BACKGROUND

The end of the Cold War and the trend towards lower intensity, smaller-scale conflict has led to an increase in the importance of the dismounted soldier - which includes Royal Marines, the Infantry, selected Combat Arms and RAF Regiment personnel. Infantry, in particular, will continue to play a major part in future wars and in other Operations. There will always be a need for troops to physically occupy ground and to engage the enemy in close combat. In peacekeeping operations, dismounted infantry are able to establish vital human contact with the civilian population, which is an essential part of success.

There have been enormous changes in the way wars are fought by all three Services. But the business of fighting on foot in very close proximity to the enemy has not, however, changed much. It is still a chaotic, frightening and bloody experience in which the courage, wit and morale of Infantrymen are of paramount importance.Nevertheless, if soldiers are to succeed on the modern battlefield, they require more than courage and high morale; they require significantly enhanced capability procured in a timely and cost effective manner.

The advent of the more open battlefield, coupled with reducing numbers of soldiers, means that an individual soldier now has to move, communicate and be supported across a larger area than before. The battle will, however, still continue to require concentration of combat power in order to defeat the enemy with minimum casualties.

Modern technology allows potential adversaries to be more lethal, better camouflaged and better protected than before. Operations are likely to occur in parts of the world unfamiliar to the solider. The range of tasks that the Infantry are expected to perform, particularly in Other Operations is constantly growing. To meet this multitude of often differing requirements, a new approach to the design and procurement of soldiers’ equipment has been adopted.

FIST seeks to use a systems engineering approach based on the infantryman within a section as the weapon’s platform at the centre of a coherent, complementary weapons and equipment suite. Technology has now developed to the stage where one can seriously consider giving individual soldiers the sorts of capabilities that one had previously given only to aircraft or tanks. Miniaturisation of electronics, together with advances in materials and protective clothing open up totally new possibilities for the soldier.

The programme aims to provide a substantial improvement in the effectiveness and survivability of the dismounted soldier who has to interface with supporting platforms such as Warrior, helicopters and other armoured vehicles. The dismounted soldier is also the lowest element in the digitization process and thus an essential element to consider. FIST is thus born out of a systems philosophy and technological opportunity. The programme concerns not only the individual soldier but also their collective effect in fire teams, sections and platoons, within the overall context of the company group.

Last Updated - February 2001