this is a cut and paste from the early bird news that i read every morning at work.
originally appeared in the Army Times....
note the instance of ICOM in the article...
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ArmyTimes.com
June 25, 2003
Soldiers Grade Weapons And Equipment They Are Using In Iraq
By Amy Svitak and Matthew Cox, Times staff writers
Many U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq are newly battle tested, but so too are many of the weapons and much of the equipment they took to the fight.
A team of evaluators from Program Executive Office Soldier, the Army unit that oversees everything soldiers wear or carry into combat, visited the troops in the combat zone to gauge the performance of their gear. They spoke with dozens of soldiers from May 5-10 and recorded their findings in a draft document obtained by Army Times.
The soldiers whose opinions are included in “Operation Iraqi Freedom: PEO Soldier Lessons Learned” were in Iraq with elements of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 82nd Airborne Division and 3rd Infantry Division.
Where appropriate, some of the key findings will be used to guide weapons, uniform and equipment modifications and replacements. They include:
• 9mm pistol: Soldiers generally disliked it, saying it lacked significant stopping power. The 9mm’s magazines also performed poorly, with soldiers stretching the spring to get sufficient force to feed rounds into the chamber.
• XM107 .50-caliber sniper rifle. Maybe the most useful weapon for urban combat, soldiers said. Soldiers liked the range, accuracy and stopping power. Some, however, thought the Leopold Sight was not ballistically matched to the weapon.
• M4 assault rifle. Soldiers said it performed well in the demanding environment, but the weapon’s range was inadequate for targets in excess of 500 meters, even with the flip-up sight.
• Interceptor Body Armor: The troops in Iraq expressed confidence in it when “trolling for contact” with the enemy, but said it interfered with a prone firing position.
• ICOM radio. With poor range ability, it was evaluated as the worst example of squad communications, which were poor overall.“Everyone had a Motorola-type hand-held radio that had vastly better range and power performance,” the document stated.• Desert combat boots. They were a problem in Afghanistan and they’re a problem for soldiers in Iraq. Soldiers said the soles were too soft and too easily damaged by the terrain. PEO Soldier has been experimenting with alternatives to this boot.
• MOLLE rucksack system. The Modular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment was well-received as an improvement over its predecessors, though soldiers offered several areas that need attention. They disliked the snaps and would prefer Velcro in combination with fast tech-type connectors, for example.
• Assault ruck. Soldiers had many favorable things to say about this item, although some found it too small and not durable.
• Individual gear. Soldiers, as they have done for decades, spend their own money to purchase the quality packs, pouches, belts, underwear, socks and gloves they believe they need for mission success, according to the document. Soldiers are buying their own Coolmax-type T-shirts because of their wicking properties. Under Armour is another popular brand. Socks were an item that generated “a good deal of discussion,” according to the document. Many received black wool/poly pro blend that were too hot for comfort in the Iraqi desert. Some received the tan and white Wright sock, which shrank too much after washing. Soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division received the dark green sock, and they continued to judge it as superior.
“Soldiers felt if they could just keep their socks clean, they could better protect their feet,” the document stated.
The Camelbak-style hydration system was deemed the way to go in the parched desert of Iraq. Soldiers stopped using their one-quart canteens once the threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction subsided. However, the Camelbak variant distributed to the 82nd Airborne Division was not rugged enough. Troops said bladders ruptured easily and they had no way to replace them.
PEO Soldier’s Rapid Fielding Initiative has been addressing many of these individual-gear needs.
interesting article in Army Times about radio / Iraq gear...
Moderator: Queue Moderator
Re: interesting article in Army Times about radio / Iraq gea
ICOM radio. With poor range ability, it was evaluated as the worst example of squad communications, which were poor overall. Everyone had a Motorola-type hand-held radio that had vastly better range and power performance, the document stated.
I like it...........
I like it...........
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