The founder of the theoretical foundations of the science of equipment can be called Generalissimo Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov. It was during the rapid transitions that the imperial army demonstrated to the whole world its amazing mobility, which led to the numerous victories of the Russian Army. The Suvorov soldier carried a lot on himself, but the great commander, not possessing an athletic figure, nevertheless checked the degree of feasibility of ammunition on himself. If he could walk with a satchel and a rifle, like any soldier, then everything is in order. The new combat equipment "Warrior", adopted by the Russian Army at the beginning of the 20th century, most likely, would have been approved by Alexander Vasilyevich.
A Brief History of Military Fashion
The armies of almost all countries of the world abandoned the principle of protecting the vital organs of the human body during the First World War. The exception was the head - it was still covered with a helmet. The field military uniform was a variant of ordinary textile clothing, adapted for war and having a camouflage color. We have this grey-green colorIt was customary to call protective, in other countries he received the definition of "khaki", regardless of shade. They tried to make the cut as convenient as possible, equipped the tunic with pockets, while each state sought to give the appearance of its soldiers a certain dashing and aggressiveness. This tradition has been preserved since the days when galloons, epaulettes and other decorations were in fashion among the military, which became redundant in the utilitarian twentieth century. And even earlier, soldiers wore armor that protected them from arrows, spears and other sharp objects with which the enemy tried to hit them. In the 60s, humanity returned to the idea of \u200b\u200bprotecting the body - bulletproof vests appeared. But they did not solve all problems, even in combination with helmets.
Russian military uniform: classic and modern
In our country for a long time, equipment was not given due attention. The Soviet soldier of the era of "mature socialism" was, by and large, dressed in the same way as his great-grandfather, who fought somewhere in Galicia in 1915. The overcoat became shorter, the style of the tunic underwent some changes, the cap received “ears”, but in general the traditions of the Russian military uniform of tsarist times were preserved. Serious metamorphoses occurred in the mid-eighties, during the Afghan war. At the same time, all the same bulletproof vests tested by the Americans in Vietnam entered into army use. And yet our equipment remained one of the simplest in the world. But Russia has always been able to surprise with unexpected successes in those areas of activity in which rivals and competitors do not expect it. Even the recognized leaders - the Americans - did not expect us to wear the Ratnik combat gear.
Ideology of the "Warrior"
Yes, it was the Americans who have always sought to give comfort even to such an obviously unpleasant, dangerous and dirty occupation as war. The developers of the Pentagon ammunition tried to apply a scientific approach to every little thing, from special sleeping bags to rations. Combat equipment "Warrior" absorbed into its ideology all the experience accumulated by the armies of the world over a long time. It was intended to become not just a military uniform, but an integral functionally rich complex that ensures the performance of several tasks at once. A soldier, wearing it, should become more protected, receive information support and gain the ability to survive in those situations in which he could die if he were wearing ordinary ammunition. And the set of combat equipment "Warrior" includes devices and devices created on the basis of the latest achievements in electronics. These gadgets are designed to help you detect the enemy, keep your bearings on the ground, fire from the safest position and much more.
Functional blocks of the system
Combat equipment "Warrior" is a set of wearable equipment and clothing, functionally divided into groups:
1. Means of destruction. This is the most important functional group. The main purpose of any warrior is to inflict the greatest damage on the enemy in the event of an armed conflict. Forthis fighter has firearms and melee weapons.
2. Means of protection. The possibility of effective counteraction exists as long as the soldier is alive and well. The enemy, in turn, seeks to inflict injury on the warrior. Bulletproof vest, helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, shields and other devices protect the body of a soldier from hostile influences and accidental injuries.
3. Power supply system. The soldier experiences danger not only from the bullets and shells of the enemy: he can simply freeze if he has to stay in the cold for a long time. The Ratnik combat equipment complex is equipped with a source of thermal energy for heating if necessary.
4. Means of communication and control. Victory depends on the successful interaction of soldiers during hostilities.
5. Intelligence facilities. The ability to see in the dark, look out from behind an obstacle and transmit the collected information with reference to the coordinates of the area is created by a network-centric information system, which is equipped with each set of combat equipment Warrior.
