EQuipment

DefenceFocus
Design: John Kelly Research: Ian Carr

then & now

NOW: HMS Bulwark NOW Head mounted monocular night vision
ALBION CLASS amphibious warfare ships HMS Bulwark,
(pictured here) and HMS Albion, both launched in 2001, replaced Personal Role radio
HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid. Their primary function is to act Allows infantry soldiers to communicate over short distances,
as floating command and control centres. They can embark even through thick cover or walls
and transport, deploy and recover by air and surface, troops,
SUSAT
then: HERCULES
their equipment, vehicles and cargo. Major improvements
include more extensive command, control and communications Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux (telescopic sight
enabling communication with the battlefield ashore. They can with 4x magnification)

C-130 Tactical support unload their cargoes at greater speed than their predecessors.
Equipped with a well dock, a large stern gate and side access BODY Armour
and transport ramps, the ships can operate four landing craft (utility) and four
landing craft (vehicles and personnel). The ships can operate
Osprey and Kestrel variants offer additional protection

some of the largest helicopters in service from the 64m flight Patrol vest
THE C-130 has been the RAF’s workhorse, in one form deck. Modern defensive systems include the Goalkeeper gun.
or another, since it entered service in 1967. It is a highly SA80 A2 - L85 Individual Weapon
versatile aircraft, used primarily for carrying troops. It Rate of fire: 610-775 rounds per minute
can ferry up to 128 passengers or 20 tonnes of freight
up to 2,000 nautical miles. During the Falklands War, Underslung
C-130s shuttled equipment and men between the UK grenade launcher
and Ascension Island for onward deployment.
Some other kit available not illustrated here includes:
Protective Knee pads; Hydration Pack;
Ballistic protection goggles
specs FEARLESS BULWARK


Speed:
& INTREPID
21kts
& ALBION
18kts
then
Range: 5,000nmls 7,000nmls
Complement: 550 325
Aircraft : Wessex and Merlin, Sea
Sea King King and
Chinook
Specs C-17 C130 Armament: 2 x Seacat 2 x Goalkeeper
2 x 40mm Bofors (firing 3,000
Speed: 550kts 310kts or Phalanx 20mm rounds /min)
Range: 4,700nmls 3,500nmls systems Seagnat decoy
Length: 53m 29.77m 4 x 30mm guns
Wingspan: 52m 40.38m Military Lift: 380 – 400 troops 305 troops
Height: 16.79m 11.59m (1,000 overload) (405 overload)
Weight laden: 266 tonnes 68.3 tonnes 7 x 3 ton trucks 6 x tanks
Capacity: 45,360kg 20,320kg 20 x 0.25 ton trucks 30 x armoured
Ceiling: 45,000ft 32,000ft tracked
Thrust: 161,000Ibs 17,000lbs carriers

58 patTERN
SLR webbing
Rate of fire: 40 rounds Canvas pouches for
per minute ammunition and kit

then: HMS FEARLESS M79

NOW: C-17A GLOBEMASTER III
C-17A Globemaster III is the latest addition to the RAF’s
inventory of transport aircraft. There are currently four in the
fleet with a fifth to be delivered in 2008. The C-17 is capable of
rapid, strategic delivery of combat-ready troops and all types
of cargo to main operating bases anywhere in the world. Its
design allows it to carry out high-angle, steep approaches at
relatively slow speeds, allowing it to operate into, basic airfields
During the Falklands War, HMS Fearless was the command ship
for the amphibious task force and led the way into San Carlos Water.
Later, the land forces’ commander, Major General Moore, set up his
PutteeS
Fires a variety of
grenades up to 350m.
Weighed 2.93k g
and landing on runways as short as 3,500 feet. It can transport headquarters in Fearless. loaded. Due to its
45,360kgs of freight over 4,500 nautical miles, flying at heights The landings at San Carlos clearly demonstrated the ability size and inability to
in excess of 30,000 feet. Its cargo bay can take a Challenger of HMS Intrepid and HMS Fearless (pictured) to launch and support integrate with the
tank, three Warrior armoured personnel carriers, or 13 Land- amphibious operations and the value of such ships to supplement the rifle a soldier had to
Rovers. The C-17A has not replaced the versatile Hercules, but Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s logistic landing ships. be designated as the
gives the RAF a long-range strategic heavy-lift capability that grenadier
was not available in 1982.