Soldiers are one of those segments of population that can be considered the face of the country. Their lives can be threatened at any moment¸ they must always be ready for anything. That is the reason why they should always be in good form and have the best equipment. A soldier in modern concept can be considered as a person with a weapon system with devices of destruction, communication and control, ensuring his mobility and survival when performing a specific task. The work of soldiers does not depend on the weather or natural conditions.
Currently, combat equipment consists of cold and small arms, body armor, helmets, night vision goggles, intercom radio devices, a set of protection against weapons of mass destruction, camouflage uniforms, boots, knee and elbow pads, a waterproof suit, modular equipment, a sleeping bag and individual food ration , that is ready for using, aqua systems, gas mask.
A military backpack should not exceed the dimensions of a person, so it will not cling to branches or other obstacles. In the production, a waterproof tissue is used; it is resistant to climatic changes and it is able to maintain its properties for several years of intensive usage. An army backpack can be operational, assault and raid, depending on time of the operation.
Clothing must be made of non-combustible materials, waterproof, and should have a camouflage color. It includes army boots, knee pads and elbow pads, a shirt, trousers and a jacket. There is special clothing with multi-layered insulation, as a result of which the clothing allows to adapt to the cold climate, where soldier may be located. The jacket must have an opening collar, chest and side pockets with flaps, and trousers – with four standard pockets (two internal and two patch pockets) with flaps. Boots – high army boots made of soft genuine leather with water-repellent impregnation. In desert conditions they are beige, and in temperate climates they are black. Elbow pads and knee pads are made of polyethylene and are attached to fabric belts lined with polyester padding, between which there are three-segment polyethylene foam cushions.
Modular sleeping bag – the insulated version is inserted into the so-called “patrol” warm-weather bag; that is how protection from the cold is provided.
Food ration – shelf life is 6 months with 100% safety and 3 years with 80% safety.
Means of fire and bulletproof protection include a helmet and body armor. The body armor provides protection against bullets and small shards. It consists of removable titanium plates and a Kevlar vest, which has a detachable neck and groin protection. Why is it made of Kevlar? Due to it stops “blunt” projectiles that have little momentum. This body armor weighs just over 7 kg (15 pounds). The helmet protects the head from small shards and is also made of Kevlar with the addition of phenol/PVB resin. There are 5 sizes of them in total.
Goggles and night vision devices are used autonomously, and these devices themselves are attached to the helmet. They are used when moving, driving a car and performing various work in low light conditions. They weigh about half a kilogram and thanks to them you can see a person at a distance of 150 m in the light of the stars, and up to 350 m in the moonlight.
A necessary component for a soldier is also the means of communication. Previously, only simple walkie-talkies were used, but now this system has been modernized and communication can be carried out between different levels of command personnel, for example, company commander – platoon commander – squad commander – soldier. The set of the device includes: a transceiver, a rechargeable power supply, headphones and a microphone. The components of this entire system include a helmet-mounted computer sight, a navigation module, a radio communication system, and a multifunctional laser. Thanks to modern technologies, a soldier does not stay cut off from others, but has communication with other soldiers, a command post, etc.
The WMD protection kit includes a gas mask that weighs about 1.3 kg (2.8 pounds) and purifies contaminated air through a filter box located outside. The kit also includes a protective suit that provides protection against chemical and biological weapons; it consists of a jacket, trousers, boots and gloves.
Special items include 2 compasses, a lighter, a flashlight, a pocket knife, a sewing kit, a water bladder, ammunition and a first aid kit. The first aid kit should include painkillers, antibiotics, water disinfection tablets, an anti-allergic agent and gastrointestinal agents, a tourniquet, a dressing bag and cardiovascular agents.