scopey_uk Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 . For example if they phased out PLCE so that everyone had to wear osprey, i think it would be unpopular-for exercises and non tactical situations at least. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Armour is not designed for "non tactical situations" and "exercises" it is designed to protect you in a war zone from being killed when shot or the blast/shrapnel from a suicide bomber, IED , Grenades , mortar rocket attack etc gives you a bad day at the office- all daily *beep* in Iraq and at the moment Helmland . It is not comfy or cool it is cumbersome and sweaty but hey thats life. And just as the army has never stopped you wearing your beloved private purchase vest,chest rig or belt kit - we run a wear what works policy unlike some armies- you are not suddenly gonna be told "oi you get your PLCE of and strap pouches to your armour"............. Link to post Share on other sites
doc_newstead Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Does it look something like this? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's never an issue mask. Anyone who knows their British gear is toting this: Armour is not designed for "non tactical situations" and "exercises" it is designed to protect you in a war zone from being killed when shot or the blast/shrapnel from a suicide bomber, IED , Grenades , mortar rocket attack etc <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So top drawer for airsoft then? Good good, stick it in the bin on the way out will you? we run a wear what works policy unlike some armies <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Which armies don't? Is this a sly dig at ACU? I'll have you know that between 7-7.16PM in June, as I squatted by my garden shed behind a ficus bush, my mum had to squint slightly to see me from 7 metres away. How dare you accuse the pattern of not being universal!!!111 /letter to MP Link to post Share on other sites
scopey_uk Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 WTF? Link to post Share on other sites
scopey_uk Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 [ Which armies don't? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Plenty of armies allow use of issue equipment only - parts of the US forces may only wear issue gear in a set way ..... where as we have the option to wear what works provifding it's in DPM or to a lesser extent OD here n there when it comes to gear. Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Doc, that's definetly the issue mask there mate. Link to post Share on other sites
tangman Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 whats the NSN for one?? Link to post Share on other sites
WOLF_2549 Posted July 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 These masks that the doc is referring to are of a top secret design and as such do not have an NSN. Their described to be "the ultimate in concealment technology". So as you can imagine the government does not wish to reveal them to the world. Yet somehow the doc has got one hmmmmmmmmmm (rings MI5) Link to post Share on other sites
Melonfish Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 i can see this going the same way as the yank intercepter. we'll issue this as armour only for use with PLCE then as per british Tradition we'll start buying molle pouches off the net and carry everything on the armour. just like the yanks interceptor and M.o.d vests. looks alright too, i'm glad they've included the shoulder and collar guards, any news on a groin guard? the yanks are only just issueing sholder guards and extra plates to cover the sides of their armour, apparently its weak there. also glad to see the use of Large Sapi plates (although dragonskin is superior) as apposed to the matchboxes they used to issue. bout bloody time imho. pete Link to post Share on other sites
CobaltSky Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 Imagine dragon skin being the standard issue. That would be some major increase in spending right there. I think the benifits of MOLLE outweigh the drawbacks at this time, when you consider the current environment that our soldiers are fighting in. I really want to get a good look what this new Osprey is like. Link to post Share on other sites
doc_newstead Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 I can't find any reference to it being called 'Osprey' anywhere. Where did we hear this name? Link to post Share on other sites
WOLF_2549 Posted July 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 The name was mentioned on the soldier of fortune site (http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/ go to military catalogue then struggle your way through to the molle section and the last two pouches on the last page mention it) and a quick google for british osprey vest reveals this article (http://www.jobwerx.com/news/dsm_biz-id=948238_628.html) about the dyneema being used in the new British Osprey Vest I would love some better pics of this and i'm especially interested in the direct attachment of the rucksack to the vest Link to post Share on other sites
scopey_uk Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 the bergans and patrol packs don't attach to the vest mate - when tabbing your armour is stashed in top of your bergan in normal "green" situations. Also would be too hard to don n doff in a hurry. Also would not spread the load correctly - begans are to heavy to just "clip" to your vest. Link to post Share on other sites
The Quarter-master Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 With the current way we fight i can see this as being a good thing. These days its mainly short patrols, VCPs and FIBUA. Theres no real need to carry all the ###### that is carried. There is generally a close line of support if things do go tits up. so there isn't any real need for the use of full PLCE, and most vest carry similar loads. Being able to take only what is needed, is in my oppion a good thing. Though i could see people ditching too much in favour of lighted loads. Better performance body armour is always a bonus. Though as said i would prefer them seperate, buts its still a usefull thing to have. Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted July 7, 2006 Report Share Posted July 7, 2006 Having said that, what if the short range patrol goes out and unforseen things happen, leaving them cut off for x days? I guess they'll have their NI patrol packs though. Link to post Share on other sites
doom6668 Posted July 7, 2006 Report Share Posted July 7, 2006 Its a sight better than the Ineba vest. (can't remember how to spell ineba) Link to post Share on other sites
doc_newstead Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Combat & Survival plopped onto my mat this morning, and there's an article about British forces in Basrah (my local corner shop is called Basra's...). It's explicitly mentioned as 'Osprey body armour', and there's a good pic of a soldier wearing it in full view; you can see the rank-slide and adustment straps very well etc, as he's not got much other kit on. Don't know when these will start appearing for collection, but maybe I might go the Ubar route and get a kit-maker to whittle one up for me... Link to post Share on other sites
