The UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment Sales Authority recently released a booklet containing arms and equipment which is to be sold off and disposed. This includes SIG Sauer pistols, FN light machine guns, aircraft, armoured vehicles and a large ship!

The brochure caused some media buzz when it surfaced around the time of the UK’s DSEI arms exposition. It was claimed by the i that the “Ministry of Defence advertised surplus military pistols as ‘crowd control” weapons at arms fair showcase”. The furore began when a list of disjointed ‘key features’ of the pistol were included, stating ‘mechanically locked’, ‘short recoil’, ‘magazine fed’ and… ‘crowd control’. The SIG Sauer L105A2 (P226) was replaced by the L131A1 (Glock 17) in 2013.

SIG Sauer P226 – L105A2 (UK MoD)

The UK is also disposing of an undisclosed number of FN Minim light machine guns. The L110A2 is the ‘para variant’ of the 5.56x45mm Minimi. The standard variant, also in British service is designated the L108A1. Back in 2018, it was announced that the L110A3 variant would be phased out of service with British infantry. The MoD brochure describes the L110A2 as a “fully automatic, belt or magazine fed, gas operated, air cooled weapon capable of sustaining a high volume of fire in short bursts.” Luckily, whoever wrote the entry did not include ‘crowd control’ in the Minimi’s key features list!

FN Minimi – L110A2 (UK MoD)

It isn’t just small arms that are being disposed of. There are also vehicles including the Land Rover based RWMIK+ which when in service bristled with general purpose machine guns.

RWMIK+ (UK MoD)

For someone looking for something more protected there is the CVR(T) Mk2, a tracked combat reconnaissance vehicle which included Scimitar, Sultan, Spartan and Samaritan vehicles for everything from command and control to ambulances.

CVR(T) Mk2 (UK MoD)

If you’re looking for something to help transport your new RWMIK+ or CVR(T)s then you might be interested in the C-130Js which are being retired and sold off by the Royal Air Force.

C-180J (UK MoD)

Finally, if you’re in the market for a weekend leisure boat then look no further than HMS Scott, once the Royal Navy’s fifth largest vessel. You’ll have to wait until next year, however, when she’s retired.

HMS Scott (UK MoD)

Check out the rest of the brochure here. Sadly, much of the contents are available for ‘Government to Government sale’ only.