Re: SA80-A2: it's all the soldier's fault

["Robert J. Hansen" <rjhansen@xxxxxxxx>]

> I found that stupidly funny as well.  Aren't you supposed to design a
> device to work in real life enviroments?

Apparently the MoD doesn't think so.

Of course, the US isn't doing much better, either.  The OICW/SABRE trials 
are going miserably due to the laser rangefinder used for the 20mm GL.  
Even after highly-trained troops are given several hours of instruction in 
how to use the laser rangefinder, they're still managing to consistently 
screw it up.

Last word I heard on OICW/SABRE, brass and designers were busy blaming 
soldiers for failing to learn the new technology, while at the same time 
making exuberant plans to phase out the .50 M2 and replace it with the 
OCSW (OICW/SABRE's big brother--same technology).  Arrrgh.

Someone should photocopy Arthur C. Clarke's short story, "Superiority", and 
send it to the designers and military brass.

> between cleaning ( i forget the actual number at this point, but..)  the
> beretta is actually reliable to over 4 times that amount.

I've never seen a Beretta 92 jam.  Have seen it crater ammunition pretty 
badly, though.

> Blaming the troops who are being left vunerable in battle is just
> rubbish.

I'm reminded of Kipling's "Young British Soldier", talking about a British 
soldier in Afghanistan--the last stanza of it tells the soldier that, if 
he finds himself wounded on the battlefield when the Afghans come, to do 
himself a favor and blow his brains out before the Afghans get to him.

I can only imagine how the Royal Marines in Afghanistan must feel--knowing 
that (a) Kipling thinks they're on a suicide mission, and (b) they can't 
blow their brains out because their rifles don't work.

-- 
Geek Code: GAT d- s+:+ a27 C++(+++)$ ULB++>++++ P++ L+++>++++ E W+ N+ w
           PS+ PE++ Y++ PGP++ t+ 5++ X-- R tv b+++ DI++ D--- G+ e++ h*
           r* y+*