We have looked at a number of items of Op-Force uniform over the last few months, and one of the fun things about collecting kit is, of course, putting it together to make a finished impression. Therefore with this uniform available to me, I couldn’t resist assembling it into a completed impression based on photographs of the uniform in use in Canada at the BATUS training facility in 2015. The selection of uniform in the OpFroce camouflage is limited and no accoutrements, body armour etc. was produced in the colour, so standard Army issue kit had to be used which created a fascinating hodgepodge of camouflage schemes in one impression, three different patterns being used in this impression:

Our OpForce soldier wears the blue OpForce camouflage shirt and trousers with DPM ECBA body armour and PLCE Webbing. His helmet is the Mk 7 pattern, with an MTP cover and scrim. As part of his role in training, he wears the SAWES laser operated training harness. This has receivers around his body that work with a laser transmitted attached to the rifle. If the laser indicates a hit, the alarm goes off and he is out of the exercise, simulating a battlefield casualty. Sadly my SA80 is the earlier pattern without picatinny rail which by this date was standard issue and so I have elected to not illustrate the rifle here.

This is certainly one of the more unusual sets of uniform used by the British Army in recent years and has rarely been seen outside of training establishments. Even those who have served in the British Army would be unlikely to come across this set up so it has been great fun putting it together and it makes for a very unique impression.

1. Blue DPM shirt
2. Blue DPM Trousers
3. Boots
4. SAWES harness
5. Mk 7 helmet with MTP cover and scrim
6. Enhanced Combat Body Armour in DPM cover
7. PLCE webbing