Australian Gear Used in Somalia 1992-1994

This is what Australians (1RAR) wore in Somalia from 1992-1994.

Still looking for a brassard and Australian Kevlar helmet cover (I think they used US PAGSTs, anyone know?)

Anymore info is welcome!

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The belt could be an aftermarket. The ADF had a sewn on 50 mm fastex side release buckle for a very long time with their harness webbing. I haven't seen this version in use with them. Worked with the ADF on 2 deployments and multiple training exercises. Here is a image from an Aussie site. THey had many variations in the shade of the webbing over the years.

This set of gear is very early. Some of it is dated 1988. My guess is the early belts used a wrap around velcro configuration but I could be wrong.

One way of dating it would be trying to date the buckle. That design (65 mm reducing to 50 mm) came well after the standard 50 mm SR Fastex classic. NZ used a black version of it in the early 2000.

65mm came before or after 50mm?

I believe well after (as i didnt see any to the 2000s) as it was designed as a method to allow a SR buckle to be used on the standard USGI belt width webb. Im not sure why the standard USGI belt at the time with a side release wasn't just purchased instead of building our own. Cost and hassle of getting them is the only reason I can see. Fastex (ITW) had a plant in NZ that made most of the khaki buckles that the ADF and NZ used on various gear.

Note: Just found the large type buckle it is in fact 60mm down to 50mm
https://www.ddcaustralia.com.au/buckles-webbing/military-buckles/itw-fastex-side-release-buckle-60mm-pack-of-2.html

the photos of the guys look like the steel pots not kevlar

Yep some are wearing steel pots, others kevlars.

Australian army had PAGST helmets, US made and Australian. Somalian era i cant say which ones they where.

1RAR were part of the ODF, They would have had Kevlar's, 3 had them from about 1989, I would guess that the ones in the pic wearing steel helmets are pogues, I seriously doubt any guys from 1 deployed would be wearing them other than Q staff due to shortages and even then I doubt it.
Btw, lock the loose straps off and tape them up, no one in the Bn's would be running kit like that.

Congrats on getting the Israeli made flak jacket - that is usually the hardest item to source apart from the DPCU sombrero.  The 'sombrero' you have is incorrect, and much later.  The Somalia ones were very stiff, had an even larger brim, and did not have the terry towelling browpad.  The pistol belt should have eyelets, the ones without eyelets were later and were a pain as pouches tended to slide around to the front if not tied to each other.

1RAR deployed with K-Pots, judging by the fastening straps they are US made, the later Aust made K-pots had fastex buckling on the chin straps.
A multitude of other units deployed with 1 RAR - Cav, Engies, Int and other medical and support teams, these would have still been issued the M-1s.

Bit of a necropost here, but I've actually seen 3 of those armors in a shop in Austria, absurd price though, eventhough they didn't know what they were.
Funny that the label inside them mentioned nothing about a country, manufacturer or even a year.
I think these might have been what the later Austrian PASGT shaped flakvests were based on