The Essential Guide to Airsoft Gear

By Ebcon Publishing

The Essential Guide to Airsoft Gear provides the perfect introduction to assembling some of the most sought-after gear you need to look the part on the skirmish field.

Featuring iconic loadouts from units such as 22 SAS at the time of Bravo Two Zero, US Army Rangers and Delta at the Battle of Mogadishu, through to the modern-day Russian Special Forces of the Alpha Group, it covers in detail how to recreate the uniforms and equipment worn by each troop type and explains how to source the different elements from Airsoft kit retailers.

Produced in conjunction with Airsoft International, the world's best-selling Airsoft magazine, this is the definitive guide to some of the most popular and distinctive loadouts ever seen on the skirmish fields of the Airsoft world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jan 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781472846372

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

US ODA SCUD HUNTERS

Featuring James Goulding with special thanks to Marcus Stacey-Bradbury

During the 1991 Gulf War, in response to coalition airstrikes against Saddam Hussein’s forces a series of SCUD missiles were launched at the heart of Israel. Whist these missiles were outdated and inaccurate, the threat was real and had a huge political impact. So, it’s not surprising that a coalition air and ground task force was formed to go SCUD Hunting.

Coalition commanders deployed Special Operations Forces on the ground, which saw US ODA or Delta Force teams along with British SAS operators. Their mission was simple – to seek out and destroy SCUDs, their launchers and the infrastructure that supported them.

READY ROOM

US Army Delta was assigned an area of desert to the north-west of the Iraqi city of Al Qaim, which was known as SCUD boulevard. Once on the ground in Iraq, their job was to call in Coalition airstrikes against SCUD locations. Once the war was over military analysts began to question whether coalition Special Forces had destroyed any actual SCUDs, or instead had targeted decoys that the Iraqis were believed to have deployed. Whatever the material impact of their operations, the clothing and gear the ODA teams used is very much a unique loadout that has to be recreated.

LOAD BEARING GEAR

The US Military Enhanced Tactical Load Bearing Vest was an integral part of the Individual Integrated Fighting System (IIFS). The IIFS was deployed in 1988, to serve as a fighting carrying system and was seen as a replacement for the dated All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE). The concept of a load-carrying vest is that the weight of the equipment carried is more evenly distributed over the body. The vest has integrated pockets that can hold six mags and two grenades. The vest can also be augmented with ALICE ammo, utility and water pouches.

This tactical vest, albeit a replica, is the enhanced version which is considered to be the second generation of the original design. This enhanced vest features mesh backing which provides better cooling and is fully adjustable, giving you the ability to wear your combat gear tightly to your