie on the surface if they fail to detonate; they normally bury themselves underground. Sometimes the entry hole can be seen and sometimes it might be covered by other debris and therefore the bomb

“AN EXCAVATOR DRIVER WAS RECENTLY KILLED WHEN HE HIT AN UNEXPLODED BOMB IN EUSKIRCHEN NEAR BONN IN GERMANY.” can remain undiscovered for decades. In this case the bomb hit water and therefore there would be no evidence of it lying there. When unexploded ordnance is found the police have a well-rehearsed and ef´cient incident management process. When the hazard is ´rst con´rmed, in this case by Hampshire Constabulary, this activates a multi-agency plan through the UK EOD team tasking centre near Oxford. They will then clear the area and evacuate people to a safe distance. The area is then cordoned off and access to it controlled so that safety can be maintained and, ´nally, the bomb disposal team will, once they have arrived, use a render safe procedure. In this case the procedure was to defuse the bomb to ensure it was safe to move it, to a designated demolition area at sea, to be destroyed with an explosive charge. As long as the dredging and other construction work continues, there will no doubt be more ordnance discovered and the explosive legacy of WW2 will continue to pose a threat to public safety for many decades to come.

Footnote: Just one month before the latest Portsmouth Harbour incident, a smaller 50kg unexploded WWII bomb was dredged up from the Thames close to the Houses of Parliament. By Robert Shaw

ROBERT SHAW of LONGBOW SOLUTIONS is a former British Army ATO and IEDD/WIS Operator who is now a security and intelligence trainer and consultant.

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Images © Bob Morrison

footwear BY BOB

MORRISON

MEINDL M EQUATOR ALPHA GTX - MOD BROWN In 2014 I had the opportunity to try out very early examples of German boot manufacturer Meindl’s EQUATOR GTX boots, in the hot and high karst landscape of El Torcal de Antequera nature reserve in Spain; see our December 2014 issue. Although outwardly a lightweight desert boot, this new model was designed around the latest generation of Gore-Tex® thin threelayer EXTENDED COMFORT breathable laminates engineered to perform without extra insulation.

R

oll forward two years and not only have Meindl updated this desert boot design, but W.L.Gore & Associates have also expanded their EXTENDED COMFORT laminates portfolio to cater for three different categories of combat boot; namely HIGH LIABILITY, TACTICAL and PATROL. The resultant marriage of the new boot design and new laminates

70 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

is the Meindl Equator Alpha GTX waterproof desert boot, which tips the scales at just 612 grammes for UK size 10.5 or EU size 45, but offers protection from pathogens yet allows the foot to breathe in very high ambient temperatures. The new Gore-Tex EXTENDED COMFORT ePTFE membrane laminates were scheduled for a Press

Launch at the IWA Hunting and Shooting show in Nuremberg a few days before this issue of C&S hit the newsstands but, to allow us to try out the new Equator Alpha GTX while on assignment in the Emirates in February, Meindl sent us a pair in UK MoD brown colourway beforehand and Gore-Tex sent us the launch info a fortnight in advance. Thanks all.

As should be obvious from the photos, from the sole upwards the Equator (sand) and Equator Alpha (brown) models are essentially of very similar construction, though the Alpha has extended heel protection and its lace tunnels and hooks are of more substantial design than the earlier model’s pressed plate style. The biggest difference between the two boots is the composite sole, with the bought-in Vibram outsole now being dropped in favour of one of Meindl’s own design. I had no issues with this new sole design out in the Gulf.

The one area where these lightweight boots really stand out is in the breathability & waterproof stakes, with the new Gore-Tex EXTENDED COMFORT laminate fabric taking them into a different realm. These latest generation fabrics fall into three classes, aimed at different operational scenarios: HIGH LIABILITY EXTENDED COMFORT laminate boots are intended for multi-day missions over harsh terrain carrying heavy loads; TACTICAL EXTENDED COMFORT boots are lightweight and agile, intended for shorter missions carrying lighter loads in warm and hot climates, without sacri´cing durability and waterproof properties; and PATROL EXTENDED COMFORT

boots are intended to be the ideal solution for “everyone with heightened expectations regarding breathability performance and heat loss”. This new three-layer laminate construction without separate inner lining means that the boots take up hardly any water and dry out more quickly. I am a ´rm convert to this new technology.

The UK MoD Brown Meindl Equator Alpha GTX is the updated version of the tan coloured Equator GTX launched in late 2014 and has the latest generation EXTENDED COMFORT membrane.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 71

book review

The White Sniper THE SIMO HÄYHÄ STORY Born in December 1905, for Finnish farmer and hunter Simo Häyhä most of the the ɯrst 34 years of life were pretty unremarkable although his marksmanship skills after joining the Civil Guard at 17 were recorded as being rather remarkable. In 1925, young Simo was conscripted for his 15-month national service, after which he returned to his local Civil Guard unit and continued to competitively shoot for them.

Images © SA-kuva-arkisto

I

n late November 1939 Russia invaded Northwards up the Karelian Isthmus, part of SouthEast Finland on the West side of Lake Lagoda, initiating what would become known as the Winter War, and then pushed up the East side of the lake through the area around Kolla. For 105 days Finland fought a delaying battle against the might of the Soviet Communist Bear advancing Northwards, and for the ´rst three months of this epic David and Goliath struggle Simo the National Guardsman fought on the front line to try to save his Karelian homeland. Eventually, just one week before a truce was agreed, Simo was struck in the jaw by an expanding bullet (illegal under the

1868 St. Petersburg Convention and the 1899 & 1907 Hague Conventions, but in wartime conventions are sometimes ignored) which almost killed him and left him facially dis´gured for the rest of his 96-year life. In just under 100 days this petite, polite, humble and unassuming farmer racked up an incredible 542 con´rmed kills, making him the top ranked sniper in the world to this day but, amazingly, he did this with just a bolt action riµe and open sights! This 190 page hardback, written by the Finnish Defence Forces career of´cer and co-author of the FDF Army Sniper Manual, Tapio A. M. Saarelainen, not only tells Simo’s story but also explains the Winter War and describes Finnish sniper training. It is a fascinating, though admittedly occasionally slightly repetitive, book which many marksmen, snipers and military history buffs should ´nd of great interest. The publisher is Casemate, ISBN is 978-1-61200-429-7 and UK cover price is £19.99. Accompanying photographs of Simo, taken around 20th February 1940, are courtesy of SA-kuvaarkisto, the Finnish Wartime Archives

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 72

UAE Presidential Guard Minimi gunner aboard a NIMR Ajban Special Operations Vehicle at IDEX 2017 [© Bob Morrison]

Image © Bob Morrison

COMBAT +SURVIVAL

next is issue

April '17 Issue On Sale 06th apr

N

ext month: It is our intention for Bob to commence coverage of the massive IDEX defence expo held in Abu Dhabi during the last full week of February and, assuming an MoD-

imposed temporary embargo has been lifted, we also hope to bring you his feature on UK troops undertaking their Annual Combat Marksmanship Test while wearing VIRTUS load carriage equipment and Revision Batlskin ballistic helmets. Carl will also be

providing two very interesting features, but precise details of these cannot be revealed at present. And that is just scratching the surface of what looks to be another packed issue of C&S. Plus: Product Reviews, Rations, Kit & Camo etc. Contents may change subject to operational developments!

74 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL