Mar 2017

Vol 28 Issue 12

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A L.
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TA
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23 GEBIRGS JÄGER BRIGADE

CO
C MB
OM

BRITAIN’S LEADING INDEPENDENT MILITARY MAGAZINE

 P52
COMBAT
+SURVIVAL
Vicky Lindsay, Magazine Director

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Bob Morrison, Editor
Carl Schulze, Senior Correspondent
Gordon Arthur, Far East Correspondent
Mike Gormley, Gear Tester
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PAGE 09 Elite Forces - EDELWEISS 2016 Published by Hit Media Ltd

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Carl Schulze reports from the Austrian Alps on Germany’s 23 Gebirgsjäger Brigade
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Bob Morrison reports from Poland on the multinational Quay Street, Hudderseld, HD1 6QT
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PAGE 38 Pull-out Poster - GRENADE MACHINE GUN Editorial: editor@combatandsurvival.com
Carl Schulze focuses on a Gebirgsjäger 40mm Granatmaschinenwae Team ©Copyright here and abroad of all
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PAGE 41 Special Forces - POLISH
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rio
Bob Morrison reports on the participants
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the
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olilish
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PAGE 48 Kit & Camo - HUNGARIAN
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Bob Morrison focuses on a SOTU operator
erato
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34 ‘Bercsényi’ Battalion such
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PAGE 52 Firearms 2 - 5.56mm
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COMBAT
CO
COM & SURVIVAL | 03

Comms
comms
I
n this issue we bring you the
last of our coverage of the
ANAKONDA ‘16 exercise
phases, concentrating on the
closing dynamic demonstration
undertaken by a multinational Special
Operations force in front of a party of
Distinguished Visitors and Observers.
This wide-ranging exercise, the largest
conducted on NATO territories since
STRONG RESOLVE in 2002, was
headed by Poland’s Lieutenant General
Marek Tomaszycki who has been
the Operational Commander of his
country’s armed forces since 2013.
At almost every exercise event that
C&S attended this quietly spoken
former Armoured Cavalry ofcer,
with experience of both the Iraq and
Afghanistan operations, was on hand
to talk to the media as well as hosting
visiting politicians and high ranking
ofcers from other nations. The
general’s media handling team for this
Lt Gen Marek Tomaszycki addressing the media during ANAKONDA ‘16 [© Bob Morrison]
The 9mm SIG Sauer
P320 has been
selected by the US
Army in both full-
size and compact
versions
support us in similar fashion to their
Polish colleagues.
exercise were every bit as professional
as their boss and, with the exception
For over a quarter of a century the
of one instance where they had to
US Army has been using the Beretta
corral us on health & safety grounds
M9 pistol as its standard sidearm but
due to the amount of fast-moving
as many of these weapons are fast
heavy vehicles in close proximity,
approaching the end of their life cycle
made our life as easy as possible as we
it was decided to seek a replacement.
endeavoured to bring our readership
Twelve pistols from eight different
maximum coverage of these massive
manufacturers were entered for the
manoeuvres. Thank you very much.
XM17 Modular Handgun System
competition in 2016, of which three
Since 1st January the United Kingdom
were down-selected for trials. Just
has been lead nation for NATO’s Very
before this issue went to press, it was
High Readiness Joint Task Force
announced that the 9mm SIG Sauer
(VJTF) and, following the 2016 Warsaw
P320 had been selected in both
Summit held just after ANAKONDA
full-size and compact versions. We
‘16 ended, the UK has also been
will bring you an update in a future
lead nation for the NATO Enhanced
issue, but in the meantime to read
Forward Presence (eFP) battalion
the company press release go to the
being based in Estonia. C&S will do
combatandsurvival.com website.
its level best to provide readers with
coverage of both VJTF ‘17 and British
One of our advertisers, Lionsgate
Forces units participating in the eFP
Films, has sent us a check disc of
mission; hopefully the UK MoD defence
the John Travolta lm Life On The
communications organisation will
Line, which will be available for
digital download in the UK from 20th
February and will go on sale on DVD
one week later. Normally this would not
be my type of lm, as I am more into
documentary-style than action movies,
but as there is a powerful underlying
message about the perils of maintaining
the power grid in the US in the face
of the extreme storms and hurricanes
that regularly hit this massive country, I
decided to give it a go.
Based on real events, its plot revolves
around a race against the clock to
x miles of high-wire cable before
lightning destroys the power grid and
everything in its path. In the credits it
is announced that in the thirty months
between the inception of the movie
and its theatrical release, 112 linesmen
had died maintaining the grid. In
their memory the Fallen Lineman
Foundation Organization was founded
- see fallenlinemen.org for more. BM
John Travolta, left, in Life On The Line
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 05
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 elite forces
01: Recently the units
of Gebirgs jäger
brigade 23 were
issued with new
clothing including a
cold weather jacket
and the waterproof
Schneetarnanzug
winter camouage
suit
02: Using a satellite
picture a platoon
commander from
Gebirgs jäger
bataillon 231 leads
02
his section during
a counter-attack
against irregular
forces after his
patrol has been
ambushed

Report & Images by 01

EDELWEISS 2016
CARL SCHULZE

23 GEBIRGSJÄGERBRIGADE MOUNTAIN TRAINING

Fighting in high mountains and over extremely dicult terrain, even in winter
and under Arctic conditions, is one of the core tasks of Germany’s Gebirgs jäger
Images © Carl Schulze

brigade 23 mountain infantry brigade. The annual EDELWEISS exercises are aimed
at training the units of the brigade in the art of oensive and defensive mountain
warfare operations. At the start of winter, C&S followed Exercise Edelweiss 2016
for a couple of days to report on this elite formation.
10:27, ROSSKOPF PEAK, 2,449 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, LIZUM/
WALCHEN TRAINING AREA, AUSTRIA, 22ND OCTOBER 2016:

F
rom their well-prepared and
camouaged positions the
mountain infantry troops
of C Platoon, 4. Kompanie,
Gebirgs jäger bataillon
232 carefully monitor the area between
the Mölser Sonnenspitze peak (2,496m
above sea level) and the Nördlicher
Schober peak (2,448m above sea level).
Armed with a 40mm Granat maschinen
waffe (grenade machinegun), a MILAN
anti-tank missile system, two 7.62mm
MG3 machineguns and several 5.56mm
G36 assault ries, the roughly 30
soldiers assigned to Red Force have
the task of defending the Unbenannte
Scharte gap between the Rosskopf
peak and the Mölser Sonnenspitze
peak in order to prevent enemy troops
from taking the high ground above the
Lager Lizum camp and launching an
attack against the camp from there. It is
already the second attempt of Blue to
take the Rosskopf peak, but owing to
their domination of the high ground Red
were able to repulse the rst one
This time the situation is different. The
Red positions on the Klammspitzen
peaks and the Tantalerköpfe peaks were
taken by Blue at rst light, and from the
high ground overlooking the whole area
Blue now can monitor the Red positions
on Rosskopf. Suddenly, the sound of the
wind blowing across the snow-covered
rocky ground is drowned by explosions
caused by ash-bangs the umpires are
throwing.
“Mortar re, take cover!” the platoon
leader shouts, the order being echoed
by his section commanders. “Damn!”
one of the mountain infantrymen
mumbles while he crouches behind a

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 09

 “THE BLUE AND RED TROOPS STAYED
IN THE MOUNTAINS PERMANENTLY,
elite forces DEFYING HARSH WEATHER WITH
Images © Carl Schulze

TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW ZERO,

FOG, STRONG WINDS AND THE FIRST
SNOW OF THE COMING WINTER
SEASON.”

boulder. “They have a Joint Fire Support
Team up there, directing the re of
their mortars against us with pinpoint
accuracy.”
The mortar re ceases as suddenly as it
began, but now machinegun re can be
heard from the direction of the Mölser
Sonnenspitze. Simultaneously gures
dressed in snow camouage suits can
be seen making their way up from the
Unbenannte Scharte gap towards the
the other the Red positions are cleared
by the Blue troops.
This attack on Rosskopf Peak was only
one of several offensive operations
conducted by the Blue Forces over
a period of ve days during Exercise
EDELWEISS 2016.
EXERCISE IN NUMBERS
EDELWEISS 2016 was conducted by
includes peaks up to 2,800m above sea
level.
All in all the exercise area extended
210km from its western to its Eastern
edge and 80km from North to South.
It involved some 1,600 German and
Austrian troops as well as 200 wheeled
and tracked vehicles and several
helicopters of the Austrian Armed
Forces.

Rosskopf peak.

“Fire!” orders the platoon leader.

Immediately the soldiers of Red open up
on the troops below. But their defensive
re cannot stop the advance of Blue,
especially as the grenade machinegun
and one of the machineguns have been
taken out by the mortar re. One after
the Gebirgs jäger brigade 23 mountain
infantry brigade between the 10th and
24th of October, 2016. While parts of
the training were conducted on public
ground, most took place on local
training areas in Southern Germany,
such as Bodelsberg, Altenstadt, Murnau
and Berchtesgaden, plus on the Lizum/
Walchen Training Area in Austria that
PARTICIPATING FORCES
Brigadier Alexander Sollfrank, the
commander of Gebirgs jäger brigade
23, led the exercise in person. In doing
so he was supported by a binational
EXCON, including personnel from the
HQ of Gebirgs jäger brigade 23 and the
Kommando Gebirgskampf (mountain

10 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 03: While ofcially an warfare command) of the Austrian The Gebirgs aufklärungs bataillon 230
03 anti-tank missile, in
mountainous terrain
Army. The EXCON served as higher HQ battlegroup included the battalion’s HQ
MILAN also proves for the two Blue Forces battlegroups and HQ & Support Company, plus a
quite effective against and the Red Forces . The Militär purpose-formed ISR company including
fortied positions- kommando Tirol (regional command) the Hoch gebirgs spähzug (high altitude
crew wear the new of the Austrian Armed Forces assisted mountain reconnaissance platoon), a
Schneetarnanzug
winter camouage suit the exercising troops in all kinds of reconnaissance platoon equipped with
04: Air transport administrative tasks. Fennek light armoured reconnaissance
support for the German vehicles, a LUNA (Luftgestützte
and Austrian mountain The Blue Forces included two Unbemannte Nahaufklärungs-
infantry forces was
provided by Agusta battlegroups, one formed around Ausstattung) reconnaissance UAV
Bell 212 light transport Gebirgs aufklärungs bataillon 230 platoon and a human intelligence
helicopters of the (mountain reconnaissance battalion) platoon. The company was reinforced
Austrian Kommando and the other around Gebirgs jäger by an infantry platoon from Gebirgs
Luftunterstützung
bataillon 233 (mountain infantry jäger bataillon 231 equipped with GTK
05: During the rst
Phase of the exercise battalion). A mountain rescue force and Boxer A1 wheeled armoured personnel
Blue Forces employed most of the umpires were provided by carriers, an EOD Team of Gebirgs
Fennek light armoured the German Gebirgs jäger bataillon 231. pionier bataillon 8 (mountain engineer
reconnaissance
vehicles from 2. battalion) and a pack animal section of
Kompanie, Gebirgs 05 the Einsatz- und Ausbildungs zentrum
aufklärungs bataillon für Tragtierwesen 230 (pack animal
230 to gather centre) of the Bundeswehr.
information on the
enemy
06: The Bundeswehr The Gebirgs jäger bataillon 233
elds the GTK Boxer battlegroup consisted of the
A1 wheeled armoured battalion’s 1. Kompanie (Versorgungs-/
personnel carrier in
four main variants: Unterstützungs kompanie) HQ and
section vehicle, HQ & Support Company, all its three
ambulance, command mountain infantry companies (2., 3,
post vehicle (as here)
and driver training
vehicle 06 07
07: An Eagle V
protected patrol
vehicle of Gebirgs
aufklärungs bataillon
230 provides cover
for the ground control
station of a LUNA UAV
system - vehicle is
tted with the FLW 100
RCWS
08: GTK Boxer A1
wheeled armoured
personnel carriers of
Gebirgs jäger bataillon
231 patrol on the
Murnau Local Training
Area
09: Soldiers of Gebirgs
aufklärungs bataillon
230 prepare to launch
a LUNA (Luftgestützte
Unbemannte
Nahaufklärungs-
Ausstattung)
reconnaissance UAV

04

08
and 4. Kompanie) and its 5. Kompanie
(schwere Gebirgs jäger kompanie) re
support company. The battalion was
reinforced by an engineer company
of the Gebirgs pionier bataillon 8
and a platoon of the Einsatz- und
Ausbildungszentrum für Tragtierwesen
230.