Melonfish Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 doc, could you scan it for us m8? wish i could still get C&S no bugger round here will stock it, as for airsoft international... smiths said "Airsoft? is that about planes" pete Link to post Share on other sites
doc_newstead Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 I can't condone that sort of thing There are some proper pictures of it on the laugh-fest that is the wannabe forums, but I can't go around posting other people's pictures without permission, or I'd look like a right nobber. So if you're a member, they be lurking in the 'Second Line' sub-forum. It looks pretty nifty, and startlingly modern for British kit. /blancos '58 pattern white Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 I'd hate to look like a "nobber"... Anyway is this compaitble with 44 pattern or 08? If not, i'm not interested in it. Link to post Share on other sites
The Waco Kid Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 the new osprey vest is totally different to the old style EBA and the newer IEBA ( top cover armour ) - it has large US sized plates as opposed to the older "got to be a sniper to hit them " tiny plates - [the kevlar inserts are also said to be lighter but offer better protection . it is issued with two PLCE /MOLLE ammo pouches that hold two mags each and removable collar and shoulder protection/sleeves. Easy to sit here online in safety of your own home and say it's gay or bulky etc but you put your life on the line and all of a sudden - better armour and bigger plates seem like a good idea. Personally i dissagree with wearing pouches directly on my armour and will carry on using my chest rig ( which btw is molle with dpm pouches ) over the top allowing great flexibility . <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hopefully it will stop more than a sharpened cocktail stick then. If it does it's job all to the good. I think on a recent Panorama/Newsnight they showed some Brits (in the back ground) using US style FSBE shaped vests with pals webbing on, no pouches fitted though just PLCE belt order. Probably just stuff those chaps had bought to give better coverage. If fact the program I refered to was about two months ago & looking at the Osprey vest pictured the Brits were wearing something different, plain Tan/sand probably a personal purchase. Link to post Share on other sites
The Waco Kid Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 The modular vest vs armour & webbing argument from an airsoft point of view. I'm something of a geardo & I have several varieties of load carrying kit & body armour I've used for skirmishing as well a collecting. Being something of a sado MilSimer I do haul quantities of totally useless kit with me which probably isn't far off the real weight of said ###### either. So considering all the types of webbing/vests etc I've used in the past I can see some of the benefits of having two different systems operating in parallel. My current LBE is chosen purely for practicality in the sort of situation I expect to be in. I'm sure a soldier in a real shooting is going to make the same sort of judgement call about this, obviously with far more at stake than getting a little sting from a plastic pellet. Basic webbing: I now use a MAV. Tried PLCE, Alice, Noor Loos, BH H-gear, chest rig etc. Straight chest rigs are fine but the modularity is rather useful to tailor the vest to hold radios, grenades & different weapon mags securely. If I couldn't get this rig I'd opt for a PLCE type chest rig. Functional & comfortable. Generally I wear the MAV over a BCS NIJ carrier. Yep, I have Goldflex (Dyneema being old hat ) soft panels & Lv 3 & 4 hard plates. The BCS carrier is pretty smooth on the outside & the chest rig sits over it nicely & doesn't interfere with a camelbak. Surprisingly not to heavy although a tad warm. I managed to poke up with it on the hottest day of the year in the SE for 3.5 hours. I had to ditch it then as I was having trouble getting a good firing position on the M249 when prone, the front plate is quite curved and kept "rocking" me out of alignment. Fortunately I don't have to wear armour so the choice is simple. This seems to be a reasonable set up for most situations; woodlands skirmishing, patrolling about & jumping in & out of motors. Combined armour & gear carrier: For my old urban specific loadout I used a point blank vest/plates, collar, groin panel, upper arm covers & PASGT. BH urban assault or phalanx vest on top. Basically *fruitcage* horrible for any length of time. Especially in the sun with fashionable black & nomex trollies. As soon as I saw one I bought a RAV then swapped that in for a Ciras. Ciras is 10 times more comfortable than using a full vest over a complete set of "SWAT" armour & a separate LBE. You don't have to use all the pals space, the weight distribution is better & it's darn easier to put on with out help! You save a little on weight as there are fewer layers of fabric although the pals attachment may make up the difference but it seems much cooler & is easier to vent out. Certainly to my laymans eye it provides the maximum level of protection & utility for static roles where their is a high threat or just when you need much higher protection. However you wouldn't want to go bog trotting in it. Compromises: I've yet to find a stand alone plate carrier that sits as well on me over a soft vest, wearing it in addition to webbing would be a nightmare. The Sotech & similar plate carrier + chest rigs aren't too bad & are fairly versatile, but if you already have a vest, chest rig & combined vest/load carrier then it's a bit redundant. In short I think the new British kit may well be spot on if something like the PLCE belt gear/chest rig are maintained alongside it as I'm sure will happen. In my line of work it's like going from an ABLJ to a BCD. The first person to decipher that statement gets a rep. point. Link to post Share on other sites
Skarclaw Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Bouyency jackets? Link to post Share on other sites
The Waco Kid Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Close enough you win. Ajustable Bouyancy Life Jacket. Basically a life jacket you could inflate & let down, horrible straps that chafe the nethers & not that compatible with other kit. Bouyancy Control Device. Intergrated tank mount, kit carrier & flotation system. The newer ones have ditchable weights included. Much more ergonomic to swim about in. Link to post Share on other sites
Kingmob3 Posted July 15, 2006 Report Share Posted July 15, 2006 Damn wish I had been here sooner, so are you guys actually useing a vest BCD or wings and a back plate? Hrm, hopefully this will be a good mesure for the brit mil, although I wonder what people will wind up useing in the future? KM3 Link to post Share on other sites
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