As the saying goes, clothes maketh man, and in SAF’s case, their improved equipment could make the difference between Singapore soldiers living or dying.
For years, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has been improving the standard-issue Load Bearing Vest (LBV) for its soldiers.
In 2009, an integrated LBV was issued to all units which helps place most of the soldiers’ load on the soldiers.
And now, they have a newer variant which might work even better.
SAF Having New LBV (Known as SBO for Old Soldiers) Again, This Time Only for Combat Support Units
On 2 Dec 2020, it was reported that Mindef has two variants of the new and improved LBV for two different groups of soldiers.
The Standard Version
The first is the “standard” variant which helps to distribute the weight of the load evenly across the soldier’s body.
It will have a Velcro belly-band with different adjustable points and is integrated with the body armour carrier.
This LBV will be issued to combat support groups like artillery and signals as well as combat service support groups like logistics and transport operators next year (2021).
The Enhanced Version
The second is the “enhanced” version which was rolled out to combat units like the Guards and Commandoes earlier this year.
Unlike the standard-issued LBV, the enhanced version uses a belly-band to transfer the weight to the soldier’s core and a yolk system to spread the weight distributed evenly.
The enhanced LBV is meant for more physically demanding missions and comes with a “detachable carrier” that can be placed under the vest on the front in cases of ballistic threats.
The new LBVs will be issued to soldiers after they’ve passed out from Basic Military Training.
More Cooling
Both vests were developed back in 2016 and refined based feedback from soldiers on the ground.
Compared with the integrated LBV, the new ones dissipates heat better by 30%, which is essential considering that soldiers in Singapore have to train in the hot, humid weather, all-year-round.
The versatility of the new LBV also means that soldiers do not have to be in “full” configuration mode throughout the mission, which helps a lot with the heat factor as well.
Also, unlike previous LBVs which has various pouches integrated onto the vests, including magazine, torchlight, utility knife and grenade pouches, the new version of the LBV has the pouches attached to a belt which transfers the weight to the hips instead of the shoulders.
It’s Not Just The Body
Turns out, there’s a new version of the helmet which has been issued to soldiers since Oct 2019.
It’s 10% lighter than the older version and is more comfortable to wear with padding instead of netting on the inside.
Here, you can watch Mindef’s video on the new equipment here:
NSmen who are still using the old “SBO” must feel even older now.
Featured Image: Facebook (Mindef Singapore)
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