09 The Red Forces included Austrian

and German troops and were centred

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 11

 elite forces
10 “THE AIM OF
THE EXERCISE IS
TO TRAIN GEBIRGS
JÄGER BRIGADE 23
TO CONDUCT THE
ALL-ARMS BATTLE
11
OVER EXTREME
TERRAIN,
INCLUDING HIGH
MOUNTAINOUS
TERRAIN.”
around the reinforced German Gebirgs
jäger bataillon 232 mountain infantry
battalion. The battalion deployed with
its HQ, HQ and Support Company,
including the Hoch gebirgsjäger
zug (high altitude warfare platoon),
4. Kompanie (mountain infantry
company) and elements of 5. Kompanie
(re support company) such as the
mortar platoon and Joint Fire Support
Teams (JFST). The battalion was
reinforced by a mixed platoon from
Gebirgs pionier bataillon 8, including
its cable car component. The Austrian
troops assigned under command of
the German unit included a mountain
infantry company of the Jäger bataillon
24, a platoon from the Tragtier zentrum
Images © Carl Schulze

(pack animal centre) and the cable car

platoon of Pionier bataillon 2 (engineer
battalion).

Logistic support for Blue and Red

Forces was provided by the Gebirgs
versorgungs bataillon 8 (mountain
logistic battalion). This unit deployed
on the exercise with its HQ and HQ &
Support Company and one of its mixed
logistic companies, including a transport
platoon, a maintenance platoon and a
supply platoon. Limited air transport
capability was provided for the forces
of both sides by Agusta Bell 212 light
transport helicopters of the Kommando
Luftunterstützung (aviation support
command) of the Austrian Armed
Forces
12
the same time stabilising the situation
inside the country, where Irregular
Forces were operating.
The exercise was conducted in three,
partly overlapping, phases. During
Phase I the troops deployed to their
starting locations and force integration
training was conducted in order to
incorporate the assets of the Austrian
Armed Forces participating in the

CONDUCTED IN exercise into the units of Gebirgs jäger

brigade 23.

THREE PHASES
As part of the EDELWEISS 2016
exercise scenario, Blue Forces were
deployed to the ctitious country of
Obsidia in order to protect its integrity
against attacks by the conventional
forces of a neighbouring state, while at
Phase II was a reconnaissance exercise
conducted by the Gebirgs aufklärungs
bataillon 230 battlegroup up to the
21st of October. During this, the
reconnaissance assets gathered vital
13 information about the enemy and his
plans. This information formed the basis

12 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 IRS company as a monitoring force with
14 a quite large assigned battlespace, the
deployment of a Quick Reaction Force
in assistance to reconnaissance assets,
and anti-ambush drills.

Phase III was the actual combat phase

of the exercise. As part of this the
Gebirgs jäger bataillon 233 battlegroup
launched its attack against the Red
positions on the Lizum/Walchen

15

10: A platoon from the

Tragtier zentrum of the 16
Austrian Army supported
the Red Forces - their
Hainger horses were
used to supply remote
positions and to
transport heavy weapons
into remote zones
11: Supplies are cross
loaded from Hainger
horses into the cable car
of the Pionier bataillon 2
engineer battalion - both
of these Austrian Army
units participated in the
German Army exercise
12 After his position
has been outanked a
Gebirgs jäger uses the
cover of the reverse
slope to deploy to an
alternative position
13: The cable car platoon
of the Austrian Pionier
bataillon 2 (engineer
battalion) can build
cable car systems up to
a length of 1,800 and with
a payload of up to 3.5
tonnes
14: Equipped with one of
the new 7.62mm Gewehr
G27P precision ries a for the offensive Training Area in Austria. The phase
Gebirgs jäger provides operations conducted began on the 20th of October and the
cover for his comrades under Phase III. ghting continued for ve days up to
who are attacking enemy
positions on the Murnau the 24th. During this period Red fought
Local Training Area This third phase only a defensive battle along three different
15: Both the German and involved German lines and every time skilfully managed
the Austrian mountain troops and was only to disengage before taking up the next
warfare forces deployed conducted on German positions.
their cable car engineer
assets on EDELWEISS soil, as it also served
2016 - this picture shows as the nal part of The Blue attack started from the Navis
a German cable car the pre-deployment valley, at about 1,500m above sea
16: Three members of training of the assets level, and saw the German Gebirgs
an MG3 machinegun of the Gebirgs jäger jäger rst securing several peaks that
team – middle soldier
carries the weapon with brigade 23, who in dominate the area and then continuing
bipod deployed and 2017 will deploy on their attack on the Red positions from
rear soldier carries its operation to Mali the North and West. Among the peaks
sustained re tripod
under EUTEM Mali were the Tantalerköpfe with a height of
17: Gebirgs jäger are and MINUSMA. In this 2,757m above sea level.
trained for ghting in
high mountains and phase the training
extremely difcult
terrain, even in winter
17 mainly involved the The Blue and Red troops stayed in
deployment of the the mountains permanently, defying
and under Arctic
conditions
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 13
 18: A machinegun team
equipped with a 7.62mm
MG3 and sustained re
tripod makes their way
up to a position on high
ground in order to allow
elite forces
harsh weather with temperatures well
them to engage enemy
troops operating below
19: The new waterproof During the exercise
below zero, fog, strong winds and the Schneetarnanzug winter my soldiers and
rst snow of the coming winter season. camouage suit is in military leaders at
the new (M2015) three-
During movements, the deployed troops colour Winter Flecktarn all levels showed
carried rucksacks containing over 30kg camouage pattern what is needed to
of kit and carried heavy weapons such 20: Rosskopf Peak, be a Gebirgsjäger;
as 40mm Granat maschinen waffe 2,449m above sea this includes
(grenade machine guns), MILAN anti- level - a 7.62mm MG3 looking after your
machinegun team
tank missile. The mules of the pack from C Platoon of 4. subordinates and
animal assets delivered 120mm Mörser Kompanie, Gebirgs comrades, but also
comrad
‘R’ mortars to their positions and moved jäger bataillon 232 the dedetermination
carefully monitors
up supplies for the Gebirgs jäger . the terrain below to full your orders,
Among other means, Red used two overcome the
to over
cable car systems set up by German and environment and
environ
Austrian engineers to supply its forces in beat the enemy.
to bea
the mountains. During the exercise
18 System Gebirgs
the Sys
Parallel to all three phases the Gebirgs jäger brigade 23
versorgungs bataillon 8 (mountain
logistic battalion) exercised its SYSTEM was trained
w
entirely,
e with
capabilities, providing real-life support
as well as executing exercise play GEBIRGSJÄGER- each of its
combat,
c
related combat service support tasks.
Over the two week period of the
exercise the unit maintained a Brigade
BRIGADE 23
When asked about the
combat
c
support and
sup
combat service
com
Support Area (BSA), from where it purpose of the exercise
rcise support
supplied the participating units with Brigadegeneral (i.e.. assets
food, fuel, water and ammunition. The Brigadier) Alexander er working
BSA also served as a maintenance Sollfrank answered:: hard in
facility, in which damaged equipment “The aim of the exercise
rcise order to do
o
was repaired before it was returned to is it to train Gebirgs jäger their bit to
the
the eld. The BSA was relocated several brigade 23 to conductuct successfully
su
times, for example it was set up several the all-arms battle over complete the
co
days each at Bodelsberg, Murnau and extreme terrain, including
luding given tasks.”
g
Innsbruck. high mountainous terrain.
errain.
19

“DURING THE EXERCISE THE SYSTEM 20

GEBIRGS JÄGER BRIGADE 23 WAS TRAINED
ENTIRELY, WITH EACH OF ITS COMBAT,
COMBAT SUPPORT AND COMBAT SERVICE
SUPPORT ASSETS WORKING HARD...”
Images © Carl Schulze

14 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 Report & Images by
CARL SCHULZE
firearms
01: The G27P comes
with an RSA-S reex
sight, a 4x30i RD
optical sight and a
back up iron sight -
it is also tted with a
bipod and a carrying
sling
02: Together with
a magazine lled
with 20 rounds
the G27P weighs
5.13kg - with its butt
fully extracted it is
985mm long, 82mm
wide and 213mm
high

01

New Bundeswehr G27P

H&K 7.62MM PRECISION AUTOMATIC RIFLE
Images © Carl Schulze

By 30th June 2016 the German Armed Forces had received 600 brand new Gewehr
(Rie) G27P 7.62x51mm Precision Automatic Ries manufactured by Heckler & Koch.
Together with additional 5.56x45mm MG4 machineguns, also manufactured by H&K,
these weapons were procured as a supplement to the rearms mix elded by the
German Infantry assets. C&S recently came across the rst G27P precision automatic
ries in the eld and seized the opportunity to brief readers on this weapon.

I
n recent years there has been a
growing argument in Germany
about the precision and reliability
of the 5.56x45mm Gewehr G36
assault rie manufactured by
Heckler & Koch, the standard assault
rie of the German Armed Forces.
Report after report was presented and
the subject even reached the state
where H&K and the Verteidigungs
ministerium (German Ministry of
Defence) met in court to settle the 02
matter; with the manufacturer winning
the case.
In 2015, however, Ursula von der
Leyen, Germany’s Defence Minister,
declared the days of the 178,000
G36 ries in German service to be
numbered and initiated the process for

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 17

 firearms

“CAPABILITY-WISE, THE
7.62MM CALIBRE G27P
FITS INTO THE WEAPON
MIX OF THE INFANTRY
SECTION BETWEEN THE
5.56MM G36 ASSAULT
RIFLE AND THE 7.62MM
G28 DMR...”

the procurement of a replacement. On

the other hand, a survey among some 04 05
200 soldiers who used the G36 during
operations in Afghanistan surfaced,
which disclosed that they regarded
the weapon as reliable, light and easy
to handle, while at the same time not
having encountered any precision issues
... but the damage was done and it looks
like the G36 will be replaced at some
time over the next few years.