Component parts
To implement the functional blocks, the specialist of the Central Research Institute "Tochmash" developed a number of items necessary for a fighter (there are 59 in total). To ensure the conditions for active combat viability, two types of backpacks (raid and patrol), a vest with quick-release elements, a tent, a sleeping bag, armored helmets, overalls made of special material, goggles and much more are designed. Combat equipment "Warrior" weighs from 20 to 24 kilograms, depending onconfiguration. For comparison: an American soldier is forced to carry ammunition with a total mass of 34 kg. To ensure this advantage, Russian designers took a systematic approach, creating 21 items of unique design and upgrading 17 pre-existing items of military equipment. Some of them are worth paying attention to.
Body armor
The historical fact of the mass death of the knights of the Teutonic Order in Lake Peipus during the Battle on the Ice (1242) is known. Indeed, heavy armor can not only protect a warrior from damaging elements, but also become dangerous under certain circumstances. The approach to this problem of the general designer V. N. Lepin, under whose leadership the Ratnik was developed, is interesting. Russian military equipment can be thrown off when a soldier enters the water, and instantly. At the same time, the body armor of a unique design serves as a life-saving device, automatically gaining positive buoyancy. It also has attachment points for pouches, various devices and technical equipment.
Helmet
An ordinary iron helmet not only does not protect against modern fire weapons - it is dangerous. When hit by a bullet with a displaced axis of rotation, it begins to move along an unpredictable trajectory inside the space limited by the helmet. Thus, even a tangential lumbago becomes the cause of death. The multi-layer lightweight helmet included in the Ratnik kit behaves completely differently. Russian combatEquipment is designed to meet the many situations that can occur on the battlefield. The helmet has a combined structure in which the bullet "gets stuck". It can withstand a pistol hit from a five-meter distance, and in addition, it is equipped with mounts for accessories, including a portable infrared video camera, communications and navigation equipment.
Special textiles
Designing special materials for sewing soldiers' clothes is a task so complex that entire branches of the chemical and textile industries are engaged in it. Requirements for military clothing are very specific and sometimes contradictory. It must be strong and at the same time not burn, and even more so not melt. In it, the fighter should feel comfortable, in other words, the fabric must be used "breathable", hygroscopic. But she can't get wet either. Combat equipment "Warrior" is made of special materials, including membrane materials (having the property of one-way moisture transmission), light, durable and most appropriate for the situation of almost any complexity.
Other important things
A soldier in battle and during preparation for it may require different ammunition. There are no trifles here, each element must have maximum reliability, compactness and be lightweight at the same time. Here are just some of the items that make up the Ratnik combat equipment: 2 backpacks of different sizes, an autonomous heater, insulation, camouflage kits, a water filter, a sapper shovel, a signal lamp, a watch, a special knife, a tent, a first-aid kit, toolschemical and radiation monitoring, binoculars.
An important element of ammunition is a special hearing protection device that artificially narrows the dynamic range of acoustic waves. Loud sounds are muted, while quiet sounds are amplified.
Weapons
The general military doctrine of the Russian Army is changing. The numerous "mass" armed forces will soon be replaced by compact, mobile and highly professional combat units. This, in the final analysis, will contribute both to an increase in combat effectiveness and a reduction in defense costs. The most massive machine gun in the history of mankind, AK, may, in this case, lose its main advantage - simplicity. The Russian soldier of the future is a person with above average intelligence, he will be able to understand even more complex small arms. Although it is likely that the Kalashnikov will still serve if its characteristics can be brought up to the level of modern requirements. Whether the soldiers will be armed with AK-12s or Degtyarev (AEK-971) is still unknown. Shooting samples are constantly being developed, and which of them the customer (MO) will choose, time will tell.
So when?
Who is intended for and when will the Ratnik combat equipment, the photo of which became available after its demonstration at the MAKS-2011 air show, be put into service? Maybe some elite military units, special forces of the GRU, FSB, Spetsnaz, Marine Corps, Airborne Forces, andWill the rest of the soldiers manage for now?
No, this uniform will become combined arms - by the end of the decade every Russian soldier will receive it, despite the high cost of the kit (up to a million rubles). By the way, American ammunition is heavier and worse, and costs US taxpayers several times more. The process of rearmament-dressing has already begun. Combat equipment "Warrior" on the way.
