The changes in warfare that I have mentioned previously will bring about major changes in both the training and equipment of service personnel. Consequently, the warrior who fights the high intensity war of the future will be dressed and equipped in a manner that would be unrecognisable to the service personnel of the past. An example of the new generation of equipment that is currently being tested by the British Army is Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST). FIST 2000 has three main parts, helmet, torso and weapon.

The helmet has a head up display (HUD), headphones, a microphone and a helmet mounted camera with image intensification equipment.

The torso is designed to hold batteries and the software for video processing.

An enhanced SA80 rifle will have a combined day and night sight and controls which will allow the soldier to swap between his helmet camera and his weapon camera. These supply data to the HUD. A new grenade launcher with day and night sight, and a laser range finder is another enhancement. It will also have a digital magnetic compass, which will improve aiming. This too is used with the HUD. Its range will be 350m. There will be a thermal night sight which will be an improvement on the other sighting equipment used.

Commanders will be able to direct fire through a laser targeting system. The target is visible through the HUD. FIST is part of the larger concept of digitisation that will, in time, see service personnel equipped with a Personal Digital Assistant. Thereby all ranks will have access to a much more varied range of information.