Personal Load Carrying Equipment
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Personal Load Carrying Equipment (PLCE) is the current tactical webbing system of the British Army. It consists of a Belt, Yoke (shoulder harness) and a number of Pouches. Associated with PLCE Webbing is a series of other similar load carrying equipment and rucksacks (See ‘Components’).
The purpose of PLCE is to hold everything a soldier needs to operate for 24 hours. This includes ammunition/weapon ancillaries, E-tools/bayonets, food and water (and a means to cook), NBC weapon (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protection and communications equipment. Soldiers will also often carry other ‘essential’ items such as waterproof clothing and spare socks.
PLCE is also very popular with paintball/airsoft players, as high quality surplus is available at a reasonable price. Most web resources relating to PLCE are recreational (see links).
The British Army continues to use belt based webbing as standard when most other countries are switching to modular systems. While vests and chest rigs may be more suitable for mechanised infantry/armoured infantry and FIBUA (urban) operations, the load carrying ability of PLCE makes it well suited to conventional dismounted warfare.
The system has also been adopted by the Danish Army in M84 camouflage and the Irish Army in Olive Green (OG). Many other countries use similar systems.
Contents |
[edit] History
PLCE replaced 58 Pattern webbing, which was made of olive canvas: this system was outdated by the 1980’s. It was very heavy, uncomfortable and shrank when wet- these problems were well noted by soldiers during the 1982 Falklands War a nylon version was made but not generally issued.
The US introduced Nylon M-67 (and later ALICE) type webbing during the Vietnam War to overcome the issues associated with canvas in damp climates. Following their lead, Britain developed 72-Patt webbing, which consisted of 2 front ammo pouches and a rear butt pack made of butyl laminate. was never generally issued, but is thought to have been used by the SAS.
Developments resumed with the introduction of the SA80 Rifle in the mid-late 80’s. Experimental (85-Patt) PLCE appeared at this time. It was very similar to the first Issue PLCE, but used snaps for closure on all pouches.
The first PLCE (90-Patt) appeared around 1988, in OG. The original type used ’58 pattern C-Hooks for belt attachment, and angled D-Rings for Yoke attachment on the Ammo pouches (so there were separate left and right pouches). The first production Utility Pouches had additional belt attachments for high mounting, like the ammo pouches of '37 or '44 Pattern webbing.
Newer OG webbing has ambidextrous Yoke fittings and standard PLCE belt attachments (see below). The Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) version (95-Patt/Soldier 95) has been made since about 1992.
The original concept for PLCE was modular. Known as CEFO (Combat Equipment, Fighting Order) the minimum rig was two Double Ammo Pouches, designed to carry a total of twelve 30-round magazines, known as CEFO-AO (Assault Order). To this, Water Bottles, Respirators, Utility Pouches (capable of holding two nested mess-tins), Entrenching Tools and Bayonets could be added. British soldiers however, prefer to tie, tape and strap their kit together in a way that makes it secure, but impossible to interchange quickly. Some also attach elastic loops to the webbing to hold vegetation for camouflage.
[edit] Configuration
The basis of PLCE is the Belt; it has two D-rings at the back (to attach to the Yoke), and many rows of narrow vertical slots sewn into it (to attach the pouches).
Two front pouches (Ammo or Utility) attach to the Belt; they have belt loops and plastic tabs that drop into the slots of the belt. These tabs work well for stability and security.
The 6-point Yoke attaches to the 2 D-rings of the belt and 2 A-Rings on each front pouch. This distributes the weight and is more comfortable than a 4-point Yoke.
Rear pouches (Utility, Water Bottle, Respirator, E-Tool, etc.) attach to the belt using the same loop and tab system.
The standard Issue kit is 2 Double Ammo Pouches, Water-Bottle Pouch, Utility Pouch and Bayonet Frog. To this, privately purchased Water-Bottle or Utility Pouches and Hip Pads are often added. The Entrenching Tool Pouch is often used as an alternative water-bottle pouch.
The main criticism of PLCE is that the belt is prone to slipping. Some soldiers opt to change the plastic buckle for a Roll-Pin type, whereby the belt is threaded and tightened each time it is put on.
[edit] Construction
PLCE Webbing is made from double-layered 1000 Denier internally rubberised Cordura nylon, an incredibly hard-wearing fabric. OG webbing is used, along with a variety of hard wearing plastic and metal fasteners.
The pouches are closed with ‘Spanish Tabs’ which are secure and quick to open, although not as quick to close as ‘side release’ type buckles. They also have Velcro fastening with ‘silencer strips’ to cover them up when not needed. The tabs also can be closed in two different ways, quick release or secure.
An ammo pouch as issued has two pockets, each with a dividing strip to hold two magazines in separate compartments. Some soldiers remove these dividing strips to make it easier to insert and remove magazines - this also theoretically means that three magazines can be squeezed into each pouch, giving a total capacity of twelve magazines per person in standard configuration, although this is seldom done in tactical situations because they tend to get stuck.
IRR coating is applied to all fabric and webbing, which reduces its signature when viewed through Infrared night vision systems.
[edit] Components
The following are all Issue items, however many Commercial variants are available.
- Webbing:
- Main Yoke
- Quick-release Belt
- Hip Pad / Hippo Pad
- Double Ammo Pouch
- Single Ammo Pouch
- 200-rd Minimi Pouch
- Utility Pouch
- Water Bottle Pouch
- Entrenching Tool Pouch
- Respirator Pouch
- Personal-Role Radio Pouch
- Pistol Holster
- SA80 Bayonet Frog
- Wire-Cutter Frog
- Rifle Grenade Pouch (now obsolete, with the adoption of SA80 with UGL)
- Tactical Equipment:
- PLCE Chest Rig- with three ammo pouches, two utility/water-bottle pouches and a map pocket.
- PLCE Assault Vest- with two ammo pouches, four utility/water-bottle pouches, two general pouches and two dump pockets.
- Load Carrying Equipment:
- Patrol Pack (40 litres)
- Shortback/Longback Infantry Rucksack (100 litres) ("Bergen"), the detachable Bergen side pouches can be attached to a yoke to make a day-sack
- Rucksack, All Arms. A slightly smaller Bergen with holdall-style carrying handles and pack-away shoulder straps, designed to be carried in vehicles.
- Radio Rucksack (351)
- Medical side pouch
- MOD 2 l Hydration Pack/Camelbak Thermobak 3 l
- Laptop carry bag
[edit] The Future
Most other countries are developing modular systems such as US Army/USMC MOLLE and the German Army IdZ vest as part of the Future Soldier programme, yet no plans have been announced by the MoD. Even though Issue and privately purchased alternatives are becoming increasingly common, it seems the British Army will continue using PLCE for some time: ‘it aint broke’, and budgets are stretched far enough as it is.
