Personal Load Carrying Equipment - Configuration

Configuration

The Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU) conducted trials with PLCE. They divided PLCE into three orders of dress:

• Assault Order.
• Combat Order.
• Marching Order.

Assault Order consists of the essentials: ammunition, waterbottle, entrenching tool hand (ETH), helmet and CBRN clothing (carried in one of the detachable side pouches of the rucksack) for operations and patrols of only short duration.

Combat Order is assault order with the means of stowage for rations and personal equipment to enable a soldier to live and fight for 24 hours. In addition to assault order, the second side pouch of the rucksack is carried. In practice the patrol pack is used by many units and individual soldiers instead of the side pouches as it is larger and more convenient.

Marching Order is combat order plus rucksack ("Bergen") and is a load which will be required for an operation of up to two weeks’ duration without resupply except for ammunition, rations and water. The complete Bergen is carried.

The basis of PLCE is the belt; it has two D-rings at the back (to attach to the yoke), and many rows of narrow vertical slots sewn into it (for the pouches).

Two front pouches (ammunition or utility) attach to the belt; they have belt loops and plastic tabs that drop into the slots of the belt. These tabs provide more stability and security.

The 6-point yoke attaches to the two D-rings of the belt and two A-rings on each front pouch. This distributes the weight and is more comfortable than a 4-point yoke.

Rear pouches (utility, water bottle, respirator, entrenching tool) attach to the belt using the same loop and tab system.

The standard issue kit is two double ammunition pouches, water bottle pouch, utility pouch and bayonet frog. To this, privately purchased water bottle or utility pouches and hip pads are often added. The entrenching tool pouch is sometimes used as an alternative water bottle pouch.

The main criticism of PLCE is that the belt is prone to slipping. Some soldiers opt to change the plastic buckle for a Roll-Pin type, whereby the belt is threaded and tightened each time it is put on.