S10 NBC Respirator
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The S10 NBC Respirator is the protective [gas] mask currently in service with all branches of the British armed forces, and is generally accepted, along with its derivative, the FM12, as one of the best protective masks in the world today.
The S10 was introduced in 1986 as a replacement for the S6 NBC Respirator in service from the 1960s, and is manufactured by Avon Rubber.
[edit] Characteristics
The S10 features a butyl rubber facepiece, with two round scratch-resistant eyepieces, and an adjustable rubber head-harness. Both a Primary and Secondary Speech Module (PSM and SSM) and provided for direct speech and microphone communications respectively, and the latter can be easily interchanged with the 40mm thread filter fitting to accommodate both left- and right-handed users without the need for two different facepieces. Similarly, special flat lenses that allow for the user's spectacles to be worn whilst wearing the mask are available, and can be quickly substituted for the regular issue type. A drinking straw and tap is provided to allow the wearer to safely drink from their canteen in contaminated environments.
Two filter canisters are issued for the S10, as with the S6; a light pressed metal type for riot control situations or training (marked with a painted red stripe or red tape), and a heavier plastic encased type for protection against NBC agents. The latter have a maximum shelf-life of 10 years, and the mask itself (the facepiece) of 20 years.
Variants include the SF10, intended for security and special forces use, the AR10 for police forces, and the N10, a commercial version. S10s issued to British nationals in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Gulf War were marked by a blue coloured PSM fitting or a blue painted spot on the forehead; although meant to be returned to the authorities after the Iraqi threat (from Scud missile attacks, potentially carrying chemical warheads) had expired, large numbers were unaccounted for in the wake of the conflict. The S10 is widely available on the army surplus market and is usually reasonably priced.
