More efficient bases for Afghanistan showcased

New ways of making forward operating bases used by British troops in Afghanistan easier to construct and more energy efficient were displayed yesterday. Units deployed in Helmand work out of tactical bases or forward operating bases in remote locations. The bases require supporting infrastructure and capabilities. At the moment there is a multitude of designs, and configurations have evolved during operations dependent on the types of missions conducted from each base. The MOD's Programmes and Technology Group has been collaborating with industry to develop an open architecture and create a scalable, modular approach to tactical base equipment and infrastructure. The generic base architecture project aims to develop the thinking of the tactical base as a system, rather than a collection of constituent parts, that will enable them to be easily adapted when the need arises, cutting the work in theatre, and reducing the operational burden. Some of the possible new designs were displayed at the FOBEX event yesterday at Caerwent Training Area, near Newport, South Wales.