British Military Pictures Thread

[bd popeye]

Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) MK 2

Up-armoured vehicles begin Afghanistan operations

The first of the enhanced Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) [CVR(T)] fleet is now operational on the front line in Afghanistan.

The up-armoured vehicles are giving extra protection to the soldiers of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers, as they provide security in the Nahr-e Saraj (North) district of Helmand province.

The main task of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers is to overwatch the battlespace either side of Highways 1 and 611, the two main supply routes that run through the Task Force Helmand area of operations.

BAE Systems has upgraded the armour on all five vehicles that make up the CVR(T) family - Scimitar, Spartan, Samson, Sultan and Samaritan - through an Urgent Operational Requirement process worth around £30m. CVR(T) is on display in the UK for the first time this week at the DSEi defence and security equipment show, currently taking place in London.

As part of the contract, the vehicles have been re-hulled to give better mine-blast protection for troops, and improved armour added for enhanced resistance to blasts and ballistics, as well as new mine-blast protection seating in every position in every variant. Other enhancements include repositioned foot controls and a revamped fuel system.

Scimitar Mark 2 builds on a number of upgrades that have previously been made to the CVR(T), which address the problems experienced while operating in the harsh Afghan environment. These previous upgrades have included improved power output, new gearboxes and transmissions, air-conditioning, improved communications, air filters and night-vision systems.

The Scimitar Mark 2s are proving a hit with the troops. Sergeant Matthew Pook, aged 31, from Hinckley in Leicestershire, has served on operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Bosnia and has seen previous versions of the vehicle in action. He said:

"Significant progress has been made with the vehicle since I first used it. It makes you feel more confident when out on the ground. The old ones needed regular maintenance and fixing, which is hard work at the end of a day."

Trooper Ashley Doyle, aged 21, from Plymouth, praised the changes to the vehicle. He said:

"Where we operate, it's a lot safer to move around in vehicles because they act as a deterrent against the insurgents. This new vehicle can cope with all the terrain in the Green Zone, even irrigation ditches, because of the new suspension."

9th/12th Royal Lancers' tour has been varied but they have used the CVR(T) in its classic reconnaissance role, providing security in convoy support.
Lieutenant Ed Aitken, aged 25, from London, is Troop Leader of 1st Troop, Formation Reconnaissance Squadron:

"Our area of operation is 250 square kilometres so the mobility the CVR(T) has allows us to have an effect on the area that we wouldn't otherwise achieve," he said. "The Highway is an arterial supply route so security is essential. Without vehicles such as this, it wouldn't be possible."

[bd popeye]

1 Rifles - Afghanistan

Soldiers from A Company of 1 Rifles based in Patrol Base 4 took part in a joint heli assault with the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) in Helmand today (15 Aug 11).

During the operation the AUP lost a man to an IED during a compound clearance. Despite this, they carried on with the patrol. During the final phases The Rifles and the AUP came under heavy contact. Both soldiers and the police stood their ground and managed to fight through the attack to recover to a nearby patrol base.

During the operation the police seized a quantity of HME from a compound and a sharp shooter from the Rifles eliminated an insurgent involved in the contact.

All images crown copyright - Photo credit - Sergeant Alison Baskerville RLC Crown Copyright

[advill]

Tks Popeye for the pictures. Yes, the British Military has contributed much together with their main partner the US. The Brits have also suffered casualities in this conflict. What they need is more support to prepare them for future needs/conflicts elsewhere, and NOT defence cuts as planned now.

[Equation]

The British still doing patrols in Northern Ireland? I thought that IRA problem is over, with Sinn Féin got a chance to share power with the Northern Ireland government.

[bd popeye]

Those photos of the Brits on patrol in Northern are a few years old...

[plawolf]

The British don't seem to be very big on keeping sleeves tightly buttoned.

I know it's hot as well over there, but those troopers really should keep their sleeves well buttoned. If an IED goes off close by, the pressure and heat wave will travel right up the open sleeve and cause a lot of burn damage to the arms that could be easily prevented if they just kept their sleeves buttoned up.