The procurement of the new 7.62mm

G27P precision automatic ries has
to be viewed against the background
of the G36 affair. In fact, the procure-
ment of the weapon was supposed to
Images © Carl Schulze

compensate for alleged precision and

reliability issues of the 5.56mm G36 as-
sault rie. The P in the designation G27P
stands for Präzisionsautomat, meaning
precision automatic weapon in English.
However, the new G27P precision auto-
matic rie is not a direct replacement for
the 5.56mm G36, as only one or two are
issued at section level.
Quite correctly, our readers might now
assume that the weapon serves as
a designated marksman rie (DMR),
but this is not really true either as
the German Armed Forces eld the
7.62x51mm Zielfernrohr gewehr (target
telescope rie) G28, also manufactured
by Heckler & Koch, as their DMR.
Capability-wise, the 7.62mm calibre
G27P ts into the weapon mix of the

18 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 03: The Gewehr G27P
7.62x51mm precision 06
automatic rie has
an effective combat
range of 600m and
a theoretical rate of
re of 600 rounds per
minute
04: The hand-guard of
the G27P features MIL-
STD-1913 Picatinny rails
at the top and bottom
as well as at the left
and right sides
05: The back-up iron
sights feature a drum
type rear sight with
settings for 100m,
200m, 300m and 400m
06: The G27 is in service
with the Bundeswehr
both as a precision
automatic rie and as
an automatic sniper
rie with the Special
Forces - both are
marked G27 on the
lower receiver
07: A paratrooper
from Fallschirmjäger
regiment 26 can be
seen here with a
G27P during exercise
COLIBRI IL held in
South-Western France
in September 2016
08: The front sight
element of the back-up
iron sights – seen here
raised - can be folded
away

08

03

HECKLER & KOCH

07
infantry section between the 5.56mm
G36 assault rie and the 7.62mm G28
DMR, being basically an assault rie
featuring a more powerful calibre
than the standard assault rie and
therefore having increased penetration
power and offering a higher degree
of precision at the receiving end.
According to ofcial documents the
G27P can be effectively employed
against targets out to a range of 600
metres.
HK417 FAMILY
The Gewehr G27P 7.62x51mm precision
automatic rie is one of two variants
of the weapon in service with the
Bundeswehr, the other being the
Gewehr G27 7.62x51mm automatic
sniper rie, tted with a 1.5–6x20
sniper scope. The automatic sniper
rie is elded by the Kommando
Spezialkräfte, the Special Forces of
the Bundeswehr. Both G27 variants are
members of the HK417 family of gas
operated automatic 7.62mm calibre
ries developed by the Heckler & Koch
in Oberndorf, Germany.
The HK417, in turn, is a further
development of the HK416 family of

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 19

 09
firearms

10 11
Images © Carl Schulze

gas operated automatic 5.56x45mm

calibre ries that use the Stoner-
designed AR system and feature
the short-stroke piston design gas
operating system of the 5.56x45mm
Gewehr G36 assault rie.

G27P TECHNOLOGY
The G27P precision automatic rie is
a magazine-fed automatic weapon
that can re single shots and bursts.
According to its Bundeswehr manual,
the gas operated, rotating bolt
weapon consists of the following
main components: The upper receiver
with barrel, back-up iron sight and
add-on parts; the lock; the lower
receiver with add-on parts, including
the trigger mechanism and butt
stock; the cocking handle; the bipod;
the hand guard; the sights (4x30i RD
optical sight and RSA-S reex sight);
the magazine; and the sling.

The upper receiver, the lower

receiver, the extractable butt stock

20 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL


12
and the hand guard are made of
composite materials. The upper and
lower receiver are attached to each
other by two bolts. When only the
rearward bolt is removed, the forward
bolt becomes a joint, allowing the lower
receiver to be hinged downwards by
45° - for example, for maintenance
purpose or when the weapon is
stripped. The magazine, that can hold
twenty rounds, is manufactured of
transparent plastic.
The lower receiver incorporates the
magazine well, houses the trigger
mechanism and is tted with the
extractable butt stock that can be
13
09: The G27P is tted with
a Hensoldt Line 4x30i RD
optical sight - the reticule
can be illuminated
10: The butt of the G27P
can be extracted in ve
steps out to 80mm – there
is a storage compartment
behind the rubber butt pad
11: The G27P is a member
of the HK417 family and as
such utilises the Stoner-
designed AR system - the
automatic weapon can be
used to re single shots
or bursts.
12: The G27P comes with a
Harris HBRMS bipod with
legs that can be adjusted
individually
13: Here the front sight
element of the back-up
iron sights is folded
forwards to avoid
obscuring the optical
sight
14: A ash eliminator is
screwed onto the front of
the 406mm long barrel
which features four
grooves and elds with
right twist
15: A hex-wrench for
adjusting the gas system
of the rie is stored with
two spare batteries for the
sights behind the butt pad
15
“THE FRONT
SIGHT OF THE
BACK-UP IRON
SIGHT, WHICH
CAN BE FOLDED
DOWN, IS
INCORPORATED
INTO THE GAS
PORT.”
14
extracted in ve steps out to 80mm.
The trigger mechanism incorporates the
safety catch that features the settings
Safe, Single Shot and Burst. It is used to
lock the weapon when cocked, as well
as to select the ring modes.
The upper receiver houses the lock
and cocking handle. The 406mm long
barrel, that features four grooves and
elds, is also mounted in it. The gas port
is mounted on the barrel with the gas
operating system, which can be set for
normal use or when using the weapon
with a silencer, situated above it.
The front sight of the back-up iron
sight, which can be folded down, is
incorporated into the gas port. At the
receiving end of the barrel a thread is
found onto which a ash eliminator is
screwed. A MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail
is situated on top of the upper receiver;
this is used to mount the rear sight of
the back-up iron sights and the 4x30i
RD optical sight. The forward assist
assembly situated at the right rear
of the upper receiver allows manual
engagement of the lock of the weapon.
The hand-guard of the G27P features
MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rails at the
top and bottom as well as at the
left and right side. The rails are used
to t the weapon with additional
sighting equipment such as the Nacht
sicht vorsatz NSV 600 night vision
attachments and the LLM01 laser light
module. It is also used to mount the
assault grip and the Harris bipod.
Among other items, the accessory pack
delivered with the weapon includes
eight magazines, an assault grip, a
carrying case, and a cleaning kit.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 21
 16: A soldier of
Gebirgsjäger
brigade 23 armed
with the G27P

firearms
- note that the
weapon is tted
with an assault
grip which is part
of the standard
accessory kit
17: The centre
mark of the 4x30i
RD optical sight
reticule is set
on 100m - below
it are marks for
300m to 1200m
distances in
hundred metre
steps

16

17 Gewehr G27P Technical Data

Calibre: 7.62mm x 51
Weight: 4,450g
Weight empty magazine: 160g
Weight magazine with 20 rounds: 680g
Overall length (butt fully extracted): 985mm
Overall width: 82mm
Height (without sights): 213mm
Length of barrel: 406mm (four grooves and elds
with right twist)
Theoretical rate of re: 600 rounds per minute
Initial velocity (V-0): 786 m/s
Eective combat range: 600m
Sights: RSA-S reex sight, 4x30i RD
optical sight and iron back-up

4X30I RD OPTICAL SIGHT AND RSA-S REFLEX SIGHT

As main sight, the G27P is tted with a
4x30i RD optical sight of the Hensoldt
Line by Airbus DS Optronics GmbH.
This sight is mounted onto the MIL-STD-
1913 Picatinny rail on top of the upper
receiver of the rie. The sight features
a x4 magnication and a eld of view
of 8°/140m at a range of 1,000m. Due
to its large exit pupil, with a diameter
Images © Carl Schulze
already in service with the German Army.
The sight is 139mm long, 65mm wide and
76.5mm high. It weighs 600g with battery
and mount.
The RSA-S reex sight is positioned on
top of the 4x30i RD optical sight. This
compact collimator sight also belongs to
the product range of the Hensoldt Line,

of 7.5mm, the sight is well-suited for of Airbus DS Optronics GmbH. Featuring

the use in adverse visibility and twilight.
Its reticule can be illuminated, the
illumination being powered by a single
AA battery.
The sight can be operated together with
night vision attachments such as the
Nacht sicht vorsatz NSV 600, that is
a red aiming dot the sight allows the
G27P to be used for close quarter
combat. It is also used for quick reaction
reliable engagement of targets at ranges
out to 200m. The RSA-S reex sight is
63.5mm long and weighs 100g. As power
supply, the system uses a 3V CR 2032
button cell battery and a solar cell.

22 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

allied forces
01
ANAKON
COMBINED SPECIAL
On Thursday 16th June, ten days
after the Opening Ceremony
in Warsaw and nine days after
multinational Airborne Forces
commenced their Joint Forcible
Entry operation into Poland from
bases in the United States, Germany
and Italy, the last two major Exercise
ANAKONDA phases took place at
the Land Forces Training Centre
near Drawsko Pomorskie. At the
invitation of the Polish MoD, C&S
was on hand to witness both.
24 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
L
ast month we Swedish units also contributed.
looked back at After a brief regrouping of the
the impressive DV party, we were transported
multinational from the tank and artillery ring
Combined Arms range about seven kilometres
Live-F
Live-Fire Exercise (LFX) through the forest to the 2,000
demo
demonstration, conducted in metre long airstrip at Oleszno
front of Distinguished Visitors where a temporary village
and O
Observers at the Polish had been assembled near the
Land Forces Training Centre on Eastern end of the runway
morning of the penultimate
the m for the afternoon’s brief but
of the exercise. Although
day o dynamic demonstration.
participating battlegroup
the pa
was PPolish-led, Albanian, All we had been told in
American, Bulgarian, Lithuanian,
Amer advance was that a Polish-led
Macedonian, Romanian, and
Mace multinational SOTU (Special
 “THE ACTION 01: The Ex ANAKONDA
‘16 Special Operations
Report & Images by
COMMENCED WITH dynamic display was BOB MORRISON
THE COVERT SF led by Poland’s JKW
TEAM’S SNIPERS
Commando Special
Forces Group 02
TAKING OUT THE 02: The insurgent
AIR DEFENCE militia targets
of the SpecOps
RADAR DISHES ON raid occupied
BOTH THE LORAD a headquarters
complex with
LAUNCHER AND THE barracks block and
COMMAND POST communications
building
TRUCK WITH ANTI- 03: It was crucial
MATERIEL RIFLES...” that advanced
03
communications
equipment and data
records be captured
from this command
node complex
04: The target was
protected by a mobile
SA-8 Gecko long range
air defence system
which posed a major
threat to the airmobile
assault force
05: Short range air 04
defence was provided
by crew-served
missiles and heavy
machineguns which
also needed to be
eliminated
06: F-16 Fighting
Falcons called in
by a clandestinely
inserted JKW team
took out the long
range air defence 05
launchers and their
command post
07: As the F-16s
struck Special Forces
snipers concealed in
woods hundreds of

NDA 16
metres away took out
the short range air
defence crews

OPERATIONS Operations Task Unit) would be

06
Images © Bob Morrison

conducting an air assault exercise 07

to demonstrate a forced entry
mission into an area of a friendly
country that had been partially
overrun by hostile militia assisted
by ‘advisers’ from a neighbouring
country. In addition to the
helicopters and specialist light
utility vehicles used for the assault,
a covert Special Forces team had
been previously clandestinely
inserted to provide intelligence
and fast air would be on call to
neutralise air defences which might
otherwise spoil the SOTU’s day.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 25

allied forces
From the media pen, about 150 metres group of half a dozen ISO containers 08: Mil Mi-24
distant from the nearest of the enemy- with vehicles outside, which looked Hind helicopter
gunships which
held buildings, we were able to see: a like a logistics base. A few hundred ew in at low level
large, white-roofed wooden building metres to the North of this complex, strafed the enemy
with armed militia and uniformed a 6x6 long range air defence missile defensive positions
– note muzzle
personnel guarding it, which looked (LORAD) launcher could be detected ash of starboard
like a barracks block; a pair of 40-foot under camouage nets, a short distance machinegun
ISO container ofces with satellite away from this was a camouaged short
09: This PZL W-3PL
dishes and antennae atop, which was range air defence (SHORAD) position Guszec (Capercaillie)
clearly a communications hub; and a with both portable launchers and a armed version of the
W-3 Sokó (Falcon)
08 provided airborne
command and control
10: With the air
defences neutralised
a brace of heavily
armed Mil Mi-17 Hip
helicopters swooped
in with multinational
assault teams
11: A SpecOps assault
team fast-ropes from
the lead Hip – close
inspection shows
different uniforms but
no national insignia is
visible
12: As another team
fast-ropes from the
second Mi-17 Hip two
JKW breaching and
assault teams arrive
by vehicle from the
blind side
09 13: Through the fog of
battle an assault team
covered by a Polaris
MRZR-2 machine-
gunner approaches
the communications
complex
14: The assault team
commences clearing
the command node -
satcom dishes have
been disabled and a
captured insurgent
lies on the ground 11

12

10

twin-barrelled wheeled anti-aircraft gun,

and behind them on the treeline could
be seen a camouaged command post
with a radar truck.

