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List of equipment of the British Army

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This is a list of some of the equipment in use by the modern British Army. Most entries have their own articles where further details can be found. It is likely that this list is not exhaustive; if you are aware of any missing equipment, please add it.

Small Arms & Support Weapons

P226 Sig-Sauer Pistol (L105A1)

Currently a limited issue sidearm although it is a contender in the ongoing competition to find a replacement for the L9A1.

Browning Pistol (L9A1)

General issue sidearm.

Heckler & Koch MP5 Sub-Machine Gun (L92A1)

Issue limited to special forces and task forces involved in special operations.

Heckler & Koch 53 Assault Rifle (L101A1)

Issue limited to special forces and task forces involved in special operations, such as close-protection teams.

SA80 Assault Rifle (L85A2)

The standard issue rifle is now the L85A2, known popularly as the SA80. This is an enhanced variant of the original SA80A1 version with improvements to the working parts (cocking handle, firing pin etc.), gas parts and magazines. The SA80A2 is regarded by many as the most reliable standard rifle in service, a stark contrast to the vilified SA80A1, which was droppped from NATO's list of approved weapons due to its unreliability with the NATO STANAG 5.56mm round. During the 2003 International shooting meet at Bisley, the British Army team won after firing over 62,000 rounds with no stoppages. During active service, the SA-80 is commonly fitted with a SUSAT 4x optical sight, and can also be fitted with a 40 mm AG36, underslung grenade launcher, and a LLM01 torch attachment. It is fed by a 30 round magazine.

There is also a cadet version of the SA80, the L98A1, which has the gas parts removed, so that it must be cocked for each shot. British legislation imposes that children under the age of 18 years must not be permitted to handle an automatic assault rifle due to health and safety grounds, hence why the LSW, with folding bipod and rear pistol grip is accepted because of the cumbersome nature of the weapon itself, reducing the risk of a Cadet losing control of the rifle. Cadets are also not permitted to fire from the kneeling or standing position, and must lay prone to operate the weapon. The weapon is used by the Army Cadet Force, the Combined Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps for full-bore target shooting.

Light Support Weapon (L86A2)

The L86A2 LSW (Light Support Weapon) is another weapon in the SA80 family. It has a longer, heavier barrel, an extra pistol grip and a bipod, providing greater long range firepower and accuracy compared to the SA80 rifle. In fact the LSW has excellent accuracy comparable to that of a sniper rifle. All weapons within the SA80 family are 5.56 mm NATO calibre and like the SA80 rifle it is fed by a 30 round magazine. The LSW is now known as the DMR (Designated Marksmen Rifle).

The LSW is also permitted for use by appropriately qualified Cadets in a supporting role.

Minimi light machine gun (L110A1)

New to the British Army is the Minimi light machine gun. This was issued to all infantry platoons to improve their sustained and covering firepower. It is a 5.56 mm calibre, belt-fed gun used primarily with its bipod. Although it is not as accurate as the Light Support Weapon (above), the Minimi uses a 200 round box magazine or belt so it can provide sustained firepower which the Light Support Weapon cannot provide with a 30 round magazine.

General Purpose Machine Gun (L7A2)

The L7 GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun), often referred to as a 'gympy' can be fired from a bipod or tripod. It is used as a suppression weapon and as an accurate sustained fire platform when mounted on a tripod. It is a 7.62 mm NATO calibre weapon. The tripod base includes a GPS system to allow accurate map-assisted firing out to over 1000 m. This weapon is also mounted on several mobile platforms such as the Land Rover and off-road quad bikes. The General Purpose Machine Gun can be used as a light machinegun (bipod) or heavy machine gun (tripod).

Heavy Machine Gun (L1A1)

The heavy machine gun of the British Army is a version of the M2 Browning weapon. It is a 12.7-mm calibre weapon using the .50 BMG round.

