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A field ration, or
combat ration, is a canned or pre-packaged
meal, easily prepared and eaten, transported by military troops on the
battlefield. They are distinguished from regular
military rations by virtue of being designed
for minimal preparation
in the field, using canned, pre-cooked or freeze-dried foods, powdered
beverage
mixes and concentrated food bars, as well as for long shelf life.
Such meals also prove invaluable for disaster relief operations, where large
stocks of these can be ferried and distributed easily, and provide basic
nutritional support to victims before kitchens can be set up to produce fresh
food.
Most armies in the world today now field some form of pre-packaged combat
ration, suitably tailored to meet national or ethnic tastes.
Contents
Canada provides each soldier with a complete pre-cooked
meal known as the
IMP (Individual Meal Pack), packaged inside a heavy-duty folding paper bag.
There are 5 breakfast menus, 6 lunch menus, and 6 supper menus. Canadian
rations provide generous portions and contain a large number of commercially
available items. Like the US ration, the main meal is precooked and
ready-to-eat, packed in heavy-duty plastic-foil retort pouch. Typically, the
ration contains a meal item (beans & wiener sausages, scalloped potatoes
with
ham, smoked salmon fillet, macaroni & cheese, cheese omelette with
mushrooms,
shepherd's pie, etc.), wet-packed fruit in a retort pouch, instant soup or
cereal, fruit drink crystals, jam or cheese spread, crackers, coffee and
tea,
sugar, chocolate, hard
candy, a plastic spoon, and paper towels. Canada also makes limited use of
a Light Meal Pack containing dried meat or cheese, dried fruit, a granola
bar, a breakfast cereal square, a chocolate bar, hard candy, hot cocoa mix,
and two pouches of instant fruit drink.
Colombia issues the Ración de Campaña, a very dark olive
green (almost
black) plastic bag weighing between 1092 - 1205 grams and providing between
3097 & 3515 calories. Inside are the MRE-like retort pouch main courses
and
supplements needed by 1 soldier for 1 day. The individual meals, which cater
to South American tastes, consist of a breakfast, a lunch, and a main meal
(Tamal,
Envueltos, Lentejas con chorizo, Arvejas con carne, Garbanzo a la madrileña,
Arroz atollado, Ajiaco con pollo, Sudado con papas y carne, etc.) plus bread
products, beverage mixes, candy & accessories. All items except the
beverage
mixes require no further preparation and can be eaten either hot or cold.
The
beverage powders must be mixed with hot or cold water before consumption.
Each
ration also contains raw sugar, a can of condensed milk, sandwich cookies,
sweetened & thickened cream spread, hard
candy or caramels, peanuts or trail mix or 25 g of roasted almonds,
instant coffee, salt, paper towels, a plastic spoon, 2 water purification
tablets, and a multivitamin tablet.
The
MRE used by the US is possibly the most recognized field ration in the
world. Each sealed plastic bag contains one entire precooked meal, with a
number of supplements and accessories. The original 12 menus have been
expanded to 24 and now contain a variety of ethnic and special request items
as well. Kosher/Halal and Vegetarian menus are also provided. Each meal bag
contains an 8-oz main course (packaged in a 4-layer plastic & foil
laminate
retort pouch), 8 hard military crackers, some form of spread (cheese, peanut
butter, or
jelly), a fruit-based beverage powder, some form of dessert (cake, candy,
cookies, or
fruit), and an accessory packet containing coffee or tea, creamer, sugar,
salt, matches, a plastic spoon, and toilet paper. A chemical heater is
packed
with every meal.
After joining NATO, the Czechs developed a combat ration
known as the
Bojova Davka Potravin (BDP). The BDP comes in two versions, type I & II,
each
holding two ready-to-eat main courses packed in large foil "cans"
(beef roast
with rice, pork goulash with potato, spicy risotto, pork with carrots &
vegetables, etc.), a small plastic cup of lunch meat spread, cheese spread,
hard bread, cookies, jam, instant coffee, tea bags, fruit-flavored
multivitamin drink tablets, vitamin C enriched fruit drink powder, a
chocolate
bar, sugar, salt, chewing gum, wet napkins, paper towels, a plastic bag, and
a
menu & instruction sheet. A modified version of the BDP known as the KDP
(Konserva
Davka Potravin) is also used. This contains the same items as the BDP, but
adds an aluminium cup, plastic utensils, a folding stove with fuel tablets
&
matches, and soap.
