5540: Special Ops: Journal of the Elite Forces & Swat Units Vol. 40

1) Operation Telic VIII - The British Army in Iraq

Carl Schulze continues his enthralling look at troops in Iraq, and this time the spotlight falls on the British Army. "Operation Telic" is the British designation for operations in Iraq, and a full thirty pages are dedicated to Telic's eighth rotation. The whole gamut of British Army hardware is on display, including Land Rovers, DURO trucks, Cobra truck-mounted radar, Saxons, Warriors, Scimitars, Challenger 2 tanks, and even a range of helicopters. Their operators are also well covered, and photos reveal interesting uniform and weapon details. For a detailed look at Brits in Iraq, this article fits the bill!

2) Operation Athena - Canadians in Afghanistan

One of the stalwarts in the NATO-led stabilization of Afghanistan is Canada. The Canadian Army supplies numerous troops to ISAF, and they are supported by a wide range of equipment. This article examines the contingent in Kabul, which has by now relocated to Kandahar. There is good coverage of the LAV family, with Bisons., Coyotes and LAV IIIs all captured in high-quality photos. Infantry equipment and other vehicles are all present too.

3) Colibri XL - Forty Years of Franco-German Military Cooperation

The Colibri series of exercises takes place annually between French and German airborne forces. As such, this article examines paratroopers from both nations before, during and after parachute jumps. Parachute and infantry equipment are well illustrated, as are support vehicles such as the Wiesel , VBL, ERC-90, and several different helicopters.

4) Regiment "Folgore" - 185th Airborne Artillery Target Acquisition

This journal also includes Italians in the form of an elite Target Acquisition (TA) unit. This 185th Regiment of the famous "Folgore" Brigade recently transitioned into the TA role, and it performs important reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines. They possess vital equipment such as laser designators, and all relevant items are covered in this article. The interesting text describes how this unit is expected to operate, and the special skills its soldiers need to get the job done.