British Army

Lore & Background

Each infantry rifle section typically consists of 8 soldiers, commanded by a corporal assisted by a lance corporal acting as section second-in-command (2IC). The section is subdivided into two fireteams: Charlie Fire Team (commanded by the section commander) and Delta Fire Team (commanded by the 2IC). Charlie Fire Team includes a section commander armed with an L85A3 rifle and a Glock 17 pistol, a rifleman with an L85A3, a grenadier with an L85A3 and an L123A2 under-barrel grenade launcher, and a sharpshooter with an L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle. Delta Fire Team includes the 2IC armed with an L85A3 and a Glock 17, a rifleman with an L85A3, a grenadier with an L85A3 and an L123A2, and a machine gunner with an L7A2 general-purpose machine gun. Rifles are typically paired with the ELCAN SpecterOS 4× Lightweight Day Sight (LDS) with a mini-red dot sight and a foregrip with an integrated bipod (grenadiers are not issued the foregrip/bipod due to the L123A2). The section also operates NLAW disposable ATGMs, L109A2 high explosive grenades, and L83A1 smoke grenades. Specialist equipment such as claymore mines, L26A1 bangalore torpedoes, and L128A1 combat shotguns is available if required.

In Their Own Story

The British Army uses a range of vision systems. The Sight Unit Small Arms, Trilux (SUSAT) or SpecterOS Lightweight Day Sights (LDS) are used with the SA80. The Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) is used with the L129A1 Sharpshooter. The Assault Rifle In-Line Low Light Sight (ARILLS) is a new infrared/thermal imaging sight for the SA80 A3. The Laser Light Module (LLM Mk3) is used for aiming and illumination with the SA80 A3. The Jim Compact Sight is a new infrared binocular that can spot targets from more than 5 km away, has both thermal and low-level light capabilities, can take HD pictures and video recordings, and has a laser positioning system. The Magnum Universal Night Sight (MUNS) is a high-resolution clip-on night vision weapon sight for the L129A1 Sharpshooter, detecting and recognizing man-size targets in excess of 800 meters. The FIST Thermal Sight (FTS) is a thermal imaging scope for rifles and light machine guns, acquired as part of the MoD's Future Integrated Soldier Technology. The Common Weapon Sight (CWS) is an image-intensification night vision scope for weapons or handheld surveillance. The Head mounted Night Vision System (HNVS) is based on the American AN/PVS-14. The Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56 PM II is a 25x magnification day scope for the L115A3 Sniper Rifle. The Sniper Thermal Imaging Capability (STIC) is a thermal imaging sight mounted on the L115A3 and AX50. The command launch unit of the Javelin anti-tank missile contains a sophisticated thermal imaging sensor that can double as a reconnaissance tool. The SMASH X4 sighting system is an anti-drone sight mounted on the SA80 A3 that automatically acquires a target from the sight’s field-of-view, displays a box around the target in the shooter’s reflex sight, and only allows the shooter to fire when the sight is aligned to hit the target.

Reader's Guide

Communications equipment includes the Personal Role Radio (PRR), a small, light UHF radio with a range of 500m and a battery life of 20 hours, issued to every member of the infantry section. The Bowman Combat Net Radio provides secure HF, VHF, UHF voice and data communications; the MoD plans to replace Bowman with a system named Morpheus in the future. Falcon is a joint tactical trunk communications system for the Land Environment. Reacher is a mobile X-Band Satellite Ground Terminal that uses the Skynet V military satellite network. Small SATCOM is a satellite ground terminal weighing 41 kg that can be set up by a single trained operator in less than 30 minutes, also using the Skynet V network. Skynet is a family of military communications satellites providing strategic and tactical communication services to the branches of the British Armed Forces, the British intelligence agencies, some UK government departments and agencies, and to allied governments including the Five Eyes intelligence alliance members (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States). Tactical Satellite Communications (TACSAT) use low orbiting communications satellites to relay radio signals between operators, enabling communication in remote areas out of reach of terrestrial transmitters.

Did You Know?

• The British Army's Virtus helmet (Revision Batlskin Cobra Plus) provides increased blunt impact protection, is lighter than the preceding Mk7, and features a permanent universal night vision mount and a scalable counterweight.
• The Virtus Scalable Tactical Vest (STV) is 10 lbs lighter than the Osprey body armour it replaced and features a quick-release mechanism for safe extraction from hazardous situations.
• Over 300,000 General Service Respirators had been delivered by January 2015 to replace the older S10 respirator, with twin filter canisters that can be changed more easily in a CBRN environment.
• 84,000 Mk 7 helmets and 8,450 sets of Osprey body armour were donated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2022.
• The Jim Compact Sight can spot targets from more than 5 km away and has both thermal and low-level light capabilities, as well as a laser positioning system.