The French combat ration, the RCIR (ration de combat
individuelle
rechauffable) comes in 14 menus packed in a small cardboard box. Inside are
2
precooked, ready-to-eat meal main courses packed in thin metal cans somewhat
like oversized sardine tins, and a hors d'oeuvre in a more conventional can
or
tin. Current main courses include items such as Boeuf en salade, Thon
pomme-de-terre, Saumon au riz et legumes, Hachis Parmentier, Saute de lapin,
Chili con carne, Paella, Veau Marengo, Navarin d'Agneau, Volailles legumes
printantiers, etc. Hors d'oeuvres include: Rilletes de saumon, pate de foie
de
volaille, thon en sauce, terrine de poisson blanc, mousse de canard, etc.
Each
meal box also contains a package of instant soup, hard crackers, cheese
spread, chocolate, caramels or hard candy, instant café-au-lait, sugar,
cocoa
powder, matches, a disposable folding ration heater and fuel tablets, and
water purifying tablets.
Germany uses the Einmannpackung to provide two
substantial meals to each
soldier. Practice is to provide one hot cooked meal for the other meal
whenever possible, but enough food items are contained within the EPA to
sustain the soldier if necessary. Currently there are 3 menus with several
heavy-duty foil trays containing things like Lentils with Sausages, Yugoslav
Sausage, Goulash, Beef Patties in tomato sauce, Italian Pasta, or Tofu
stir-fry. There are also three smaller foil "cans" of bread
spreads such as
cheese spread, liver-sausage, dried-meat sausage, or cheese spread with
green
peppers. The meal box also includes: thinly sliced rye bread, soup crackers
(Standard issue, 340 kcal) or hard crackers (Special Forces, 1100 kcal), a
foil can of fruit salad, instant cream of wheat, instant fruit juice powder,
instant coffee, instant tea, powdered cream, a chocolate bar, sugar, salt,
gum, jam, water purifying tablets, two plastic bags, matches, and paper
towels.
Ireland fields a 24-hour ration pack somewhat similar to
that used by the
British. It is packed in a large ziplock plastic bag and contains two
pre-cooked main meals and items to be eaten throughout the day. Included
are:
instant soup, ramen noodles, an oatmeal block, a high-energy protein bar,
both
brown & fruit biscuits, sweets, and a selection of beverage mixes.
Breakfast
(bacon & beans or sausage & beans) is packaged in a retort pouch
while dinner
(Beef Casserole, Irish Stew, Chicken Curry, or a vegetarian main course)
comes
in either a flat tin or microwaveable plastic tray. Desserts consist of a
retort-pouched dessert (chocolate pudding, syrup pudding, fruit dumplings),
a
Kendal mint bar, & a roll of fruit lozenges. Beverages include tea bags,
instant coffee, hot cocoa, and a powdered isotonic drink mix. Also included
are a pack of tissues, a small scouring pad, matches, water purification
tablets, salt & pepper packets, sugar, dry cream powder, moist
towelettes, and
individual packets of foot powder.
Italy uses the "Razione Viveri Speciali da
Combattimento," consisting of a
heavy duty brownish-green plastic bag with 3 thin white cardboard cartons
inside, each containing meal items plus accessories. Typically, breakfast
consists of: a chocolate bar, fruit candy, crackers or sweet bread, instant
coffee, sugar, and a tube of sweetened condensed milk. A lunch will have: 2
pull-ring cans with precooked foods(Tortellini al Ragu, Pasta a Fagioli,
Wurstel in Liquido Governo, Tacchino in Gelatina, Insalata di Riso, etc), a
small can of fruit cocktail, a multivitamin tablet, energy & fiber
tablets,
instant coffee, sugar, & a plastic spoon wrapped with a napkin. Dinner
will
consist of 2 more meal cans plus crackers, an energy bar, instant coffee,
&
sugar. Accessories are: a folding stove, fuel tablets, water purification
tablets, toothpick, matches, & 3 small disposable toothbrushes with
pre-applied tooth powder.