Sniper rifles

  • Snipers are issued with the 7.62 mm L96A1 produced by Accuracy International. It provides first-round hit at 600 m and harassing fire out to 1100 m. It is usually used with a x12 sight and x40 spotting scope.
  • Selected units are kitted with the L115A1 Long Range Rifle produced by Accuracy International. It uses an 8.59 mm (.338 Lapua) bullet to minimise wind deflection over greater distances.
  • The Accuracy International AW50F large calibre anti-materiel rifle has been acquired in limited numbers to equip specialist snipers in the Army with which to dispose unexploded bombs at a safe distance. It is also available to snipers as a 'stand-off' weapon to deal with targets such as radar installations, light vehicles etc. It is manufactured by Accuracy International in the UK, although the barrel is made by Madco in Queensland, Australia.

51-mm mortar

The 51 mm mortar is a light mortar which can be carried and fired by one man. Smoke, illuminating and high explosive bombs are available. The 51 mm mortar, which replaced the 2 inch mortar is slowly being phased out by the use of the newer 40 mm AG36 UGL (Underslung Grenade Launcher) mounted on the SA-80.

81-mm mortar (L16A2)

The L16A2 81-mm mortar is a medium mortar which is operated by a three man team. It is often vehicle-borne, and in mechanised infantry battalions is mounted and fired from an FV432 vehicle.

LAW 80

Man-portable (1 man) anti tank weapon that fires a 94 mm HEAT rocket out to 500 metres. To be replaced by the NLAW (Next Generation Anti-tank Weapon).

ILAW (AT4)

An interim replacement/supplement for LAW 80 until NLAW is in service. 84 mm, disposable, one-man-portable HEAT rocket system, manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics. Its maximum effective range is 300 metres.

NLAW (MBT LAW)

The replacement for the LAW 80 (due 2006). Manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics. Its effective range is between 200 and 600 metres.

MILAN ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) Launcher

The Milan is a guided anti-tank missile. It is a two-man weapon, consisting of a launch and control unit and tube that contains the missile round and is disposed of after firing.

FGM-148 Javelin ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) Launcher

Currently being procured as the replacement for the Milan system. It fires a missile out to ~2500 m and is capable of defeating explosive-reactive armour with a tandem HEAT warhead.

Four Man Fire Teams

British Army Infantry units four man fire teams now consist of 1 x SA80A2 rifle, 1 x SA80A2 fitted with UGL. 1 x Minimi light machinegun and 1 x LSW (now DMR or Designated Marksmen Rifle).

Armoured vehicles

FV4034 Challenger 2 MBT

The United Kingdom placed orders for 127 Vickers Challenger 2 tanks in 1991 and an additional 259 in 1994. The Challenger 2 is equipped with a 120 mm rifled tank gun produced by BAE Systems' Royal Ordnance.

FV510 Warrior IFV

Main article: Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle

The Warrior family are tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

CVR(T) Class

Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) class of armoured vehicles

The following vehicles are based on a, larger modernised version of the CVR(T) - the Stormer.

  • Shielder - mine layer
  • Stormer HVM - Short Range Air defence (with Starstreak High Velocity Missiles).

Saxon APC

Wheeled armoured personnel carrier. To be replaced by the Future Rapid Effect System.

FV430 series

The FV430 series serve as armoured personnel carriers and in specialist battlefield roles.

  • Command and Control
  • Ambulance
  • Cargo carrier
  • Recovery vehicle
  • Electronic Communications Platform
  • Mortar platform
  • Mortar Location Radar Platform

Mine-protected APCs

Mamba APC, RG-31 Nyala and the RG-32

Artillery and Air Defence

MLRS

The Lockheed M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is a self-propelled artillery system with a range in excess of 30 km. The MLRS saw its combat debut in the 1991 Gulf War.

AS-90

The AS-90 is a 155-mm self-propelled howitzer. It has seen combat service against Iraq in 2003.

L118 Light Gun

The L118 is a 105-mm towed gun-howitzer. It is primarily used by the lighter units in the British Army and the Royal Marines.

Rapier FSC (Field Standard C)

The MBDA Rapier is the UK's primary battlefield air defence system and has been widely deployed since its first operational use in the Falklands War.

Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile)

Starstreak is an anti-aircraft missile which can either launched either by a single soldier or from a launcher mounted on a vehicle. It is the British equivalent of the FIM-92 Stinger.

