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The Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment, also known as M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment or MLCE, was introduced into United States Army service in 1968 during the Vietnam War. The M-1967 MLCE was not specifically designed to replace the canvas and cotton duck M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (which was the then-current United States Army load-carrying system), but instead it was designed for use in tropical environments.
The United States Army entered the conflict in Southeast Asia with the canvas and cotton duck M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE). Developed in the early 1950s, the LCE was designed for use with all small arms then in service with the Army. Deficiencies with the LCE were immediately realized once fielded in the tropical climates of Vietnam. Canvas, cotton duck and webbing, even when treated to prevent mildew, is still affected by it, along with dry rot due to constant wetting and drying. Cotton also absorbed a great deal of water, adding to its weight, and was slow drying; it also withstood abrasion poorly.
As with just about everything else in use in Vietnam by the Army, from boots to field dressings to ammunition packaging, the design of load-carrying equipment was also changed in an effort to provide lightweight individual equipment that could better withstand the rigours of a tropical environment.
Nylon duck and webbing proved to be lightweight, unaffected by mildew, fast-drying as it absorbed little water, and resisted abrasion well. It did have limitations; it was shiny when new; being somewhat stiff, it made a rustling noise against vegetation; and it melted when exposed to high heat.
The M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE), initially termed Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment (LLCE), was developed specifically for use in Southeast Asia. Its issue began in 1968, but never fully replaced the LCE nor was it issued in complete sets. The MLCE consisted essentially of the same items of similar design as the LCE, but substituted nylon for cotton, and aluminum and plastic for steel and brass hardware where possible.
Nylon's light weight and durable qualities led the United States Army to consider the MLCE for Army-wide adoption. A study was undertaken in the early 1970s to identify any shortcomings and to propose improvements for a new load-carrying equipment system to replace the LCE and MLCE.
The MLCE continued to serve the Army well into the 1970s until replaced by the ALICE.
The M-1967 MLCE has the following components:
The following individual equipment items are issued alongside the M-1967 MLCE:
In 1969 a new version of the "Case, Small Arms Ammunition" is introduced for use with the 30-round cartridge magazine for the Rifle, 5.56 Millimeter, M16A1:
NOTE: all component items that utilize snap fasteners for closure have plastic snaps. After 1969 these are replaced with metal versions.
A backpack—also called knapsack, rucksack, pack, booksack, bookbag, or backsack—is, in its simplest frameless form, a fabric sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but it can have an external frame, internal frame, and there are bodypacks.
Webbing is a strong fabric woven as a flat strip or tube of varying width and fibres, often used in place of rope. It is a versatile component used in climbing, slacklining, furniture manufacturing, automobile safety, auto racing, towing, parachuting, military apparel, load securing, and many other fields.
The M60, officially the Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. There are several types of ammunition approved for use in the M60, including ball, tracer, and armor-piercing rounds.
Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment, or MOLLE, is the current generation of load-bearing equipment and backpacks used by a number of NATO armed forces, especially the British Army and the United States Army.
Jungle boots are a type of combat boot designed for use in jungle warfare or in hot, wet, and humid environments where a standard leather combat boot would be uncomfortable or unsuitable to wear. Jungle boots have vent holes in the instep and sometimes a canvas upper to aid in ventilation and drainage of moisture.
Personal Load Carrying Equipment (PLCE) is one of several tactical webbing systems of the British Armed Forces. Dependent upon the year of design, and the decade of introduction, the webbing system was named and is commonly referred to as the 85 Pattern, the 90 Pattern or the 95 Pattern webbing.
The All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) is a set of load-carrying equipment adopted as United States Army Standard A on 17 January 1973 to replace the M-1956 Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE) and M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE). Although since superseded by MOLLE, ALICE gear is still in some limited use with the U.S. Army National Guard, State Guard, also some ground units of the Navy and Air Force.
Sailcloth is cloth used to make sails. It can be made of a variety of materials, including natural fibers such as flax, hemp, or cotton in various forms of sail canvas, and synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester, aramids, and carbon fibers in various woven, spun, and molded textiles.
The IIFS was introduced in 1988, to serve as a fighting and existence carrying system—a possible replacement for the All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment employed and fielded by United States Armed Forces since 1973.
The Extended Cold Weather Clothing System is a protective clothing system developed in the 1980s by the United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, Massachusetts. The first generation ECWCS consisted of parka and trousers plus 20 other individual clothing, handwear, headwear and footwear items which are used in various combinations to meet the cold weather environmental requirements of the US military. The Extended Climate Warfighter Clothing System, or Gen III ECWCS, is designed to maintain adequate environmental protection in temperatures ranging between -60° and +40° Fahrenheit
The M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE), also known as the Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE), was developed by the U.S. Army and first issued in the early 1960s. The M-1956 LCE was designed to replace the M-1945 Combat Pack, the M-1923 cartridge belt, the M-1936 pistol belt and the M-1937 BAR magazine belt. The M-1956 LCE was designed to be quickly configured, using no tools, to accommodate various mission and ammunition loads. The M-1956 LCE remained in service through the 1980s and set the standard for future United States military load-carrying equipment.
The Lightweight Rucksack was the primary rucksack utilized by United States troops during the Vietnam War and also used in arctic and alpine areas. It replaced the M1952 rucksack and was in turn replaced by the ALICE in 1973. The 1967 Training Circular TC 10-8. Lightweight Rucksack: Nylon OG106 served as a "how to use" manual.
1958 Pattern Web Equipment was a modular personal equipment system issued to the British Armed Forces from 1959 up until the mid 90s. It replaced the 1937 Pattern Web Equipment that had served the UK's Armed Forces through the Second World War and the first decade of the Cold War and also the 1944 pattern Webbing which was used in jungle conditions starting from the mid-1960s.
1937 Pattern Web Equipment was an item of military load-carrying equipment. It replaced the 1908 Pattern and 1925 Pattern—on which it was based—and was standard issue for British and Commonwealth troops from its introduction in 1937, throughout World War II, and in the post-war period until it was superseded by 1958 Pattern Web Equipment. It remained in limited use with Territorial Army and other second-line troops until the mid to late 1970s. Official use of the webbing in Community Cadet Forces and the Combined Cadet Force persisted into the 1980s.
The 1972 Pattern Webbing was intended to replace the 58 pattern webbing, but never got beyond user trials. It was made from PU-coated nylon to counter the Soviet NBC capability with a general look closer to a load-bearing vest. It was designed to be used in wide variety of environments such as jungles, deserts and was configurable for use, ranging from short-duration jungle patrols to general infantry use.
Family of Improved Load Bearing Equipment (FILBE) is a series of equipment used by the United States Marine Corps for personal load carrying. It comprises the backpack and various attachments carried by an individual Marine in the field. The FILBE was designed as an improvement over the prior ILBE system that was not compatible with the newest body armor systems.
The Ephod Combat Vest, also designated variously the A10 Model Infantry Load-bearing Rig, Individual Carrying Equipment, and "New style" Load Bearing Equipment, is a personal equipment system issued to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of the State of Israel since the mid-1970s. It replaced the modular-based 1950s "Old style" tan-khaki cotton canvas equipment and a variety of load-carrying waistcoats and assault vests used by Israeli infantry and elite units during the 1967 Six-Day War, the 1967-1970 War of Attrition, and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
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