The action commenced with the covert

SF team’s snipers taking out the air
defence radar dishes on both the LO-
RAD launcher and the command post
truck with anti-materiel ries and then
turning their attention to the SHORAD
operators. With these immediate threats
neutralised, fast air was then free to
completely obliterate (simulated) the

26 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 “THE HELIBORNE
ASSAULT TEAMS WERE
TRANSPORTED BY TWO
MIL MI-17 HIP TRANSPORT
HELICOPTERS, EACH
ARMED WITH FOUR ROCKET
PODS AND TWO TWIN
MACHINEGUN PODS...”

13 14

Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopter gunships

gave top cover for the two Hips while
a PZL W-3PL Guszec (see page 32)
provided overall airborne command
and control. A running commentary
Images © Bob Morrison

was given by a Special Forces

positions to allow the heliborne element
of the SOTU to swoop in and fast-rope
onto the enemy-held command & con-
trol and barracks complex, while vehicle-
borne SF elements raced in from the
forest during the initial confusion.
The heliborne assault teams were
transported by two Mil Mi-17 Hip
transport helicopters, each armed
with four rocket pods and two twin
machinegun pods (see page 34 for
more). As the assault teams went in,
command team to the Distinguished
Visitors and Observers party, in a stand
off to our right, but unfortunately the
sound of the helicopters prevented
us clearly hearing or recording this
so it was not until afterwards that we
discovered precisely which operators
were involved.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 27


allied forces
In effect four multiples, each
consisting of two four-man
teams, plus supporting helicopter
and vehicle crews, carried out
the simultaneous assault on
the three distinct areas of the
enemy-held complex. The lead
Hip dropped one multiple near
the communications buildings,
the second Hip dropped another
multiple behind the barracks
28 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
15: Another assault
team works through
the complex
looking for High
Value Targets and
any equipment of
interest to analysts
16: With the barracks
block neutralised the
JWK team prepares
to withdraw – note
the W-3PL Guszec
hovering in
overwatch
17: The lead Mi-17 Hip
swoops back in to
recover an assault
team – for more on
this helicopter turn
to page 34 of this
issue
18: The assault team
leaves the command
node – the operator
15 on the extreme
left is escorting a
captured High Value
Target to the landing
helicopter
19: The team has
captured two High
Value Targets who
will be interrogated
later by intelligence
specialists to
glean info on the
insurgency
20: The Polish JWK
team head off on
one their HILUX
utility vehicles as an
MRZR-2 team covers
their rapid departure
21: Demolition
charges (simulated)
destroy equipment
and buildings to
prevent insurgents
making any further
16 use of them
18
19
17
building, a third arrived in a pair
of Toyota HILUX SUVs carrying
breaching charges for the doors
and windows, and the forth
arrived on a pair of MRZR-2 Light
Tactical All Terrain Vehicles to
assault the logistics complex.
The primary mission of the raid,
which according to my camera
data was all over in under eight

minutes, was to destroy
hi-tech communications
equipment, to capture
High Value Targets, to
seize documentation for
analysis, and to demolish
logistic assets. Any captured
HVTs, for example enemy
commanders and foreign
military personnel, the latter
often referred to as Little
Green Men since the Russian
annexation of Crimea in
which uniformed anonymous
troops believed to have been
Spetsnaz participated, were
to be taken away by the
Images © Bob Morrison
“THE PRIMARY MISSION
OF THE RAID, WHICH
ACCORDING TO MY CAMERA
DATA WAS ALL OVER IN
UNDER EIGHT MINUTES,
WAS TO DESTROY HI-
TECH COMMUNICATIONS
EQUIPMENT, TO CAPTURE
HIGH VALUE TARGETS, TO
SEIZE DOCUMENTATION FOR
ANALYSIS, AND TO DEMOLISH 21
LOGISTIC ASSETS.”
SOTU along with computer
hard drives etc. when they 20
departed on the helicopters
that delivered them.
While we were aware that
Poland’s JWK was lead unit
of the multinational SOTU,
from our vantage point
it was unclear precisely
which nationalities were
participating. For a brief
few minutes afterwards,
however, we had a rare
opportunity to photograph
them up close. Turn to Page
41 for those images.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 29
 EW D
N AN
R
B

Clothing range out now

£
18.95
£
19.95

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12.95 £
31.95

www.combatandsurvival.com/shop
* Colour & designs subject to change. All items correct at time of going to press. Visit website for up-to-date merchandise
 aviation focus

PZL W-3
SOKÓ POLISH ARMY MULTI-PURPOSE HELICOPTER

Following the sudden annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea by the Russian
Federation in 2014 and NATO Alliance nations stepping up their presence in the Baltic
region as an expression of solidarity in case of further Westward expansionism by
the Putin regime, British Army troops have come into increased contact with the
helicopters of their Polish allies, including the W-3 Sokó and Mi-17 Hip.

I
n this rst of two brief looks
at Polish helicopter types we
are focussing on the PZL W-3
Sokó (Falcon) which, with a
payload of just over two tonnes
and the ability to carry up to a dozen
troops, is classed as being mid-sized
and multi-purpose. Of home-grown
design, originally manufactured by the
PZL (Pa stwowe Zakady Lotnicze
or State Aviation Factory) plant in
ģwidnik near Lublin, which was bought
Images © Bob Morrison
for quality and the Soviet Union not
only allowed the ģwidnik facility to
develop its own helicopter design but
also agreed to it using proven Russian-
designed engines. It was originally
planned that the Sokó would be used
to equip other Warsaw Pact nations
with both civil and military helicopters,
but, by the time that series production
commenced in the late 1980s, the Iron
Curtain was close to falling - the Czechs,
however, subsequently procured

by AgustaWestland and is now part of military variants and a number of other

Leonardo Helicopters, the Sokó sits
mid way between the Lynx and Puma.
At the time of the helicopter’s inception,
in the 1970s, Poland was part of the
Warsaw Pact and under the Soviet
yoke. Fortunately, Poland’s three state
aviation factories had a reputation
overseas military customers were found.
The Polish Army, Poland’s Navy and Air
Force use the type as well, received its
rst batch of W-3 Sokós in 1993. These
were unarmed transport versions, but
the following year the armed W-3W 02
version with twin 23mm cannons on the

32 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 01
03

0901, which I photographed during standing for Ewakuacja or Evacuation

the SOTU demonstration at Drawsko
Pomorskie last June, is a W-3PL
Guszec.
Another conversion to the W-3WA
batch is the W-3AE, with the E
as in MedEvac. A manufacturer’s press
release in 2013 stated two aircraft
would be upgraded with external
lights compatible with night vision
goggles, and new racks to carry medical
equipment.

01: Sokol W-3W with

tailcode 0616 taking off 04
with Polish air assault
troops during a training
session on the Wdrzyn
Training area in June
2016
02: An air assault
infantry squad
fast-roping from
0616 - this multi-
purpose helicopter
can transport twelve
combat troops or two
tonnes of cargo
Report by 03: One of a pair of
BOB MORRISON specialist W-3AE
MedEvac conversions
starboard side and four weapons pylons - tailcode 0911 - seen 05
was introduced (the second W in the recovering a simulated
designation stands for Wielozadaniowy battleeld casualty
during ANAKONDA 16
or Multi-purpose). The two-colour
aircraft with the tailcode 0616 is one of 04: Tailcode 0905
these but no armament was carried on is from the W-3WA
production batch - note
the pylons when I photographed it at the twin 23mm cannons
Wedrzyn last June. The aircraft with the on the lower starboard
tailcode 0905, also in two-tone camo, is side forward of the
pylon
from the next production batch and is
designated W-3WA. 05: There are two rails
under each weapons
pylon capable of
Approximately ten years ago the carrying rocket pods
rst of eight W-3WA airframes were but it is unusual to see
these tted today
modernised with a glass cockpit and
digital engine controls, plus upgraded 06
06: This is the
navigation equipment and night vision modernised W-3PL
ying capability. Reclassied as the Guszec (Capercaillie)
W-3PL Guszec (Capercaillie), these variant seen here
supporting the JWK-led
aircraft are intended primarily for SOTU during ANAKONDA
Combat Search & Rescue (CSAR) ‘16 at Drawsko
duties and Special Operations Forces
support. Although these aircraft still
have the four weapons pylons, their
twin 23mm cannons have been replaced
by a 12.7mm heavy machine gun under
the cockpit which one of the two pilots
operates. The helicopter with tailcode

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 33

 aviation focus
Images © Bob Morrison
n

capable of transporting 24 troops

The primary troop transport helicopter of the Polish or a payload of around 3.5 tonnes,
Armed Forces is the Russian-built Mil Mi-17, designated the Mi-17-1V Hip is broadly similar in
the Hip by NATO, which is an up-engined and upgraded capability to the Westland Sea King
variant of the Mi-8. In addition to a small number of older HC4 Commando version and originated
as the Mi-8 around the same period. The
Mi-8 Hips, with starboard tail rotors, the Army has a big difference between the two aircraft,
squadron of sixteen Mi-17-1V Hips, in three versions, plus however, is the ability to t a pair of
two Mi-17AE variants reconfigured for the MedEvac role. triple weapons pylons to which multiple
57mm rocket pods and/or twin 23mm

O
n paper the Mi-17-1V
eet is all assigned to
No.1 Air Squadron of
25 Air Cavalry Brigade
(Brygada Kawalerii
Powietrznej) but it appears that four
of them may be earmarked for Special
Forces support. The four oldest of the
sixteen airframes (tailcode 601, 602,
603 and 605) date from around 1989
and were originally basic Mi-17 unarmed
transport helicopters, but these now
appear to have been upgraded to 1V
standards with weapons pylons and
external cockpit armour. The MedEvac
conversions (606 and 607) are from the
same batch, but have not been tted
with weapons pylons.
In late 2006 a second batch, factory-
produced to the 1V (i.e. armed)
standard, entered service carrying
tailcodes in the 6101 to 6107 sequence.
Visually these aircraft are very similar
to the 1989 batch. Finally, a further
batch of ve airframes was procured
in 2010, for ISAF duties in Afghanistan.
These can be distinguished from
the earlier Mi-17-1V batches by their
tailcodes, in the 6108 to 6112 sequence,
and the starboard side forward troop
compartment door; the starboard lower
sponson is correspondingly shortened
and a new air intake cowl is tted above
this door.
A twin-engined multi-mission helicopter
cannon pods can be tted to turn the
Russian-built aircraft into a helicopter
gunship able of providing re support
to its passengers when they dismount
or suppressing enemy infantry around
an intended landing zone. A door mini-
gun operated by the third crewman
or loadmaster, starboard side on 6108
to 6112 and port side on earlier aircraft
can be tted for close defence when
landing.
The aircraft we photographed during
the Combined Special Operations
dynamic display at Oleszno, 6111 and
6112, were from this last batch with the
starboard troop compartment door.
The third, 6104, was photographed on

34 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 Report & Images by 01: Tailcode 6111 on the
ground – two pods each
BOB MORRISON carrying 32x 57mm
rockets and a twin 23mm
canon pod are tted to
the starboard weapons
pylons
02: Tailcode 6104
during the Wedrzyn
multinational assault
– note the mini-gun
protruding from the port 04
side door but no weapons
pylons are tted
03: Seen from the
other side, 6104 has
no starboard troop
compartment door and
note the longer side
sponson with round air
intake
04: There are pylons but
no weapon pods on 6112 –
note starboard door with
mini-gun and armour
shield for the gunner/
loadmaster
05: This is 6104 again 05
during the same Wedrzyn
demo – the port door
mini-gun is obvious as
are the mounts for the
engine armour plates
06: Troops fast-roping
from 6104 the next day
– as the aircraft cannot
y with the curved
clamshell doors open
they are often removed
07: From this angle as
6111 takes off the front
and rear appliqué armour
plates protecting crucial
engine components are
01 quite obvious
06

MIL M-17-1V HIP

POLISH ARMY MULTI-MISSION HELICOPTER
07
02

03
consecutive days in Wedrzyn during a
demo and then being used for fast-
rope training. All three were tted with
appliqué cockpit armour and the two
later models also had engine protection
armoured plates, but 6104 only had
mounting brackets. The rear clamshell
troop compartment doors were
removed on all three.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 35

aviation focus

Polish and
Canadian air
assault troops
fast-roping from an
Mi-17-1V Hip onto
a rooftop on the
Wedrzyn Training
Area in Poland
during Exercise
ANAKONDA 16

36 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

Images © Carl Schulze

COMBAT
+SURVIVAL
38 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
GH&EK 40
BMMIRGRGENS J Ä G E R
ADE MACHINE GU
UN
N
German Army 40mm Granatmaschinenwaffe Team from
C Platoon of 4. Kompanie, Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232 on
Exercise EDELWEISS 16 in Austria [© Carl Schulze]

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 39

 Magazine
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 Report & Images by
BOB MORRISON special forces
01: A Polish Special
Forces operator in
the doorway of one
of the Mil Mi-17 Hip
helicopters used in
the display at Drawsko
Pomorskie at the end of
ANAKONDA ‘16

POLISH JWK
& BROTHERS
COMMANDO SPECIAL FORCES GROUP
Images © Bob Morrison

At the conclusion of the Combined Special

p Operations
p dynamic display whichich
capped o ten daysy of multinational training
g on Exercise ANAKONDA ‘16, see
Page 24
24, the participants gathered brieyfor
briey for a team photo
photo. C&S
S was allowed
to go forward and photograph this elite band of brothers, on the understanding
that we would preserve their anonymity. As a result we are able to to bring
readers some rather rare shots.

