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Latest Equipment to Deployed Soldiers
As the battlefield of the 21st century evolves, so does the equipment that keeps soldiers in the fight. In response to the rapid deployments of the past few years, the US Army has created the Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI), which aims to ensure that soldiers are issued the most technologically advanced equipment available.
The Rapid Fielding Initiative aggressively modernises individual and small-unit equipment for active and reserve soldiers throughout the operational Army. The programme goal is to provide soldiers the finest state-of-the-art equipment in order to save lives, improve quality of life, and increase combat effectiveness. RFI is designed to modernise equipment in a systematic and integrated manner, in accordance with the principles of the "soldier-as-asystem" philosophy.
Key to RFI is the adjective, "rapid". What is important in the initiative, even beyond the quality of the new equipment, is the fact that this equipment is procured and deployed with the units in a matter of weeks or at the maximum months instead of years.
Programme Origins and Structure
During 2002, soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and elsewhere started reporting shortcomings and defects in their standard-issue personal equipment, and in many cases they bought better, commercially available equipment with their own money. The then Army Vice Chief of Staff, General John M. Keane, directed the Programme Executive Office (PEO) Soldier to develop a plan to remedy the situation, starting with the 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Divisions. Unit commanders and senior NCOs were asked to develop a core list of needed equipment, reflecting tne practical inputs of personnel in the field.
With this list in hand, PEO Soldier set an ambitious goal to field an initial brigade (the 2nd BCT at Ft. Hood) with the equipment within 45 days. The success of this initial fielding led to a total of eight BCTs belonging to the 82nd Airborne, 101st Airborne and...