Foreword

What can you say about 2013… the industry has been hit by reductions in budget; very few programmes are continuing to spend the budgets they were previously, patching the gap seems to be the way of progress at the moment.

On our own note, the loss of our Editor, Adam Baddeley, was a blow to us all and thanks again to everybody who helped out on the previous issue to make sure it was up to its usual quality.

So, with all this in mind, where are we going in 2014, it’s not a stagnating industry, within our programmes at a glance section you will see major updates in some programmes and the first new programme for a few years.

Our Future Technology section holds new products which should raise a few eyebrows.

We have a first hand account of life in Afghanistan with the French Army, news from USSOCOM, Canada, and UK etc.

On the product side we have CBRN, Body Armour, Target Acquisition, Connection, Hearing, Communication and Power discussed.

The industry is in a period of change, not stagnation, and will come out of this with new technologies and better results, which come with considered spending and proven technology worth.

As always if you have any questions, comments and views please send them to me, good or otherwise, we take everything on board to improve the quality of information that you get.

Please continue to use the online portal www.soldiermod.com for all your news, event info and we can answer any technical questions you may have. The journal is also available to download in E-Reader format, free of charge, at the above address.

I would like also, finally, to welcome Steve Goodman into the fold as the new Editor of Soldier Modernisation, many of you will know Steve from his years in the industry.

I wish you a successful 2014.

Robbie Alcock
Co-Founder, Soldier Modernisation
robert.alcock@intercomms.net