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Note Pics one two four and five the feature the L86A1 a long barrel version of the L85 series these weapons were original Light machine guns but later took the DMR role as the British army moved too the FN Minimi.

[Equation]

The British don't seem to be very big on keeping sleeves tightly buttoned.

I know it's hot as well over there, but those troopers really should keep their sleeves well buttoned. If an IED goes off close by, the pressure and heat wave will travel right up the open sleeve and cause a lot of burn damage to the arms that could be easily prevented if they just kept their sleeves buttoned up.

Sleeves in BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform) are usually rolled up when the soldiers are in garrison environment or parades, but on patrols or FTX and drills the sleeves are pull down easily when unbutton. An IED could burn right through the fabric. It's the fragments coming at high velocity from the IED that worries the soldier more because those can cut through flesh like a hot knife through a stick of butter.

[plawolf]

If you were close enough to an IED to have it burn through your BDUs, chances are you will have far bigger concerns than surface burns.

BDU are made of flame retardant fabric, and will offer pretty comprehensive protection against flash burns or from heat waves resulting from an explosion. That is, unless the BDU is not tightly fastened, in which case the superheated air can and will gust into a leave, for example, and can result in some pretty nasty burns.

It is true that shrapnel and concussion damage are the real killers, but there isn't a great deal more soldiers can do protect themselves against those. Flash burns, otoh, can be very effectively countered by simply keeping sleeves and shirts tightly buttoned.

I would certainly rather suffer a little more discomfort and keep all my buttons well buttoned up if that can save me from painful and potentially badly scaring burn injuries.

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Because these are brits First the Uniform is not a BDU, BDU was the American system the name became semi Generic the offical designation is a No.8 "Temperate combat dress" Combat Soldier 95. the materials Use very via country and service but the brits along with the US are leaders in the Fire resistant craze Traditional BDU's will burn they are made of some of the same fabrics as regular clothing but now there is a major push for FR. Next Sleeves up or Down is based on the regulations of that particular service although some will Roll others will not and some just get away with it.

[bd popeye]

JNCO Cadre

Images showing Soldiers from 2 and 3 Rifles during an JNCO Cadre, Edinburgh, Scotland, May, 2011

Photos: Rob Grimes

[alejandrogrossi]

Great photos
Obi Wan Russell do you have photos of Sea vixen/buccaneer on american carrier during cros dek operations?
I try to find some one, but is dificult
Thanks

[Obi Wan Russell]

Managed to dig these out: three of the prototype Bucc S2 undegoing catapult trials aboard USS Lexington around 1965, and two of an 809 NAS Bucc cross decking to the USS Franklin D Roosevelt around 1972. I'm sure I've got a grainy shot of a couple of Sea Vixens on the deck of the Enterprise in the mid 60s, will have to look for that...
bucc3.jpgbucc1.jpgBrit-Bucaneer-31.jpgbucc2.jpgBrit-Bucaneer-21.jpg

[alejandrogrossi]

Managed to dig these out: three of the prototype Bucc S2 undegoing catapult trials aboard USS Lexington around 1965, and two of an 809 NAS Bucc cross decking to the USS Franklin D Roosevelt around 1972. I'm sure I've got a grainy shot of a couple of Sea Vixens on the deck of the Enterprise in the mid 60s, will have to look for that...
bucc3.jpgbucc1.jpgBrit-Bucaneer-31.jpgbucc2.jpgBrit-Bucaneer-21.jpg

Thank you very much Obi Wan Russell!!
I`ll apreciate any photos of the SEa Vixen on american carrieer that can post.

[Obi Wan Russell]

Found it! And a few others of interest:
Sea_Vixens_on_USS_Enterprise_1962.jpgMoD_Ark_with_USS_Forrestal_Med_Dec_1972_qwt.jpg892 NAS FG1 22.jpgF4K_USS_Forrestal_1_Dec_1972_bsh.jpg2610d3dd4b70d5ec93fa3eefddb4fdf4.jpg