Aircraft

Westland Apache AH.Mk.1

The Westland Apache AH.Mk.1 is a licence built modified version of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow and will replace the Lynx AH.Mk.7 in the anti-tank role.

Bell 212

The Bell 212 is used by the Army flight in Brunei as a utility and transport helicopter. A development of the famous Huey series of military helicopters, the 212 has a crew of two and can carry up to 12 troops.

Westland Gazelle AH.Mk.1

The Westland Gazelle helicopter is a light helicopter primarily used for battlefield scouting and control of artillery and aircraft.

Westland Lynx

The Westland Lynx performs various roles in Army service; including tactical transport, armed escort, anti-tank warfare (with eight TOW missiles), reconnaissance and evacuation.

Britten-Norman Islander

The Britten-Norman Islander is a light aircraft used for airborne reconnaissance and command, primarily in Northern Ireland.

Logistics Equipment

Land Rover

Numerous variants including:

DROPS

The Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System is a standard pallet and rack system used by the British Army.

  • Leyland Medium Mobility Load Carrier
  • Foden Improved Medium Mobility Load Carrier

High-Mobility Vehicles

Heavy Transport

Communications Equipment

BOWMAN

Bowman is the new tactical C4I system being rolled out to British forces.

Landing Craft & Assault Boats

RCL L106 at Akrotiri, Cyprus
  • Mk 5 Assault Boat
  • Rigid Raider
  • Ramped Craft Logistic (RCL)
  • Combat Support Boat (CSB)
  • Landing Craft Vehicle/Personnel (LCVP)
  • Mexeflote

CRBN Defence Equipment

  • Fuchs Nuclear and Chemical Reconnaissance and Survey Vehicle
  • Nerve Agent Immobilised Enzyme Alarm and Detector-Level 3 (NAIAD)
  • Prototype Biological Detection System (PBDS)
  • Integrated Biological Detection System (IBDS)
  • Multi-Purpose Decontamination System (MPDS)

Future equipment

Future Infantry Soldier Technology

Future Infantry Soldier Technology is a suite of equipment to enhance infantrymen's effectiveness as part of the Future Soldier programme.

Future Rapid Effect System

The Future Rapid Effect System is a planned family of medium-weight armoured vehicles intended to replace Saxon, FV432 and CVR(T) series of vehicles.

Panther

The Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle is a light armoured vehicle intended for use in reconnaissance and utility tasks.

Watchkeeper

Watchkeeper is a future UAV system for long-term surveillance and reconnaissance tasks.

Uniform

Standard British Army fatigue uniform is Soldier 2000, shirt and trousers in Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) camouflage, boots, beret and 'stable' belt, with the beret badge and stable belt denoting to which regiment the wearer belongs. The previous uniform was Combat 95.

The colour of the beret usually shows what type of regiment the wearer is from. For example, black berets are usually worn by the Royal Tank Regiment, and by Riflemen, although the Light Infantry and Light role regiments (D&D, RGJ) wear a dark (rifle) green beret. The sand beret of the Special Air Service (SAS) refers to the unit's origin in the Western Desert. Cavalry regiments wear berets of a number of colours: Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the King's Royal Hussars both wear a grey beret. The Intelligence Corps wears a cypress green beret. The Army Air Corps sport a sky blue beret. Khaki berets were originally generic, and are still worn by a number of infantry regiments, including all of the Foot Guards, and the Royal Anglian Regiment. Dark blue berets are generic, today, and worn by units without a distinctive beret of their own. Some colours indicate specific qualifications, or courses passed. For example, those who have successfully completed the P Company selection course with the Parachute Regiment are entitled to wear the famous maroon beret (Not to be confused with the Royal Military Police's scarlet beret). The wearing of the maroon beret has not been restricted to those serving within the Parachute Regiment, or within other regiments historically tasked with the parachute role, but has been worn historically by all nominally airborne units (including, briefly, the SAS), and by battalions or detachments assigned to airborne divisions or brigades. The green commando beret indicates that individuals have passed the commando course at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone in Devon. The green beret, as well as being the standard operational headgear of the Royal Marines, is also worn by commando trained units of the British Army.