T
his year Poland’s Special nation’s Armed Forces, celebrates ten (7 Eskadra Dziaaę Specjalnych). As far
Forces Command years in existence. Its current structure as we can determine, JW Agat would
(Dowództwo Wojsk includes ve distinct military units, or appear to be the Headquarters and
Specjalnych), which is Jednostka Wojskowa, plus an Special Headquarters Group, JW Formoza, JW
the fourth branch of the Operations Aviation Squadron Grom and JW Komandosów are the

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 41

 special forces
Images © Bob Morrison

“OPERATORS TEAMS OF SF/SO PERSONNEL FROM AMERICA,

CROATIA, HUNGARY AND ROMANIA WERE ALSO INVOLVED.”
05

03

04
three Sabre Groups, and JW Nil is the
Command Support & Security Group.
It was JW Komandosów, the
battalion-strength Commando
Special Forces Group home-based in
Lubliniec, who provided the nucleus
of the multinational Special Operation
Task Unit (SOTU) for the dynamic
demonstration covered on pages 24
to 29 of this issue, and we are pretty
condent that 7 SOAS provided the
Mil Mi-17 Hip and W-3PL Guszec
helicopters (see pages 32-35). Although
not immediately visually obvious from
our camera location, about 150 metres
from the closest of the action, in
addition to JW Komandosów operators
teams of SF/SO personnel from
America, Croatia, Hungary and Romania
were also involved.
According to ofcial documentation we
were given after the demo, the mission
of JW Komandosów is to: “secure and
assist Polish citizens, regardless of their
whereabouts and the circumstances

42 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 02: It was only when this SF
team climbed out of the lead
Mi-17 that we realised most
02 operators were Croatian – the
other is American
03: These Croatian Special
Operations Command (OSRH
Zapovjedništvo Specijalnih
Snaga) operators wear M05
Digital Woodland camo – note
sleeve patches
04: Five members of this SF
team are Croatian in M05
camo, three are American
in mostly MultiCam and the
operator with back to camera
is JWK in A-TACS
05: Croatian and American
Special Forces brothers –
close inspection shows the
Green Beret wears MultiCam
ACU rather than the new
Scorpion W2 pattern
06: Other than possibly the
sniper these are all Polish
JWK operators despite the
mix of MultiCam-derivative
and A-TACS (left) camouage
patterns
07: We believe this sniper
06
team wearing British DPM
ghillie suits was from Romania
– US SF major wears the new
Scorpion W2 horizontal camo
pattern
08: Polish JWK assault team
members arrive on one of their
HILUX assault vehicles – note
running boards, roof platform
and bumper-mounted winch
09: See caption 10 on
following page

09
07

08

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 43

 12
special forces
Images © Bob Morrison

13

10

11
they are under.” The unit is structured to
undertake the full spectrum of military 14
4
activities in the Special Operations realm.
Such operations can be conducted
both on land and on Continental waters,
with the core tasks being Direct Action,
Special Reconnaissance and Military
Assistance with WMD Proliferation
Protection and Hostage Rescue
Operations being secondary tasks. JKW
is capable of conducting such missions
either on their own or as part of national
or international campaigns.

The oldest of Poland’s Special

Operations formations, founded in 1961
around the core of a 6th Pomeranian
Airborne Division recce company
formed in 1957, JWK consists of a
Headquarters, three Combat Teams
(Zespo Bojowy), an Intelligence Cell
and a Logistics Team. ZB Alpha, ZB
Bravo and ZB Charlie all wear WWII
legacy insignia to honour the traditions
of either Polish Resistance formation or,
in the case of ZB Bravo, No.10 (Inter-
Allied) Commando whose No.6 Troop
was formed mostly of Poles. All JWK
operators also wear the bottle green
Commando beret.
Although we reckon all JKW operators
who took part were most likely
members of JB Bravo, as we did not
spot either Miota (ZB Alpha) or Parasol
(ZB Charlie) insignia, it is notable that
two different types of camouage
uniforms were worn. The majority were
clad in MultiCam pattern uniforms and
equipment, or possibly from the Polish
copy fabric some call CamoGrom, but it
was noticeable that what we think were
the clandestine observation team who
initiated the assault, were wearing the
greener A-TACS pattern and soft hats
with face veils.
Once we were allowed up close forr a
few minutes at the end of the display,
ay,

44 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

09/10: Two views of a JWK

“ZB ALPHA, ZB BRAVO

operator from Combat Team
(Zespo Bojowy) B wearing 15
AND ZB CHARLIE ALL
A-TACS camouage shirt
and trousers produced by
Currahee Sp. Ltd
11: JWK Combat Team B WEAR WWII LEGACY
INSIGNIA TO HONOUR
carries on the traditions of
the WWII No.10 (Inter-Allied)

THE TRADITIONS OF
Commando of which 6 Troop
was almost entirely Polish
12: All operators in this shot
are from JWK – other than the
central soldier who wears
POLISH RESISTANCE...”
MultiCam the rest all wear
A-TACS camouage
13: Two US Green Berets
arrive by M249-armed Polaris
MRZR-2 – JWK operator on
left has door breaching tools
on his belt behind his left
forearm
14: One of the US Special
Forces MRZR-2 Light Tactical
All-Terrain Vehicles - for an
in-depth feature on the LTATV
see the November 2015 issue
15: The Kotwica (anchor)
was the symbol of the
Polish Resistance in WWII
- the modern JWK badge
incorporates this and the
Special Forces dagger
16: We cannot forget the
Polish OpFor team – all
members of an Air Defence
unit – who played the part of
insurgent militia during the
SF demo

just after the Mi-17

M Hip rotors had
stopped turnin
turning, we were able to
identify that mmany of the operators
fast-roped down from
who had fast-r
the helicopters were
actually members of
act
th
the Croatian Special
Forces.
F These guys
were wearing th the slightly greener
four-colour M2005 Digital Woodland
Pattern (see April 2016
2 Kit & Camo for
more on this) but thei
their load carriage vests
and pouches were mo mostly, though not
exclusively, in three-colour
three-co M-2005 Desert
Pattern. They mostly sported national
tricolour, Croatian Republic and Special Forces
winged dagger patches.
Also on the two helicopters were a few US
Army Green Berets, who were most likely from
the forward-deployed 10th Special Forces
Group based in Germany. This detachment
also had a pair of Polaris MRZR-2 Light Tactical
All-Terrain Vehicles, and four operators used
these to provide re support to two of the
mixed teams who assaulted the enemy complex.
The Americans seemed to be wearing mostly
MultiCam pattern uniforms, and several wore the
SF badge of a sword with three lightning ashes
plus Special Forces qualication shoulder tabs.

16 COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 45

 17
special forces
“JWK IS CAPABLE OF CONDUCTING SUCH
MISSIONS EITHER ON THEIR OWN OR AS PART OF
NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS.”

Two operators who at rst confused me were the based at Drawsko Pomorskie during ANAKONDA
Images © Bob Morrison

sniper team, clad in what appeared to be British
DPM ghillie suits. As this pair materialised for the
team photo and then quickly vanished without
saying anything I could not ask their identity,
but as Romania was the only one of nine nations
16 who use this camo pattern I suspect the team 19
might be from 610 ‘Vultures’ Special Operations
Battalion. The last nationality participating in the
demo was Hungary, and you can see one of their
operators in detail on pages 48-50.

18

17: Combat Team B

operators ride off on
their Toyota HILUX –
understandably camera-
shy, after just eight minutes
all the SF teams departed
18: One of the two US Special
Forces MRZR-2 LTATVs races
off behind the JWK HILUX
pair – one of the Americans
conrmed this was a 4x2
variant
19: The operator on the
right talking to a US Army
Green Beret is member of
the Hungarian SOTU – see
Kit & Camo on Page 48 of
this issue

46 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

kit + camo
HUNGARIAN
SPEC OPS
34 ‘BERCSÉNYI’
BATTALION

48 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 Article & Images by
BOB MORRISON

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 49

kit + camo e © Bo
Images
Imag
a es B
Bob
b Mo
Morrison
orrrison
o

Once the helicopters had landed and the dust had

settled at the end of the Combined Special Operations
air assault onto the aireld near Oleszno on the edge
of Poland’s Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area it quickly
became apparent that the fourth multiple, the one
which assaulted the logistics compound supported by
US Green Berets with MRZR-2 LTATVs, had primarily
comprised Hungarian Special Forces operators.
earned a fearsome reputation ghting
the Red Army and was reformed as an
elite airborne unit during the Cold War.
Following the collapse of the Warsaw
Pact, free elections in 1990 and the
restoration of democracy, the Hungarian
Defence Force started to realign with
NATO and 34th Bercsényi Battalion
began to evolve from a light infantry
formation to take on Reconnaissance
and Special Operations roles. As part
of ISAF, Hungary Provideda Provincial
Reconstruction Team from 2006 and in
2008 34th Bercsényi Battalion deployed

F
ollowing a hastily arranged
group photo the Hungarian
operators moved off to be
addressed by a brigadier
from the Distinguished
Visitors party and, afterwards, one of
the team kindly agreed to allow us
to photograph him for a Kit & Camo
feature before they were whipped
away. From his insignia it is obvious
that he belongs to 34th Special Forces
Battalion; some reference sources
say Special Operations, but ofcial
Hungarian Government documentation
gives the unit’s full name in English
as being Hungarian Defence Forces
34th ‘László Bercsényi Special
Forces Battalion and its Hungarian
abbreviation as MH 34 BL KMZ (i.e.
Különleges MĬveleti Zászlóalj).The
combat uniform worn by the Hungarian
SF was genuine MultiCam, mostly from
Crye Precision’s own specialist range
of garments; this was conrmed by the
small manufacturer’s tags on the leading
edge of the sleeve pockets. These days,
even close up, it can be quite difcult
to determine whether either genuine
MultiCam fabric or one of the many
copies is being worn, so it is worth
checking for pocket tags even though
some wearers cut these off. Hungary’s
dedicated SF battalion in its current
format is only around a decade old,
but its roots go back to an elite World
War Two parachute battalion which
to Southern Afghanistan.
The Hungarian SF troops on Exercise
ANAKONDA wore some interesting insignia,
in addition to their national tricolour shield
which was spotted in both full colour and
low visibility versions. Special Forces
shoulder tabs, in either English or Hungarian
(Különleges Erök) were worn by most and
some also sported Airborne tabs. The
battalion’s badge, consisting of a winged
dagger with 34 above and Bercsényi below,
was worn by several operators, as was a round
HUN SOTU (Hungarian Special Operations Task
Unit) patch with the mythical falcon-like Turul
national symbol. Most operators also wore
identication numbers preceded by a T.

