A Norwegian soldier with the FN Minimi in Bamako, Mali. One of the purposes of TFB’s Photo Of The Day is to broaden the audience for the excellent work done by professionals in combat photography. A perfect picture may take everything from a split second to months of planning, and it would be sad to see that kind of work go unnoticed.

Force protection soldiers from NORTAD III on altitude reconnaissance in Bamako, Mali. Note the Minimi on the ground. The Minimi was first introduced late in the 1970s and has seen service in more than 75 countries now. It fires from an open bolt. In the U.S. Army, it’s called the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW).

Reconnaissance from a tripod. Note the two Heckler & Koch HK416N rifles. The sprayed one is much more difficult to see, it blends in really well with the uniform and the surroundings.

Photos by Onar Digernes Aase and The Royal Norwegian Air Force.