Many countries have retained older weapons for use by ceremonial guard units – the United States uses 1950s-era M14s, for example. However, the British Army has always issued troops performing public duties, such as guarding Buckingham Palace, with the current service rifle. The short, stubby design of the SA80 precluded traditional rifle-drill movements, however, since the weapon’s butt would not reach the ground. This meant extensive changes to the drill manual, and a brief flurry of press excitement about the new ‘Russian-style’ drill movements. It also transpired that the angular edges of the SUSAT optical sight played havoc with the woollen fabric of the traditional dress tunics, and a vinyl sight cover had to be issued for weapons used for public duties. As Coldstream Guards Sergeant-Major Paul Downes notes, the SA80 was never popular for public duties:
When I first joined, we used the old SLR rifle, which was long and rested on the floor, but the SA80 we have now stays in the hand at all times. It becomes quite heavy after you’ve been stood still for about fifteen minutes. Hence why we have various movements: you can change arms and you’re allowed to march fifteen paces to the left or right when on sentry duty, to stretch your legs and keep the blood flowing. (Quoted in Danziger 2010: 146)
ACCESSORIES AND OTHER ITEMS
The British Army has a long tradition of marksmanship, and was the first to issue optical sights for all infantrymen, with the 4× magnification L2A2 Sight Unit, Infantry, Trilux (SUIT) fitted to late-model SLRs in the 1980s. The SA80-series weapons were intended from the outset to mount the similar L9A1 Sight Unit, Small Arms, Trilux (SUSAT) on weapons issued to front-line troops, though versions issued to rear-echelon personnel were fitted with simple iron sights for reasons of cost. It was also common to see the iron sights fitted to weapons used for jungle-warfare training, since the optical sights misted up after prolonged exposure in very humid conditions.
The SUSAT was an aluminium-bodied optical sight weighing 417g, with a 4× magnification. It used a single tapered vertical post projecting from the bottom of the sight to indicate the point of impact, rather than crosshairs. As the ‘Trilux’ portion of its name suggests, the sight post is marked with luminous tritium, for use in low light conditions. The low-level radioactive tritium slowly decayed over time, however, and needed to be replaced after 8–12 years. The Army was concerned about the fragility of optical sights, and the XL64 series initially had a set of folding emergency sights in a compartment in the pistol grip, to be used if the SUSAT was damaged. The emergency sights were replaced by incorporating simple emergency iron sights into the SUSAT after the NATO trials.
Although SUSAT remained standard issue, most rifles used for operational deployments to Afghanistan after 2009 were fitted with the US-made 4× tritium-illuminated Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG), similar to that used on the M4 Carbine. Both SUSAT and ACOG sights are currently being replaced by the Canadian-made ELCAN Specter, designated as the ‘Lightweight Day Sight’; this still offers 4× magnification, but runs off batteries rather than a radioactive source, and offers a weight saving over the earlier units. Both the ACOG and Specter units generally have a small Close Quarter Battle (CQB) battlesight mounted above the main sight, which places a red dot on a small transparent screen. This permits faster target acquisition during close fighting, and allows the soldier to retain better peripheral vision and awareness of his surroundings.
Although the above sights have illuminated optics for shooting in low light, they are not true night sights. When the SA80 was introduced, the only night sights available were a few of the bulky 3.2kg first-generation Individual Weapon Sight (IWS). This was so heavy that it could only sensibly be used on an LSW, where the bipod took some of the weight. Night-vision technology has improved greatly during the service life of the SA80 series, however, and has become much more common. By the end of the Afghanistan conflict, the 1.2kg third-generation Common Weapon Sight (CWS), produced by Pilkington and also known as the ‘Kite sight’, was routinely issued down to the level of the four-man infantry brick, and thermal sights were becoming available in limited numbers at platoon level. The CWS provides the same 4× magnification as the day sights, but also intensifies available light to make a man-size target visible at 500m by starlight alone, though it generally only allows accurate shooting at distances out to 200–300m. These night-vision systems have given NATO forces a key edge over their lower-technology adversaries in recent conflicts.
Several slightly different laser modules have been issued for the L85 since 2005. All have similar functionality, though the later versions are lighter and project their beams further. The LLM-01 Lightweight Laser Module is typical; as well as a white-light flashlight, it features a visible-light laser that projects a red dot onto the target, zeroed to match the point of bullet impact. This is useful for quick target acquisition or to designate a target for other soldiers. The laser will reach out to 300m, but is only really visible to around 150m, even through the rifle’s optical scope. It also has an infrared laser with comparable performance, but visible only through night-vision goggles, making the beam effectively undetectable at night; and a short-range infrared ‘illuminator’, effectively a low-powered torch for use in conjunction with night-vision goggles. The laser modules weigh around 250g, and are Class II laser products: generally eye safe unless viewed via some form of amplifying optics, such as a telescopic sight or binoculars. A rotary switch on the top of the unit changes mode, and an additional On/Off pressure switch on the rifle’s foregrip allows the user to activate the LLM-01 without having to take a hand off the weapon.
The 1982 Falklands War had seen British troops clearing trenches with fixed bayonets; and despite its relatively short length, the SA80 IW (though not the LSW) was always intended to take a bayonet. The first design had a tubular socket that fitted over the flash eliminator, and a short (127mm) clip-point ‘Bowie knife’ blade beneath. A revised design had a longer (197mm) blade, possibly to extend the ‘reach’ of the weapon in bayonet fighting. By the time of the troop trials, the design had shifted to a combined bayonet and utility tool. The blade was now in line with the hollow tubular handle, making it easier to use as a knife. However, since the hollow metal handle surrounded the barrel, it became red-hot after the rifle was fired, preventing the bayonet being removed until it had cooled. This design was adopted as the L3A1 bayonet.