50 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 firearms 02
Images © FN Herstal and Bob Morrison

5.56MM
MINIMI M
The FN Minimi Mk3 5.56mm Light Machine Gun is arguably the pinnacle of LMG/
Support Weapon technology today. It is supremely eective at what it does, and
it is hard to see how it can be radically improved on, but to fully appreciate the
battleeld signicance of the Minimi it is important to rst put the machine gun
into some historical context.

T
here are many weapons
which will be noted in
military history as force
multipliers on the battle-
eld. However, there are
few remaining which saw combat in the
late 18th Century and are still prevalent
in the military arsenal today. Weapons
systems come and go as the face of
warfare changes, but the soldier-oper-
ated portable machine gun has been
a major presence in all living memory
battleelds and shows no signs of being
pensioned off.
When Richard J. Gatling created his
rotary barrel multi-shot magazine-fed
weapon it is unlikely he could have
conceived that his invention would lead
to the blisteringly effective World War
II MG42 or the iconic US M60. In the
1870s the Gatling gun was truly a force
multiplier. Operated by a hand-cranked
lever, the weapon magazine fed .45 or
.30 calibre rounds at 200 or 400rpm,
crucially discharging at regular intervals
allowing for intelligent aimed shot fall by
a trained operator. In a world of single
action revolvers and bolt action ries
the impact of the Gatling’s ‘wall of lead’
was signicant.
The next major change would be the
combined utilisation of recoil forces
and an improved feed method to allow
for greater sustained re capacity. The
open battleelds of World War One
necessitated such invention and saw
the introduction of the Maxim and the
Vickers belt feed machine guns. Similar
technical creatures, deploying that
latest technology on either side of the
trenches, the Maxim and Vickers were

52 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 01

01: Company photo

of the Short Barrel
version of the Mk3
Minimi which is
is arguably the
pinnacle of LMG/
Support Weapon
technology today
[FN]
02: Elite British
Pathnder covering 03
colleagues on the
drop zone with a amongst the earliest belt feed weapons; belt feed GPMG, originally the Belgian
5.56mm Minimi on
Ex. JOINT WARRIOR i.e. stripping rie calibre rounds from FN MAG, which can still be seen in
13-1 in Scotland – a preloaded belt and using discharge widespread use with UK Forces today.
note blank ring recoil forces to automatically cycle
attachment [BM]
the mechanism extremely fast. Both In the USA, we saw the development
03: US infantryman weapons were water-cooled to keep of the M1919 in .30 calibre. A hugely
range ring the the barrels functional for longer and successful belt feed machine gun
M249 version of the
Minimi on a range required only a two-man crew. With which saw service in WWII, Korea and
in Kuwait in August a range of out to 600 metres and a Vietnam and was even retrotted in
2016 – 0f note is the capability to re 10,000 rounds per hour .303 calibre to re from Spitres and
sustained re role they soon gained a fearsome reputation Lancasters during WWII. The M1919
tripod [US Army:
Sgt. Angela Lorden] on both sides of the conict. would eventually be phased out by
the US in favour of the M60 or ‘Pig’; a
04: The current Mk3 During the inter-war period slow re 7.62mm NATO weapon which
Minimi family –
Para, Standard and development accelerated, seeing is still in common service. On the Axis
Tactical [FN] weapons become more man-portable. side of WWII we saw the advent of the
World War Two was arguably the class-leading MG42. With quick barrel
rst global conict where the use of changes and gas assisted ejection the

Mk3
BY RICHARD BROWN the machine gun was an expectation
and tactics were built around its
deployment. In the UK the Bren
became the stable LMG. A reliable
box-fed weapon in .303 calibre, but
with a weakness as it was fed by a
small magazine which prevented truly
sustained re. In the 1960s the Bren
was replaced by the 7.62mm
MG42’s 1200rpm earned it the American
nickname of the ‘buzz-saw’ due to the
distinctive report from its muzzle. Until
the 1980s the MG42, GMPG and M60
in their later variants were the prolic
LMGs in worldwide use.
All that was required by the late
1970s was the creation of one modern

04

02

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 53

M
firearms 02
“THE MINIMI MK3 HAS SET A NEW BENCHMARK FOR
MACHINE GUNS. ITS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND
RETROFITTABLE ENHANCEMENTS HAVE RESULTED
IN A CLASS-LEADING WEAPON SYSTEM”
modular platform which drew on all
that had been learned about machine
guns over the previous 100 years. That
platform was created by FN Herstal and
was called the Mini Mitrailleuse (Mini
Machine gun) or MINIMI for short.
The Minimi is a 5.56mm NATO belt fed
LMG which was developed in the 1970s,
but did not really see signicant service
until the early 1980s. Today, it is the pre-
eminent Light Machine Gun in service
being deployed by over 70 countries in
a variety of roles, from Squad Support
54 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
to Special Operations, and vehicle
mounted for medium range suppressing
re.
The Minimi is fed from a compact box
magazine which contains a belt of
typically 200 rounds. It can also be fed
from a STANAG M4 5.56mm 30-round
magazine - a useful feature which takes
its initiative from the Gatling and Bren.
In the extreme situation that the belt is
expended, or the belt feed mechanism
is damaged, it is reasonable to assume
that there may still be a ready supply
06
of 30-round magazines which can be
deployed in the Minimi to allow for
longer range utilisation of the standard
5.56mm NATO round.
The weapon is equipped with an
optional buffer system in the butt-stock
which renders it virtually recoilless – a
real asset when punching out well aimed
suppressive burst to 700m or further.
The weapon comes as standard with
capable iron sights, congured from
300m to 1000m, and a full length upper
Picatinny rail allows for the tting
07
08
09
 3
05
0

of op
optics. The cyclic rate of re is
between 700 and 850rpm dependent
betw
weapon heat, ammunition and
on we
environmental conditions.
enviro

The M Minimi is red from an open bolt

and c cycled by a long-stroke piston
system. The ejection is delayed to allow
system
hot ca cartridges to cool very slightly and
free tthemselves from the chamber
wall. T This is critical to ensure 100%
reliable extraction. The weapon’s open
reliab
bolt ssystem minimises the risk of a
cook-off in a super-hot barrel and an
cook
innovative system forces air into the
innov
chamber during ring to help cooling.
cham
Images © FN Herstal and Bob Morrison Excess gases, which are vented from
Exce
the w weapon, are pushed in an upward
direction to avoid disturbing the
direc
ground under the platform. This is an
grou
interesting
inter feature as in the late 1800s
Gatling
Gatl operator teams soon found
they became magnets for incoming
re and early sniper operations. This
is, and
a continues to be, one of the
primary
prim threats to an LMG user as
opposing forces attempt to
nullify the force multiplying
05: Right side view of effect he brings.
Short Barrel variant
of the Mk3 Tactical
version [FN] The Minimi is equipped with a two-
06: Member of 3
position gas valve – Adverse and
Para with 5.56mm Normal. As with modern assault ries
Minimi on Ex. HERRICK like the SIG 516 or HK 416, the Adverse
EAGLE ‘06 prior to setting is used in extreme conditions
deployment to
Helmand Province - such as the weapon being badly fouled
note 200-round box by carbon or the mechanism is being
magazine [BM] hindered by poor environmental factors.
07: Classic Mk2 Para It is also a useful setting when the
Minimi with bipod and quality of the ammunition is suspect and
butt extended [FN]
cycling benets from the extra gas push.
08: Mk2 Para Minimi
with typical 100-round
bag magazine [FN] Arguably the most prolic model is the
09: Front/left view of US M249 SAW. This is the US military
Short Barrel variant designation of the weapon accepted
of the Mk3 Tactical into service in the 1980s. This model
version [FN]
has a different heat shield, ash hider,
10: French soldier with gas regulator and carry handle; all
Minimi on Ex. BOAR’S
HEAD ‘12 on Otterburn specications added to ensure that the
– note 100-round weapon was selected. The M249 Para
bag magazine, loose has a top mounted Picatinny rail and
ammunition belt and
modied cocking has the emergency magazine feed unit
10 lever [BM] removed to save weight. US Special

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 55

firearms 02
11
Operations use a further adapted model
designated the Mk46; this weapon has
several features removed to again save
weight, along with a railed handguard
and a lightweight titanium bipod.
(See MRZR images
on pages 44 and
46, Ed.)
There are two
principle models of Minimi, the Standard
and the Para, with 18.3” and 13.7” barrels
respectively. As the name suggests
the Para is smaller and lighter and was
designed with airborne forces
in mind. It has a shorter
barrel and a rudimentary
collapsible stock. A third
13
56 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
12
model with telescopic buttstock, the and an adjustable cheek
Tactical, was introduced as part of the plate. The new butt is
latest Mk.3 family and either barrel almost AR platform in
length can be tted. appearance which all
In 2013 FN incorporated a adds to the familiarity
number of specialist user of the user (who will
requests into the standard most likely be an
weapon and released the AR carrier).
denitive FN Minimi Mk3.
This model consolidates 25+
years of Minimi operation
into one cohesive platform
which offers a real
technical edge
on the
The feed
mechanism of the new
weapon has been enhanced
with revised pawls to hold the
belt in place while loading and the
cocking lever has been redesigned.
On the exterior the Mk3 benets from
a revised heat shield and a full triple
rail hand guard for the mounting of
tactical accessories. The bipod is also
competition. redesigned to fully fold away into the
FN have nally forward grip area leaving the user
developed a multi- with an ultimately more compact and
calibre platform ergonomic weapon. Smartly, FN have
which can be altered made most of the new features fully
to re between retrottable to existing Minimi platforms.
5.56mm NATO and
7.62mm NATO rounds. Like Heckler & Koch with their MG4, FN
The Mk3 Tactical have taken note of the increased use
model has a completely of the venerable 7.62mm x 51 round
redesigned buttstock in current operations. The resurgence
which has ve positions of 7.62mm LMGs brings us back full
 Images © FN Herstal and Bob Morrison

11: Front/right
view of Short Barrel
MINIMIMk3

variant of the Mk3

Tactical version [FN]
12: British Army Mk2
Para Minimi seen in
2012 with SUSAT tted
[BM]
14
13: New Mk3 folding
bipod and rail- circle to the GPMG and M60
mounted forward
handgrip [FN] era and we shall explore 15
the 7.62mm model of
14: Rear/left view of Minimi in the next
Short Barrel variant
of the Mk3 Tactical issue of C&S.
version [FN]
The Minimi Mk3
15: Optional heat
shield tted to the has set a new
latest Mk3 Minimi benchmark for
model [FN] Machine Guns. Its
advanced technology
and retrottable
enhancements have
resulted in a

„ Richard Brown is an UK-based independent

class-leading weapon
system which should see
service for at least the
next 20 years. Where LMG technology will
go beyond the Mk3 is hard to speculate,
as the weapon is so capable. Good news
for current users and those considering
switching to the Minimi.
rearms consultant. He began his career in the
Foreign Oce, 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 qualications
and is an active instructor to overseas VIP clients.
He is a member of International Association of
Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 57