The stable belt is a particularly wide belt, made of a tough fabric. It is fastened with a set of buckles on the wearer's left hand side, or sometimes with a metal plate at the front, on which the regiment's insignia is carried. The fabric of the belt itself is striped along its length with the colours of that regiment (unlike regimental ties, on which the stripes usually cross diagonally). The history of the stable belt dates back to a time when attendants to horses in cavalry units wore similar belts to carry necessary equipment for looking after the horses. It has since become much more formalised and not necessarily restricted to cavalry units. On exercises and operations, the shirt is replaced, or covered, by a camouflage combat jacket, or smock, and the stable belt replaced with a plain green field belt. Synthetic PLCE carrying equipment has replaced webbing. This has numerous components which can be assembled to meet the soldier's requirements and preference. The British green, woollen pullover (jumper, or sweater) has been used for several decades, and is used in other colours by the other services (dark blue for the Royal Navy, and blue-grey for the Royal Air Force - though both also use green in the field). It has also been adopted by police services, and by many foreign military forces (including the US Marine Corps). The beret will often be replaced with a kevlar helmet, covered in DPM material. However, in jungle conditions, the helmet is often replaced with a DPM bush hat - or equally in cold conditions, a DPM, peaked 'crap' hat, a rolled woollen tube known as a cap comforter, or other specialised head gear. When the British Army finds itself in peacekeeping roles, it usually wears the beret, in preference to the helmet or DPM hat, in order to appear less hostile to local civilians. This tactic was first used in the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and today can be seen in some areas of southern Iraq. It is this use of the beret in peacetime that has given those outside of the British Army - most notably, film makers - the idea that British soldiers forgoe their protective helmets in all situations, a dangerous, and untrue suggestion.

In recent years, the British Army has begun introducing Tactical Recognition Flashes to individual units - these are distinctive insignia worn on the arm of combat gear, when no other unit identifier (cap badge, stable belt etc) is worn. TRFs are issued to individual regiments in the combat arms (Royal Armoured Corps, infantry) and to the combat support and combat service corps' as a whole.

Soldier 2000 clothing is designed to be lightweight, yet durable enough to be used throughout rigorous activities soldiers find themselves performing. It has also been designed with the idea that layers of clothing (referred to as onion skins) are much warmer than a singular thick layer. In addition to the shirt; a t-shirt, vest, combat jacket, 'Norgie' (Norwegian) thermal shirt, or Gore-tex waterproof jacket is worn dependent on weather, along with various types of gloves, underwear, trousers, all-in-one suits etc.

At least six different disrupted pattern materials (DPM) are in use by British Armed Forces. Until the development of the Canadian CADPAT, British temperate DPM was regarded as the best in the World. (See Kamouflage.net)

The British Army is also famous for its ceremonial uniforms, especially, the world-renowned scarlet tunics and bearskin hats worn by the Foot Guards regiments, often outside Buckingham Palace. The scarlet tunic or red coat was once worn by all foot (infantry) regiments in the Army (except for the green clad Rifles), but today it is mainly limited to the Guards and ceremonial bandsmen. The No.2 dress is the most formal uniform normally worn by most regiments, consisting of khaki tunic and trousers, with a lighter coloured shirt and tie. Coloured peaked caps or berets are worn with this order of dress.

Although most regiments have designs for a more formal No.1 dress uniform, based on a generic dark blue tunic (a colour previously used by artillery, some cavalry and support units), most use them so infrequently that they are never actually produced until just before they are needed, such as for the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters recent ceremonial duties in London. The Highland regiments recently merged into the Royal Regiment of Scotland wore "piper green" doublets in No. 1 dress, along with kilts and sporrans, a practice that will continue with the new amalgamated regiment. The new Rifles regiment - an amalgamation of the Green Jackets and the Light Infantry will retain the rifle green No.1 dress of the former.

Officers and senior NCOs wear a special evening or mess dress. This is of regimental pattern and normally reflects the colours of the full dress uniforms worn by all ranks until 1914.

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