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Project MBAS: And who invented it? The Swiss...
Even armies have to move with the times: In Switzerland, the wheel is turning further with a major procurement project. The current, proven combat clothing 90/06 with its basic carrying system, as well as the protection vest 96, are to be replaced. With a modular clothing and equipment system for military operations (MBAS), the members of the Swiss Army are to be supported in current and future military operations in fulfilling their mission.
In July 2017, the troop trial began, which will last until February 2018. Its aim is to test the MBAS system in daily use for its benefits and added value, and to assess troop suitability in practice. The troop trial will be conducted with approximately 350 members of the army from a total of 13 educational units or competence centers.
The MBAS will be tested in its basic system configuration (combat clothing, carrying system, ballistic body protection, drinking system). After the troop trial, the findings will be analyzed and evaluated, forming the basis for the decision on troop suitability. This is all moving pretty quickly for the Swiss: The system is intended for the 2019 armament program. Implementation is planned for 2022.
MBAS Project
"Modularity" is the central keyword in the requirement for the new system: the modular clothing and equipment system for military operations (MBAS) is little more than a complete, contemporary reorganization of the man's outfit for the Swiss soldier. General requirements for development:
- Ergonomic cut, increasing wearing comfort to enhance the soldier's performance.
- New optimized size system. This results in a reduction in the number of sizes and optimization of storage (e.g. camo suit pants by about half).
- The individual layers (e.g. camouflage suit, rain protection, and cold protection) are coordinated.
- Uniform size system for all MBAS equipment parts. This simplifies distribution.
- Cold protection is designed for static operations at temperatures down to -15°C.
For the carrying vest, backpacks, and protection vest, the following improvements are planned:
- Introduction of a drinking system (similar to Camelback) in addition to the field bottle.
- Ballistic protection as a replacement for protection vest 96: Light plate carrier with much lighter ballistic plates. Among other things, the user has the option to redistribute the weight from the shoulders to the hips through a connecting element to the hip belt.
- Backpacks: Height adjustable according to body size, weight distribution from shoulder to hip through a hip belt attached to the backpack.
- Modularity: All items are equipped with the same strapping system for attaching pockets.
The MBAS includes four subsystems:
- Combat Clothing: Consisting of underwear, camouflage suit (summer and winter versions), wind, rain, and cold protection.
- Carrying Systems: Consisting of various carrying devices (carrying belt, carrying vest, and/or ChestRig), backpacks of different sizes, and an accompanying set of pockets.
- Ballistic Body Protection: Consisting of a plate carrier (reduced protection area; for high physical exertion/mobility) as well as a traditional protection vest with accompanying collar and groin protection (maximum protection area; for normal physical exertion/static operations).
- Drinking System: Consisting of a water bag, drinking tubes, and various adapters for PET bottles.
MBAS brings high modularity to the equipment:
- The already introduced and proven "layer principle" of combat clothing is retained, allowing the user to adapt their clothing individually to temperature and weather conditions.
- Additionally, the individual pockets can be mounted and carried for specific operational purposes using a strapping system – internationally known as MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) – (either on a carry device, a backpack, a plate carrier, or a protection vest).
Introduction after the Troop Trial
In the context of two trial series (concept trials) with a 15-member test group consisting of professional soldiers, a reduction to one to two variants per subsystem could be achieved.
With the troop trial until February 2018, the MBAS will be tested in daily use for its benefits and added value, and the troop suitability of the system will ultimately be assessed in practice. The MBAS will be tested in the “basic system” configuration, which can be adapted or supplemented for specialized functions at a later date.
In the troop trial, all components are tested in solid colors. Upon introduction, for a large part of the equipment, there will be a transition to the Swiss multi-environment camouflage pattern 16. The camouflage pattern is new and applies to the entire Swiss Army, not just the MBAS project. The design has not changed, only the colors. The colors black and olive have been replaced by shades of brown. This makes the overall impression slightly brighter and slightly browner, better matching the environment.
SWISS ARMY online: www.ar.admin.ch
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