 Article & Images by
BOB MORRISON
Images © Bob Morrison Model: Victoria
M1949/82 PATTERN
HUNGARY’S NATIONAL CAMO
T
his month, in an extra Kit &
Camo feature, we are look-
ing at an interesting vari-
ation of a World War Two
era camouage pattern
which was revived post-war under the
Communist regime and then updated
in the latter stages of the Cold War. The
examples we have focused on were
loaned by the now permanent Camo
Lounge run by East-West Trading.
camo extra
01: This Hungarian People’s
Army Border Guard combat
jacket in M1949/82 camo,
from the Communist era
and no longer worn but still
considered to be Hungary’s
national camouage, was
borrowed from The Camo
Lounge – see the EW-trading.
com website for more rare
garments
Back in the middle years of the last decade, Andy
and his team from Essex-based East-West Trading
had a roped-o area in their sales marquee at the
big summer shows like Military Odyssey where they
would display rare and interesting uniforms to serious
collectors and enthusiasts. Known as the Camo
Lounge, this was an informal meeting place and a
talking shop for all things kit and camo.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 59
 02
camo extra
Images © Bob Morrison Model: Victoria

06

M1949/82 PATTERN
03

07

08

04

Hungary created
crea a new
camouage
ag pattern for shelter
halves and
a coveralls in 1949
this design
de was printed
To set the scene: Just before WWII wartime variation on with both spattered
the Hungarian Army introduced a this theme has softer edges
edg and the brighter
combination shelter half and poncho ‘spattered’ edges, which
h colours
co of the original
from reddish tan heavyweight cotton might indicate the M38.
M
overprinted with hard-edged olive green material was sprayed
and terracotta brown shapes to give rather than printed, Naturally
N this new
a three-colour effect. This Hungarian and the colours camo
ca was designated
M38 pattern is said by some to have are more subdued, M49
M4 pattern and
been inspired by Italian M29 camo, but but when the now it continued
co in use,
I remain to be convinced. A quite rare Communist-controlled despite various other camo

60 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

05
 09
02: Chest pocket zip - note
the hard spattered edge
to the terracotta brown
shapes
03: Tab and button throat
fastening over zip -
fastening at foot of zip is
similar
04: Dark olive nylon panel
over shoulders feels
rubber-coated and is
waterproof
05: This camo pattern is
sometimes called Swirl
- jacket back panel is in
two halves
06: Sleeve cuffs are
plain and slanted lower
pockets can be used as
hand-warmers 10 14
07: Határrség translates
as Border Guard and patterns seeing limited service close inspection shows that the plastic front zipper with weather
Magyar Kztársaság is for combat uniform garments, actual colour shapes are 100% bafe behind and long sleeves.
Hungarian Republic until the introduction of another identical, though there are minor There are simple tabs with grey
08: Base fabric is reddish variant in 1982; this pattern, which differences in the boldness of pressed metal press studs at the
khaki - pockets behind saw service until the end of the the edge spatter. Both garments top and bottom of the zip, there
zips are of rather crude
sack type millennium, is usually referred to are printed on a reddish khaki are simple epaulette straps with
as M1949/82. Both the combat base fabric, the colour of which similar studs on each shoulder,
09: The 4-section tent
pole and pegs - issued jacket and shelter half featured on reminds me of the workshop a fth strap with stud is stowed
one set per pair - comes these pages are made from this coats craftsmen used to wear in under the collar for use when it
in a matching pair later pattern, but as the latter has the old days, over which the plain is raised Mandarin-style and a
10: Epaulette tab on the seen a fair bit of service it is both edged swirling olive green and separate (not illustrated) hood
shoulder is fastened with dirty and faded in comparison spattered edge chocolate brown can be tted, using hook & loop
the standard grey press
stud with the better treated jacket. colours are printed. tapes. The sleeve cuffs are plain.
11: Grey pressed metal
stud detail represents At this point it should be Starting with the jacket, this This garment has four slanted
crossed ries surrounded emphasised that despite the is of simple shirt-like design pockets, two on the chest and
by a wreath optical difference between both, with a full-length, single action, two on the lower front, each
12: Though normally
paired, a simple one-man
shelter can be made by 11 12 13
using a guy cord
13: Rear view when worn
as a poncho - the camo
print is faded but is
identical to jacket
14: Buttoned up as a
poncho - temperature was
just above freezing hence
SnugPak underneath

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 61


camo extra
15: Shelter half laid out at
with one half folded over 16
Images © Bob Morrison Model: Victoria
- outer face has just two
colours overprinted
16: There are four two-
button tabs on the inner
back face - we have not
found out their use
17: Tent pole eyelet, button
and buttonhole pairing
and single chest button
when worn as poncho
18: Reinforced slit for
arms seen from inside - it
fastens with a single alloy
button
fastened by a plastic zipper. On the
upper left sleeve there is a sewn patch
denoting the wearer belonged to the
Border Guard. Internally, the jacket has
a deep panel across the shoulder made
from an olive green nylon fabric with
what feels like a rubber treatment on
one surface to keep water out.
The shelter half, which can double
as a poncho, is similar in concept to
the zeltbahn shelter quarter that the
Germans used through WWII, and the
East Germans continued to use until the
Iron Curtain fell at the end of the 1980s,
when both halves of the country were
reunited. The Hungarian version, which
also originates from the WWII era, is
larger than its Wermacht equivalent
and has two slots for arms rather than
one slot for the head. It’s purpose was
to either keep the wearer dry on sentry
62 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
15
side fastened with a similar button. Two
or more shelter halves can be buttoned
together.
17
duty or, when linked to others, form a
small tent.
The roughly triangular shape actually
has ve edges and forms a half tepee
with a tent pole hole at the top. The
two long ‘front’ sides, from the apex, 18
measure approximately 1.4m, the rear
edge touching the ground measures
roughly the same and the two lower
front edges are about 1.0m long.
There are 18 alloy tent peg eyelets in
pairs along the ground edges, seven
bright alloy buttons with buttonholes
alongside down the front edges, and a
single intermediate position alloy button
500mm from the apex on one side with
a corresponding buttonhole on the
other. This last button can be fastened
at the throat when the shelter half is
being worn as a poncho and the arms
can be slipped out through slits each
comfort & Survival
OUTDOOR GEAR
Images © Mike Gormley unless noted
KEELA MK1 SF JACKET
A
s the designation suggests,
this is Keela’s offering to the
Special Forces community.
Off the radar somewhat,
Keela do a great deal for the armed
forces and also listen to what they have
to say. I have said before in these pages,
if you want to stay dry... wear Keela.
I have been using Keela kit for many
years now, have sometimes been out in
some pretty grim weather when using it,
and can honestly say it has never let me
down. These include a couple of quite
notable outings. The SF Jacket comes
64 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
BY MIKE GORMLEY
velcro-secured storm ap is a good-sized
01 zipped map pocket. The overall closure
is by velcro storm ap and a chunky YKK
double-ended zip that will close right up
to the neck. Under each arm are storm
apped and zipped side vents. I really
like these for added ventilation when the
going gets warm.
The lower arms of a jacket always get
a hammering, especially if you spend
time prone, so this is addressed on the
SF jacket with tough reinforcement. The
garment has a good stowaway hood -
simply rolled up it becomes part of the
collar. It is wired and peaked and has a
02
03
with a lot of features appropriate to the
04
potential user. It is available in various
camo pattern variants including this
MultiCam-esque type.
Importantly, this jacket has Keela’s
System Dual Protection to enable a very
good level of moisture control - both
yours, on the way out - and ‘sky juice’
trying to get in. I will be concise here -
SDP works!
Four good-sized patch pockets, with
protected button closures, are on the
front of the jacket, along with a small
radio/phone pocket with pen keepers
and incorporated rank strap. Inside the

05
captive draw cord to pull it in for a good
t and protection. There is a secondary
adjustment at the back to adjust the
volume. All-in-all a good hood.
I think the nearest civvy variant to this
in the Keela range is the Munro jacket,
which I have worn a lot and always get
out if heading for bad weather. My son,
Bruce, has an older version of the SF,
which I had for a while and passed on -
he has had this for ages and I know has
used it on many mountain expeditions.
So we can testify that, in our experience,
these jackets work.
NOTE: This jacket cannot be bought
online from Keela and you will need to
either telephone them or email sales@ to
place an order.
06
07
01: THE KEELA MK1 SF JACKET IS A FULL SPEC, FEATURE-RICH
GARMENT WELL-SUITED TO THE JOB
02: BOTH ARMS HAVE ANGLED POCKETS WITH SECURITY TAGS
INSIDE AND REMOVABLE PATCHES FOR ID INSIGNIA
03: ALL THREE FRONT UPPER POCKETS ARE FEATURE RICH
04: ONE CHEST POCKET HAS AN ADDITIONAL COMPASS POCKET
AND ALL HAVE FASTENINGS FOR SECURITY LANYARDS
05: THE HOOD IS WELL THOUGHT OUT WITH PLENTY OF ADJUSTMENT
ALONG WITH WIRED PEAK - IT ROLLS INTO THE COLLAR WHEN NOT
IN USE.
06: THERE ARE VENTILATION ZIPS ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE MK1 SF UNDER THE ARMS
07: THERE IS AN INNER MAP / DOCUMENT / PHONE POCKET
BEHIND THE STORM FLAP
08: THE MK1 SF IS COMPATIBLE WITH LOAD CARRYING WITH ALL
POCKETS STILL ACCESSIBLE
09: CUFFS ARE ADJUSTABLE - NOTE REINFORCEMENT
OF LOWER ARM AND CUFF
08
09
Images © Mike Gormley unless noted
10
EXPEDITION SOCKS
K
eela have expanded into the very
busy sock market with a very
useful Expedition Sock. These
have some familiar and well respected
names in the list of materials, namely
Merino, Primaloft and Cordura. These
all build a condence that you have
something good looking after your hard
working feet.
The socks are designed to be Left and
Right footed and have vents woven into
them for added comfort. Coupled with
a design to both protect your feet and
offer them a warm and dry environment,
you should be able to get on with the
hard work with comfortable feet. I have
worn these a good bit of late, both out
on Dartmoor as well as around home and
at work in various types of footwear.
10: MY KEELA EXPEDITION SOCKS HAVE HAD A FAIR BIT OF USE
AND I FIND THEM TO BE VERY GOOD
11
KEELA MERINO L/S TOP
K
eela have joined in the move to-
wards using Merino as a material
for undergarments and socks. It
is no secret I like Merino, for all the well
documented reasons - especially when
trekking or travelling and not always able
to wash garments for extended periods.
The L/S Merino top has a quarter zip to
give some ventilation and for ease of use.
The zip is thoughtfully protected when
fully up so does not annoy your throat.
Flatlock seams and close t make for
added comfort, especially if load carry-
ing. Generally I am not such a fan of long
sleeved base layers as I nd they restrict
my arms, but in this case it is ne as it is
a well-tting garment.
11: THE KEELA MERINO L/S TOP IS A GOOD TO WEAR ITEM
FOR THE ACTIVE USER
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 65
 comfort & Survival
Images © Mike Gormley unless noted

15
12

COLEMAN DIVIDE 250 AND 700 LED TORCHES

I
have made good use of these
torches since I mentioned them
in my heads-up in the issue which
came out just before Christmas, and
for good reason. Both are good to use
and powerful in their own right. As may
be obvious, the number designation
denotes the power of the light in
Lumens which is the rating all lights are
now judged by to hopefully give the
user a common base for comparison.
Coleman have adopted a battery lock,
or battery disconnect, facility into
their light range. This is simply done
13
by turning the torch head against the
body until the red section shows. For
me this seems to be a great idea. As I
mentioned before, we have all, I am sure,
had a torch turn on when packed in our
bergen or daysack, and so when we get
it out to use it the batteries are dead.
Not good. This system averts this. It also
prevents battery drain over long-term
storage, which for a torch in Summer is
common practice. I am sure in the past
you have had to consign a torch to the
bin because the battery has leaked and
destroyed the terminals. As I see it, this
should solve that issue.
The 250 is, of course, the smaller torch
and has a rear push button to activate
the light in high and low power modes.
When on, you can use the button to
ash codes as well. A good size for
hand holding and stowing, so a great
all-rounder torch, made from aluminium
and sealed against water ingress. It is
powered by two AA batteries.
load in the same way, so as to save
getting it wrong in the dark.
The Divide 700 is quite chunky, so you
need to be both a serious torch user and
require the added power this offers over
the Divide 250 if you have to carry it far.
Both torches have short wrist lanyards.
12: THE DIVIDE 700 SHOWING PRESS BUTTON, LANYARD AND LOCK
13: THE LARGER DIVIDE 700 HAS A GOOD BEAM AND IS ROBUST IN
HARSH CONDITIONS
14: ALTHOUGH SMALL THE DIVIDE 250 PACKS A GOOD PUNCH FOR
ITS SIZE
15: BOTH THE 250 AND 700 LED TORCHES TO COMPARE SIZE.
16: THE 700 HAS SIX AA BATTERIES - ALL FIT THE SAME WAY FOR
EASE OF USE.
16

