New field kit due mid-year

Future soldier: A demonstration of what the Army Land 125 field kit could look like.

By LCpl Hamish Gray

ADVANCED new field equipment costing $35 million will begin to enter service from June as part of the Army’s Land 125 soldier modernisation program.

Land 125 is an evolutionary project aiming to equip infantry soldiers for the battlefield of the future through the adoption of new technologies, enhancing tactical effectiveness.

“This equipment has been selected as the result of trials and evaluations that have been conducted in the Australian context,” said Land 125 project director Lt-Col Shane Gabriel.

The package, known as Soldier Enhancement version one (SEv.1), will consist of five components designed to enhance the close combat capabilities of the infantry soldier.

Soldier Enhancement version one includes:


Soldier Personal Radio (SPR)

A lightweight, intra-section communication device. It provides the ability to reliably communicate at distances of up to 500m.

Thermal Weapon Sight (TWS)

Used with the F88 Steyr, the TWS enables the observation and acquisition of targets at night and through smoke and haze. The TWS will be issued to one rifle per section.

Individual Combat Load Carriage Equipment (ICLCE)

Is an integrated modular system consisting of a field pack and chest webbing. It is constructed of flame-resistant material and employs signature management technology, making it significantly more difficult to see through night-vision equipment.

Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH)

This helmet is currently in service with SOCOMD. It features a nightfighting equipment bracket and fireresistant characteristics.

Personal Protective Padding (PPP)

Elbow and knee pads will satisfy operational and OH&S requirements.


Initially SEv.1 will be issued to; 1RAR, 2RAR, 3RAR, 5/7RAR, 6RAR, School of Inf, 2 Cav Regt, 2/14LHR (QMI), CTC, HQ 3 Bde (Recon Pl).

Since last October SEv.1 capabilities have been tested through extensive field evaluation activities by 1RAR.

“Evidence I’ve had from the soldiers in the 1RAR test bed indicates the soldiers are very happy with it, particularly the intra section communications (SPR),” Lt-Col Gabriel said.

The SPR was employed during 1RAR’s short-notice deployment in the Solomon Islands in December and January.

Additional developmental feedback has been gained through the use of trial equipment in other operational deployments and during three years of scientific and field evaluation by the Land Systems Division of DMO and DSTO.

The introduction of SEv.1 is expected to be complete by June 2006, however actual delivery timeframes will be subject to the results of tender processes.

Lt-Col Gabriel said there was a possibility the SEv.1 capabilities would extend to the wider Army in the longer term.

SEv.2 is in the initial phases of development by DMO and is likely to include an improved version of the F88, a range of enhanced weapon optics, body armour and automatic position reporting equipment.