French Paratrooper Display - Rwanda/Somalia

This is the uniform that was generally used in Rwanda and Somalia. However, I have not seen any pictures of the helmet used in Rwanda. In Somalia, they also would have had the French PASGT style flak vest which I still need. Keep in mind that the NBC uniform bag pouch would not have been worn. If anyone has any information on what was worn please post!

Special forces such as RPIMA used commercially available tactical vests such as Eagle industries as well as both Israeli produced and indigenous Ephod harnesses in Rwanda during operation Turquoise. I have also seen several photos of both woodland Gortex parkas and one or two Lizard ones, though not good photos.






Note also in the last photos the Gerber MK1

I have seen very limited use of the helmet, mostly they preferred their berets, probably to be distinguished from the Belgians!

Camonut314 wrote:Special forces such as RPIMA used commercially available tactical vests such as Eagle industries as well as both Israeli produced and indigenous Ephod harnesses in Rwanda during operation Turquoise. I have also seen several photos of both woodland Gortex parkas and one or two Lizard ones, though not good photos.


I have seen very limited use of the helmet, mostly they preferred their berets, probably to be distinguished from the Belgians!

Sorry, I probably should been more specific. This gear was supposed to represent soldiers during the initial evacuation of civilians operation, not Operation Turquoise which came after the genocide. Is that more accurate?

Yes, I am sorry I misunderstood. I have just been trying to put together a uniform from that operation, so I was a little over zealous.

Camonut314 wrote:Yes, I am sorry I misunderstood. I have just been trying to put together a uniform from that operation,  so I was a little over zealous.

Quite alright. I think you are still correct about the helmet, though.
What are you looking for still for your Op. Turquoise uniform?

I would like to find one of the French made Ephod vests used by RPIMA and the Marine commandos. I also just need to break down and buy a generic F2 uniform that fits me well.

By the way, which model flak vest are you referring to? This one? Or the earlier one same as used in "Daguet"?

Camonut314 wrote:I would like to find one of the French made Ephod vests used by RPIMA and the Marine commandos. I also just need to break down and buy a generic F2 uniform that fits me well.

By the way, which model flak vest are you referring to? This one? Or the earlier one same as used in "Daguet"?

I was referring to the US style one. The one in this picture is the one used in Daguet but usually with the desert cover. I will post a picture.

I didn't know the French made Ephod vests. Did the Italians also because I know they wore them?

I don't know about Italy. I don't think they made their own, but they certainly used them in Somalia. Certain versions of the French ones were modular ALICE which is what makes them distinctive.

They also both used the Marim Dolphin style vests too, but I believe French use was mainly limited to Commando de Marine.

In Operation Daguet they used both style of flak vest:

Camonut314 wrote:I don't know about Italy. I don't think they made their own, but they certainly used them in Somalia. Certain versions of the French ones were modular ALICE which is what makes them distinctive.

They also both used the Marim Dolphin style vests too, but I believe French use was mainly limited to Commando de Marine.

In Operation Daguet they used both style of flak vest:

Yep they used both. Here is a better picture of it which they mainly used in Somalia.


Do you have any information on the different types of Ephod vests?

abefroman wrote:This is the uniform that was generally used in Rwanda and Somalia. However, I have not seen any pictures of the helmet used in Rwanda. In Somalia, they also would have had the French PASGT style flak vest which I still need. Keep in mind that the NBC uniform bag pouch would not have been worn. If anyone has any information on what was worn please post!

nicedisplay but low visibility badges wern't worn at this period

So they would be black badges?

I am not entirely sure on all of the different models. However from photographic evidence I can distinguish at least three distinct models with sever variations. The first is the "classic" Ephod that was used by the IDF in 1982. The second is the A-10 model, and this is the one that seems to have the most variations as Israel seems to have produced these for multiple missions and pouches may be tailored for grenade-roles, LSW, commanding, with or without backpack, etc. The last is the only one that I am sure is French-Specific, which is the modular one. As far as I am aware, no other nation uses that particular configuration.

First pics show modular Ephod, note ALICE canteens.
Last two pics show two different variations on the grenade launcher model.

abefroman wrote:So they would be black badges?

look at the 1st photo of Camonut314 (olive green background with gold or white ranks)

Camonut314 wrote:I would like to find one of the French made Ephod vests used by RPIMA and the Marine commandos. I also just need to break down and buy a generic F2 uniform that fits me well.

By the way, which model flak vest are you referring to? This one? Or the earlier one same as used in "Daguet"?

Camonut, Do you have any other pictures of Belgian paras from this operation? This picture is very interesting.

Yes, the Belgian equipment is almost as interesting as the French! The early 90's were a time of much diversity in webbing as armies put various designs to the test.
Mostly my interest has been in the French contingent, but I hope these help:

Camonut314 wrote:Yes, the Belgian equipment is almost as interesting as the French! The early 90's were a time of much diversity in webbing as armies put various designs to the test.
Mostly my interest has been in the French contingent, but I hope these help:

Fantastic! thanks! Do you have a source for pictures?

Hi. Unfortunately not for the Belgian ones. The French on the other hand have a wonderful resource with ecpad.fr if you have time to browse through thousands of photos!

Note that the Belgian Iltis in the photograph was made in Canada by Bombardier.

Finally actually managed to get my hands on a Marine Commando-style ephod! Still cannot actually pin down the exact model, as there seem to be no limit to the variations, but it has the characteristic lack of backpack and it did come from France, so it is good enough for me!

This vest truly is the "Minivan" of the tactical gear world. Bulky, cumbersome, and perhaps overdesigned, but can accommodate any weapon, any mission, and is built for the long haul. Here is it aaaallllllmost fully loaded. Just need a knife, and some rope!

Very nice!! any tags on it?

No Tags unfortunately. Usually the A-10's are tagged in the rare pack, and since that has been omitted from the French design...