A signicant size increase takes us

to the 700, which looks very similar.
14 This one has a thumb press button on
the torch body and also has the two
power settings. For ash signals you
have to use the battery disconnect,
which is actually ne. Made in a similar
way to the 250, it is also constructed
of aluminium and sealed against water
ingress. This model is powered by six
AA batteries. These, very sensibly, all

66 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL


17
MORAKNIL GARBERG MULTIMOUNT KNIFE
Y U
ou get quite a kit of parts
when you get one of these
knives. As well as the
expected belt holster, you also
get a robust plastic secondary bracket
which can be secured to many things
such as MOLLE/PALS systems, or any
hard surface (using screws/bolts) so the
knife can be positioned ready to use on
boats / vehicles / buildings and so on.
This is a robust knife and clearly made to
be used in many different environments.
The knife design is based around a full
tang, for good strength throughout, and
so gives the user a small hammer on the
handle end. The blade is over 3mm thick
and is ground for easy sharpening and
18
to enable the use of a re striker on the
back of the blade.
This knife sits well in the hand and has
a tough plastic handle with a hole for
lanyard attachment. It is designed and
made in Sweden, a country renowned
for ne hunting knives, which must give
it good credibility.
17: THE MORAKNIL GARBERG KNIFE HAS A CLIP-POINT
18: THE MAIN ITEMS IN THIS KNIFE KIT FROM MORAKNIL -
FIXING BRACKET, KNIFE AND SHEATH WITH BELT LOOP
19: YOU GET QUITE A LOT IN THE BOX WHEN YOU BUY
ONE OF THESE KNIVES
20: THE TOP OF THE TANG PROTRUDES FROM THE HANDLE WHICH
MAKES A USEFUL HAMMER TOOL
21: THE SWEDISH GROUND BLADE IS STAINLESS STEEL
19
22
STORM NON-SCRATCH
CLEANER SPONGE
K cleaner company Storm now
has a special non-scratch cleaner
sponge for grubby outdoor kit. I
have been using it to brush up both day
shoes and very grubby boots and, along
with the Storm footwear cleaner liquid,
this works very well.
The sponge is double-sided, with a non-
scratch abrasive side for stubborn dirt
and a soft sponge side to apply cleaner
and wipe off residue. It works well and
is so much better than a rag or plain
sponge - it works great in conjunction
with a scrubbing brush for really dirty
footwear.
22: THE NON-SCRATCH CLEANER SPONGE WORKS WELL
ON DAY SHOES AS WELL AS BOOTS
23: A BEFORE SHOT OF SOME PRETTY GRUBBY ZAMBERLAN BOOTS
24: THE SAME BOOTS AFTER A GOOD CLEAN WITH STORM PRODUCTS
25: THE STORM NON-SCRATCH CLEANER SPONGE AND FOOTWEAR
CLEANER COMBINATION

23

24

20 21
PRODUCT UK CONTACT TELEPHONE WEB
Coleman Coleman 01275 845 024 coleman.eu/uk
Keela Keela 01592 777 000 keela.co.uk
Moraknil Moraknil +46 250 595 000 morakniv.se
Storm Storm 01773 521 309 stormcare.co.uk 25

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 67

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 footwear

ABOVE & BEYOND

LOWA INNOX GTX MID
In the main, I undertake By BOB MORRISON
our initial boot reviews by
wearing them, straight
out the box and without
gently breaking in, for a
few weeks of constant
testing before passing
them on to either our
facilitator, ‘Sniper John’,
or occasionally his
signaller son, nicknamed
‘Little John’ to preserve
his anonymity, who will
then beast them long
Images © Bob Morrison

term and report back

on any issues. However,
these days combat boot
quality is so good that
our tester team seldom accidentally broke competition the chance to run one pair of The lead
encounter real problems guidelines. As an independent lightweight boots not in the image shows
out in the eld. publication C&S could have just MoD competition, the LOWA the condition

A
s a result of the long term
evaluation process by the
UK MoD procurement
machine to nd suitable
candidates for the next
ve year UK Forces combat boot
contract, many footwear manufacturers
were reluctant to publicise the models
they were proposing in case they
of the INNOX
ignored the public servants and INNOX GTX MID model, pretty GTX MID boots
done our own thing, but as we much into the ground over an today and
would not like to either hurt our extended period. We received underneath
friends in the industry or unduly these boots for review in mid- how they
looked when
sway what is supposed to be August 2015 and over the next nearly new 17
a fair evaluation process, we twelve months, until the AKU months before
voluntarily took a back seat for PILGRIM HL GTX boots in MoD - the shot
overleaf was
a year. Brown were delivered for review, taken in Petra
the INNOX boots stayed on at around 35C
One of the advantages of my feet almost every day from
our sabbatical was that I had before dawn to bedtime.

70 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL


During this extended test period I
took these LOWA boots on every
assignment including, among others;
SOUTHWEST WADER, on the Cornish
Coast; TRIDENT JUNCTURE, held on
Spain’s Chinchilla and San Gregorio
training areas and the beach at Tróia
in Portugal; TRACTABLE and GRIFFIN
STRIKE, on Salisbury Plain; SHAMAL
STORM, WARRIOR COMPETITION and
SOFEX, in Jordan, with a weekend in
Petra in between the last two on my
second visit; and ANAKONDA, visiting
four different Polish training areas over
two weeks. Not content with that, I
also wore these boots on Dartmoor
and on many beach walks in Devon
during my down time, in conditions
ranging from deep snow to peat bog
to sun-baked dunes to wet shingle and
even now, 17 months down the line, I
still wear them with jeans when down
my local or on CAMRA ale survey trips.
I think it is safe to say, even though I
have reduced the sole tread to next
to nothing by pounding all imaginable
surfaces and worn the heels down by
driving thousands of miles, I still love
these boots.
If you did not read our original review,
which history shows pretty much
hit the nail on the head, you can do
so in the Footwear section of the
CombatAndSurvival.com website.
These unassuming mid-height new
generation Gore-Tex Performance
Comfort breathable waterproof
membrane boots really have gone
above and beyond the call of duty.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 71

TRIDENT
security industry
DO WE NEED IT?
T
he UK Government is
currently under a spotlight
as there was a misre of
a Trident missile in June
2016 that occurred during
a routine test, four weeks before
Parliament voted to spend almost
£40 billion on the renewal of the UK’s
nuclear deterrent. When questioned
by journalists the Prime Minister,
Teresa May, deected the question
as to whether she had known about
the incident and had purposely failed
to mention it to Parliament before the
vote.
The Scottish Nationalist Party are
now demanding “full disclosure” on
what occurred and with both Nicola
Sturgeon and Labour leader Jeremy
Corbyn wishing to politically use the
incident as an excuse to damage the
UK’s military capability by withdrawing
the nation’s independent nuclear
deterrent, this is a serious threat to
our future national security. So why do
naive politicians wish to rid the UK of
its nuclear umbrella when faced with an
uncertain future threat environment?
The Trident renewal programme was
always going to be controversial as the
cost is estimated at £31 billion, which
includes the state of the art submarines
used as the launch platform. This is a
huge cost when conventional military
forces are facing cuts, but if we didn’t
spend the money on Trident we
couldn’t trust a Labour government
to spend the money on conventional
forces anyway as Mr Corbyn isn’t a fan
of any military force.
There is also the argument that such a
costly system might not be used and
Image © Bob Morrison: Military Scene
is therefore a waste of money, but the
deterrent has to be capable (which
comes at a cost) of being credible
to therefore be a deterrent in the
rst place. If you think not using it is
expensive, try the cost of cleaning up
your country if it’s been attacked by
either another state’s nuclear weapons
or a terrorist group using a chemical,
biological or radiological IED because
you couldn’t deter them from doing so.
68 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
Those that claim that we shouldn’t have
nuclear weapons on ethical grounds
and that the resulting humanitarian
catastrophe means we shouldn’t use
them even in extreme circumstances
(in fact Mr Corbyn has stated he could
never push the nuclear button) would
rather just hand over our country
and its population to any totalitarian
aggressor that wanted to force its will
on us and deny us our independence
and democracy. Since Polaris (the
predecessor of Trident) was brought
into service there has always been one
of four Royal Navy missile submarines
on patrol at sea, ready to respond to
any nuclear attack on the UK.
The reason for using a submarine
as a launch platform is that they are
harder for our enemies to detect, and
therefore neutralise, than other
forms of nuclear delivery
systems such as aircraft
or slow ying cruise
missiles. The
Trident missiles
also have a
longer range
than other delivery
methods and are not
easy to target in a
rst strike, unlike ground-
based missile silos so, even if
our enemies managed to negate
our known forces in an unexpected
rst strike, we would still have
the ability to strike back with a
highly destructive effect. This is
the principle of Mutually Assured
Destruction that might deter a
hostile state from attacking us in
the rst place.
Since it is generally understood
that future conicts will be
fought as part of a joint,
inter-agency and
multinational
force, one
could argue
that we
don’t need
an independent
nuclear force as
we have allies such as the
USA that could protect us
with theirs. However, an
independent force is always
seen as more unpredictable and
“WHY DO NAIVE POLITICIANS
WISH TO RID THE UK OF ITS
NUCLEAR UMBRELLA WHEN FACED
WITH AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE
THREAT ENVIRONMENT?”
is therefore more of a deterrence
factor.
Another argument is that nuclear
weapons aren’t as relevant as a
response to some forms of conict,
and that argument does have merit
but, just as the IED is the weapon
system of choice for forces seeking to
offset the advantage of strong enemy
conventional forces, so is the threat of
nuclear weapons against an adversary
with huge numbers of conventional
weapons systems and a closing
technological gap. For example, due to
their successful espionage efforts, both
China and Russia have their own stealth
aircraft programmes and can build
larger numbers of these than the UK
can purchase.
Certain states and terrorists may not
have a nuclear capability at the present
and therefore the use of nuclear
weapons might not be seen
as relevant, but there is
nothing to say that they
won’t acquire them in
the future. They can be
an unpredictable threat,
just look at North Korea.
The UK should keep
its nuclear deterrent.
As former
Chancellor George
Osborne said: “The
new unilateralists of
British politics are a
threat to our future
national security.
In a world that’s
getting more dangerous it would be
disastrous for Britain to throw away
the ultimate insurance policy that
keeps us free and safe.”
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.
 Image © Carl Schulze

next issue COMBAT

+SURVIVAL
April '17 coming
Issue
On Sale up in c&s
N
ext month: Carl Schulze
09th Mar will provide our primary
focus by reporting on
the role and composition
of 11e Brigade
Parachutiste, France’s elite Airborne
Forces, and Bob Morrison will
concentrate on a number of Finnish
Defence Force subjects ranging from
camouage to armoured vehicles. On
the rearms side, Richard Brown will
continue on the Minimi theme with a
look at the latest 7.62mm Mk3 version
which, coincidentally, units from
11e Brigade Parachutiste deployed
operationally in Afghanistan.

Plus: Product Reviews,

Rations, Kit & Camo etc.
Contents may change subject to operational developments!

74 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL