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All of the ELCS
components placed in the carrying/storage bag.
Special Operations Forces Equipment Advanced Requirements
(SPEAR) is the United States Special Operations Command's
(USSOCOM) modernization effort for the joint Special Operations
Forces. SPEAR will focus on four areas of improvement in
personal equipment from 1996-2005, including body armor
and load carriage. SPEAR's Body Armor/Load Carriage System
(BALCS) consists of body armor, an equipment load carrying
subsystem, and a backpack subsystem.
This article covers all the specifications of the Equipment
Load Carrying System (ELCS) manufactured by Safariland for
the US Armed Forces. This modular load bearing system it
is designed to support the needs of troops conducting special
operations and is currently used by the USA, the USN (Navy
Option Kit) and the USAF Special Forces.
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ELCS is a part of the Special Operations Forces Personal
Equipment Advanced Requirements (SPEAR) program. Other gear
parts from which SPEAR is consisted of is the Gregory UM21
Backpack Subsystem, the Safariland SPEAR vest and the Ceradyne
ceramic body armor plates. All of the above are part of
the Body Armor/Load Carriage System (BALCS). An other famous
part of gear developed under the SPEAR program label is
the Modular/Integrated Communications Helmet (MICH).
The BALCS components are:
Body Armor: Provides protection against fragmentation, handgun,
and rifle threats. The armor system contains a soft armor
vest; front and back interchangeable upgrade plates, and
modular neck and groin protection. The neutrally buoyant
soft vest is available in four sizes (S-XL); plates are
sized with the vest. Approximate weight of a Medium vest
is 6.5 lbs.; the Medium plates are approximately 6 lbs.
each.
Equipment Load Carrying Subsystem (ELCS)
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Backpack Subsystem |
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Gregory
UM21 Patrol Pack in Woodland Camo
The modified commercial Backpack
Subsystem contains a backpack, patrol pack, and butt
pack. The backpack's state-of-the-art internal frame
affords a stable platform sufficient to carry 120
pounds effectively. The backpack transfers load efficiently
from the shoulders to the waist and provide adjustments
to fit the 5th-95th percentile male SOF operator.
The butt pack attaches to ELCS or the backpack; the
patrol pack attaches to the backpack, and is compatible
with the other SPEAR BALCS components. The one size
subsystem weighs 17 pounds.
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The SPEAR Equipment Load Carrying System (ELCS) is divided into two basic categories of components, as follows:
a. Platform Components - Those items which pouches
and accessories attach to (for example, panel Set, Belt
assembly or H - Harness Assembly), or which support the
items which accept pouches (for example, Shoulder pad Assembly).
b. Pouches / Accessories - Those items which are
designed to attach to platform components and carry a specific
item or items.
The SPEAR ELCS Kit contains the following: |
The Navy Option Kit, in addition to the above, contains
the following: |
Vest Panel (Left & Right) 1 Set.
H Harness Assembly 1 Set.
Shoulder Pad Assembly 1 Set.
Belt With Buckle 1ea.
Pouch, M-4 Ammo (3 Mag, 30rd) w/Frag & Multi Purpose
Grenade, Right 1ea.
Pouch, M-4 Ammo (3 Mag, 30rd) w/Frag & Multi Purpose
Grenade, Left 1ea.
Cover Canteen 1 Quart 2ea.
Pouch General Purpose Large 2ea.
ALICE Adapter 2ea.
Pouch, M-4 Ammo (2 Mag, 30rd) 3ea.
Pouch, M-4 Ammo (1 Mag, 30rd) 3ea.
Pouch, M-60/SAW, 100 Rd 2ea.
Pouch General Purpose Small/ First aid/Compass 2ea.
Cover Canteen, 2 Quart 2ea.
Flotation Element Set (1Left, 1Right, 1Rear) 1 Set.
Care and Use Manual 1ea.
Storage Organization Device 1ea. |
1. Pouch, M14 Ammo (3 Mag, 20 rd) 2ea.
2. Pouch, MP5 Ammo (3 Mag, 30 rd) 2ea.
3. Pouch, M - 60/SAW, (100 rd) 2ea.
Optional Pouches, not assigned to kits, are available
as follows:
1. Pouch, Grenade, Multipurpose.
2. Pouch, M - 4 Ammo (3 Mag, 30 rd) w/Frag Grenade.
3. Pouch, Shotgun Ammo (5rd).
4. Pouch, Smoke Grenade.
5. Pouch, M - 249, (200rd).
6. Pouch, 9mm, Single Mag.
7. Pouch, Medical.
8. Pouch, Pouch, M-4 Ammo (3 Mag, 30 rd) w/Frag Grenade
& Srobe Light.
The Flotation Elements (4 in number) are placed inside
the Vest Panel (Left & Right) as well as the Shoulder
Pad Assembly. The Flotation Pads are inserted via clefts
and secured by zippers and internal Velcro straps. |
The design of the SPEAR ELCS is such to allow mission tailoring
of not only the equipment to be carried but also the platform
on which it is carried. This is accomplished by providing
maximum modularity in both the pouch attachment method and
also the variety of available configurations of the platform
components.
The platform components allow the system to be configured
in a traditional harness system, with equipment being carried
on the belt, or configured in the style of load bearing
vest, or in a combination of both. The platform components
feature easy adjustments at the shoulder (height), waist
(girth) and chest (girth) and are a single size system. |
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| Load Bearing Vest
configuration. On the Vest Panels are attached two (2)
Pouches, M-4 Ammo (2 Mag, 30rd) and 4 Pouches, M-4 Ammo
(1 Mag, 30rd). |
Harness System configuration.
On the harness panels are attached two (2) Pouches for
100 7,62mm round belts in an M-60/SAW gunner configuration. |
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| Mixed Load Bearing Vest Panel
and H-Harness configuration with M-4 and 7,62 round
pouches. |
Side view of the Load Bearing
Vest configuration. |
A common configuration of the
rear side of ELCS. Here can be seen attached two (2)
2 Quart Canteen Covers and one (1) Large General Purpose
Pouch. If more space is required, the UM21 butt pack
can be attached. |
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Three M-4 mag pouches
are attached on the PALS of the Load Bearing Vest Panels. |
The individual pouch and accessory components are attached
to the platform components utilizing the Pouch Attachment
Ladder System (PALS). This system attaches items through
the 'inner - weaving' of webbing between the item to be
attached and the platform to which it is being attached.
This provides a strong, stable attachment system to ensure
the attached item remains securely in place.
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| Close up to the Pouch Attachment
Ladder System (PALS) |
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Provision has also been made within the system to allow
further customizing by providing ALICE (All Purpose Lightweight
Individual Carrying Equipment) Adapter components. These
items act as an interface piece allowing items with ALICE
attachment or select or select commercial attachment systems
to be securely carried on the SPEAR ELCS. |
| An ALICE Adapter attached on
the belt section of the Vest Panel. |
An ALICE system three M-16/M-4
mag pouch attached on the Vest Panel utilizing the ELCS
ALICE Adapter. |
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A very peculiar pouch of the ELCS system is the M-4 Ammo
Pouch, (3 Mag, 30rd) w/Frag & Multi Purpose Grenade.
In this pouch the M-4 mags are stacked side by side and
not over - under like the standard M - 4 one or two mag
pouches. |
| An ALICE Adapter attached on
the belt section of the Vest Panel. |
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| In the end all ELCS components
can be organized, transported and stored in the special
bag which closes with zippers on it's perimeter. |
An ALICE system three M-16/M-4
mag pouch attached on the Vest Panel utilizing the ELCS
ALICE Adapter. |
The SPEAR ELCS is available in three types as follows:
a. Type I - Woodland Camouflage
b. Type II - Day Desert Camouflage (Three Colour Desert)
c. Type III - Black
The system described and used for this review is manufactured
by Safariland. Was gathered via several e-auctions and cost
around 350 USD. This system retails for 1,600.00 USD (!!??!?!)
but several airsoft replicas can be found in the market
if someone doesn't want to go via the e-auction process.
There was no experience with an airsoft replica so no comparisons
could be made in this review. G&P produces several SPEAR
items like the ELCS and the SPEAR vest both in woodland
and in three colour desert camo. V. Warrior is also producing
an ELCS in three colour desert camo. Finally Olka Tough
Gear is producing a replica of the SPEAR vest in TCD.
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Credits/Acknowledgments
This review was brought to you
by GGRAMM
March 25, 2007. Athens, Greece. |
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