POTD: US Troops Get to Grips with British Bullpups

by Matthew Moss

Published: June 23rd, 2020

1st Lt. Gregory Doty, liaison officer, Hammer Troop , 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, conducts British Army SA80 rifle marksmanship training in support of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group-Poland in Bemowo Piskie, Poland, April 30, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin)

Today’s Photo of the Day sees US troops stationed in Poland get to grips with some British small arms. Men from two cavalry regiments – one British, one American, took part in a familiarisation exercise at Bemowo Piskie, in Poland, on 30th April 2020. The two units are part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence that consists of four battalion-sized battle groups deploying on a persistent rotational basis to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to demonstrate the alliance’s determination and ability to act as one in response to any aggression against its members.

The Light Dragoons is a cavalry regiment in the British Army, which operates Jackal armoured wheeled vehicles, while the 2nd Cavalry Regiment is a US Army unit operating Stryker armoured fighting vehicles.

The US troops got some trigger time with the British SA80A2 (L85A2), US Army Sgt. Timothy Hamlin got some great shots at the range:

1st Lt. Gregory Doty, liaison officer, Hammer Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, conducts British Army SA80 rifle marksmanship training in support of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group-Poland in Bemowo Piskie, Poland, April 30, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin)

This isn’t the first time Sgt. Hamlin has photographed British troops in the field, he also photographed the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards back in January. Check out an earlier POTD featuring those photos here.

But it wasn’t just SA80s the US troops got to play with, they also got to take a look at the British Army’s Accuracy International L115A3 long-range sniper rifle:

A British Soldier, assigned to the Legion Troop, C Squadron, also known as the Light Dragoons, fires an L115A3 long-range sniper rifle during a weapons familiarization training event in support of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group-Poland in Bemowo Piskie, Poland, April 30, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin)

#Sa80 #NATO #BritishArmy #L85A2 #USArmy #Potd #LightDragoons #US2ndCavalry #SA80A2 #FNATOsEnhancedForwardPresence

Matthew Moss

Managing Editor: TheFirearmBlog.com & Overt Defense.com. Matt is a British historian specialising in small arms development and military history. He has written several books and for a variety of publications in both the US and UK. Matt is also runs The Armourer's Bench, a video series on historically significant small arms. Here on TFB he covers product and current military small arms news. Reach Matt at: matt@thefirearmblog.com

More by Matthew Moss

Comments

Join the conversation

3 of 44 comments

360_AD on Jun 24, 2020

What's there to get to grips with? Just think of it as an oversized Uzi. People make too big of a deal out of bullpups. It ain't that hard to figure out, or get used to.

Like Reply
Brains and Looks on Jun 24, 2020

The SA-80 looks like a rifle that was designed by somebody who hates guns. It's just so unaesthetic.

Like Reply
- Ryan Sloan on Jul 02, 2020
  
  @Brains and Looks It was basically "designed" by people who never fired a gun before.
  
  Like

News

Articles/Features

Guns & Gear

Shows

TFB Top Products

POTD: US Troops Get to Grips with British Bullpups

You may also be interested in