Title: Private Afghan Army (Afghanistan l980)
Artist: Chris McNab
Date: 2002
As this soldier demonstrates, the troops of the Afghan Army were ill equipped to fight the highly motivated Mujahedeen guerrillas during the Soviet Union's 10-year occupation of Afghanistan. The standard grey-drab combat uniform and soft-peaked cap provided scant protection from the severe Afghan weather, and gave a poor appearance on the parade ground (it doubled as parade kit). The webbing is of local manufacture from cheap leather, and the civilian belt has an inadvisably shiny gold buckle which could be an aiming point for a sniper. The rifle is the venerable Mosin-Nagant 7.62mm (0.3in) M1944 carbine, a weapon with origins back to 1888 and, by 1980, hopelessly outdated against the AK series rifles. Canvas gaiters, worn to protect against mud and water intrusion, feature mud-reinforced black leather sections. Afghan soldiers were inconsistently equipped throughout the conflict.
Source :
Book "20th Century Military Uniforms" by Chris McNab
Artist: Chris McNab
Date: 2002
As this soldier demonstrates, the troops of the Afghan Army were ill equipped to fight the highly motivated Mujahedeen guerrillas during the Soviet Union's 10-year occupation of Afghanistan. The standard grey-drab combat uniform and soft-peaked cap provided scant protection from the severe Afghan weather, and gave a poor appearance on the parade ground (it doubled as parade kit). The webbing is of local manufacture from cheap leather, and the civilian belt has an inadvisably shiny gold buckle which could be an aiming point for a sniper. The rifle is the venerable Mosin-Nagant 7.62mm (0.3in) M1944 carbine, a weapon with origins back to 1888 and, by 1980, hopelessly outdated against the AK series rifles. Canvas gaiters, worn to protect against mud and water intrusion, feature mud-reinforced black leather sections. Afghan soldiers were inconsistently equipped throughout the conflict.
Source :
Book "20th Century Military Uniforms" by Chris McNab
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