Smersh Tactical Chest Rig

Smersh Tactical Chest Rig
Type	Load-Bearing Tactical Vest
Designation	СМЕРЧ
Place of Origin	Russia
Produced	1999-Present
Manufacturer(s)	SSO (formerly SPOSN)
Material(s)	Nylon
Evolved from	Unknown
Evolved into	Unknown
Service
Used by	Russian Armed Forces FSB
Wars	Second Chechen War Russo-Georgian War Syrian Civil War

The Smerch Tactical Chest Rig is a load-bearing chest rig of Russian origin.

Overview

The set of field equipment SMERCH was developed for the needs of infantry and reconnaissance units, designed to carry ammunition for the AK, SVD, PKM, RPK, or VSS as well as hand grenades, rocket cartridges and a minimum set of provisions and additional equipment. This RPS has become a truly modern classic of military equipment.

The discharge system consists of polyester shoulder straps with softening spacers, a lap belt PC-31 nylon belt, which serves to accommodate cartridge pouches and a softening cushion, as well as a number of cartridge pouches.

Each of the two ammunition pouches located on the sides serves as a basis for attaching the shoulder straps. The material used to make the pouches is nylon, which has extreme durability with low weight. In the back of the system, on the RS-31 belt, there is a soft belt that performs three functions: increasing the wearing comfort of the system, fastening the back of the shoulder straps and placing the belt bag (DSP). The rusk itself is made of polyester and can be fastened both on a soft belt, and a little higher - on the shoulder straps. In front of the strap is a cartridge pouch under the individual dressing bag (IPP). The reserve of adjustments of the system allows us to distribute the wearable weight depending on the individual preferences of the user.

The "SMERCH" name translates to “Tornado” in Russian

Many different variations of the Smerch were produced in a variety of different materials and configurations

 Variants

Type 1 Smerch (1999-2000)

Made of linen canvas and polyamide avizant material.

Type 2 Smerch (2000-2001) "Avizant"

Made completely of avizant. Double pockets were added to the buttpack for carrying radios, flares, and grenades. The types of fasteners varied from leather closing, plastic toggle fasteners, and Canadian buttons.

Type 2 Smersh with plastic toggle fasteners.

Type 2 Smersh with leather closings and additional pouches

Type 3 Smerch (2001-Atleast 2005) "Oxford"

Made from a polyamide material called Oxford. Additional padding was added to the shoulder straps and two grenade pouches were added to each magazine pouch. The buttpack was redesigned to be similar to the US M-1961 pouch and could now be mounted on the shoulders if needed. An optional set of VOG pouches were also available. Early versions used velcro and Canadian buttons while later ones used the velcro and metal buttons found on newer generation smerches. Some Oxford Smerches were made with a yellow colored material between 2004-2005 and are referred to as "Mustard" smerches.

Woodland Smerch (2004-2008)

Made of nylon. Produced in a variation of US M81 Woodland Camo. It shares many of the design elements of the SRVV SAS harness. This Smerch was made exclusively for the FSB.

Smerch (2005-Present) "New Gen"

Made of nylon.

Smerch MOLLE (2009-Present)

Identical to the "New Gen" smerch but with MOLLE webbing for easier attachment of pouches.

Smerch with Molle webbing and additional pouches

Gallery

A New Gen Smerch in use in Syria (Left)

A Woodland Smerch in use by FSB (Right)

Type 2 Smerches in use during the 2nd Chechen War

In popular culture

Media	Notes	Date
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege	Worn by the Spetsnaz Operators Kapkan, Tachanka, Glaz, and Fuze	2015
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint	Smerch MOLLE	2019
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	Worn by Krueger	2019