RM weapons

[abprar]

I just saw on the news RM's in Kabul armed with M16 type weapons,is this weapon issued RM wide or just SBS?
The camera shot was from a distance but the weapon was not bullpup in design as far as I can tell.
Last time I saw RM they had SA80

[Tuukka]

Shows M4 type carbines(flat top?), the order from Diemaco seems to cover more than the SAS and SBS.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20011117/imdf17112001061807a.jpg

[joew]

Those are the Marines at Bagram airport, in which case they are SBS (according to the announcement made by the government). I should imagine that other special forces such as the Pathfinders and the Marines Special Patrols Group have been issued the C8's, along with the SAS/SBS.

[Tuukka]

The unit was said in news..you can tell from the beret that they are RM, did not wan´t to speculate further.

[abprar]

As far as I know the SBS wear the same Beret as the RM

[Enfield]

Yes, they do wear the same beret and cap badge.

The media reports that 85 Royal Marines have laned at Bagram, and I would guess that there are a lot more than SBS there. I would say it's unlikely they deployed 85 members of such a small force to one area. Just guessing here, but the advanced party would likely have a number of other trades in it - Logistics experts, some senior officers who can negotiate and make decisions, maybe some kind of ground crews for aircraft/helicopters.

I've seen photos of regular Marines carrying M16/C7 type weapons - I'd imagine they would grab them for anything they can.

Where did that pic come from? Any more like it?

[Snake]

How does the MoD defend the fact that UK SOF won't touch the SA80? If the 82nd Airborne prefered to use the FAMAS, I assure you, the DoD would be running for cover...

Snake
A/1/504th PIR

[Enfield]

I've seen photos of Rangers using Land Rovers and Carl G's, which I don't think are US Army standard.

MoD doesn't seem to try to hide the fact they use M16's extensively - or any other weapon they cna get their hands on. Anybody else seen the photos of Brit soldiers from the Gulf carrying Sterlings and Bren guns?

[This message has been edited by Enfield (edited 11-26-2001).]

[Snake]

Almost right, Enfield. Those weapons the Rangers use, adress a specific need, and do not replace US Issue Gear. Dunno about the Land Rovers, though, hadnt heard.
I imagine the MoD could get a fairly nice package deal on new M16A4/M4 units. Be cheaper than the SA80.


Snake
A/1/504th PIR

[Tracy]

Originally posted by Snake:
...Dunno about the Land Rovers, though, hadnt heard...
Snake
A/1/504th PIR


The Ranger Special Operations Vehicles (RSOV) are the Land Rover Defender 110(?). They picked them instead of Hummers because of the size. Rangers have a requirement to put two sticks of jumpers on either side of their vehicles; the Rovers are small enough to do that. They're extremely expensive to maintain, but there isn't a suitable replacement in the U.S.

Regarding the SA-80, I understand the latest version of it corrects a lot of problems the earlier versions had. The M-16 had it's teething problems as well, and special ops units in Vietnam often refused to take them.

[TonyM]

UK MoD bought the (Cdn) C7/C8 from Diemaco for SOF's. It was on the company web page last year. Best weapon or lowest bidder? Probably took advantage of the exchange rate.

[FNG]

Just found out today that the Phillipine military also uses C7 rifles. Or at least M16s with Elcan sights.

[zulumaster]

There are a lot of pictures around lattly with RMs with M16s, a lot of the picturs in the official leaflets have pictures of RMs with M16s.

The fact is that they are (obviosly) RMs, and the only eliments within that use the M16 are the - Recce troops, SBS, and some other attached commando trained units such as the artilary forward observers. There is a posibility that a fully trained RM can to be volentarily trained with the weapon.

the poeple on that picture are proberbly (as has been said) SBS, Recce (i believe that they are recce troop), or thay are one of the other that i have been mentioned. If only we could see there berret badges, then we could tell weather they are just attached to the RMs or not.