The Netherlands version of the 24-hour ration, the
"Gevechtsrantsoen,"
includes canned or retort pouched items, plus hard biscuits, jam, cheese
spread, 3 cans of meat spread & 1 can of tuna spread, a chocolate bar, a
roll
of mints, instant coffee, tea, hot chocolate, lemon-flavor energy drink
powder, instant soup, a vitamin pill, and supplementary items. The canned
main
course is packed in a thin aluminium can rather like a large sardine tin,
containing 400 g of a precooked item such as rice with vegetables and beef,
chicken with rice and curry, potatoes with sausage and green vegetables, or
sauerkraut with sausage and green vegetables. The newer retort-pouch contain
350 g of things like brown beans with pork, chili con carne, corned beef
hash,
or chicken and pasta in tomato sauce. Oddly, the ration pack provides
breakfast & lunch only; the two canned or pouched main meals are issued
separately.
Norway & Sweden both utilize a 24-hour ration pack
(Norwegian "Stridsrasjon"
or Swedish "Stridsportion") designed by DryTech, consisting of 2
freeze-dried
main meals, a packet of compressed breakfast cereal, packets of instant
soup,
and supplements. These are packed in 3 green polylaminate bags labelled
"Breakfast," "Lunch," or "Dinner," overwrapped
in clear plastic and issued as
one day's ration. Included are a substantial assortment of beverages (cocoa
mix, instant coffee, energy drink powder, and herbal teas), plus thin sliced
rye bread and chocolate, chewing gum, a vitamin tablet, and litter bags.
Lunch
usually consists of chili con carne or pasta in sauce, while dinner is a
choice of Beef with Potatoes, Codfish with Dumplings in Sour Cream, Pasta
Bolognese, etc. Small tins of fish are often provided separately.
The current Polish combat ration (Zestaw Zywnosciowy
Indywidualnej) is
packed in a green plastic-foil bag containing: 2 small cans of meat or meat
spread or cheese, 2 packages of hard crackers, a tube of sweetened condensed
milk, 2 packets of instant coffee, a packet of instant tea, 3 sugar packets,
an individually wrapped Vitamin C fortified hard candy, a stick of chewing
gum, safety matches, a menu & instruction sheet, a plastic bag, and 2
paper
towels.
The Russian Federation recently began issuing the
Individual Food Ration -
Daily (IRP-P). Modelled somewhat upon the French RCIR, the corrugated
cardboard box contains an entire days food, plus a limited number of
supplements. Each ration box contains 2 square main-course cans (generally
meat with cereal or vegetables), 1 can of stewed beef, 1 can of meat spread
(sausage stuffing or liver paté), and 6 packages of hard bread. Also
included
are a foil pouch of fruit jam, an envelope of beverage powder, 2 packages of
instant tea or coffee, 3 packets of sugar, 2 small packs of caramels, 3 x
paper towels, and a multivitamin tablet. Also included are a small can
opener,
a menu & instruction sheet, a disposable folding ration heater, and a
blister
pack of 4
solid fuel tablets.
The Spanish Army issues an individual meal pack,
available in 5 different
menus, comprising a small cardboard box overwrapped with drab green
polyethylene. Inside are 3 canned meals, plus accessories. Typical contents
(Menu B) include: stewed steak, pickled mackerel, liver paté with red
peppers,
an envelope of instant soup, a can of fruit, 2 salt tablets, 2 water
purification tablets, a large multivitamin tablet, 10 sheets of general
purpose paper, a book of matches, a folding can opener, a small folding
ration
heater & 2 fuel tablets, and an instruction sheet. Crackers or bread are
issued separately.
The UK provides the
Operational Ration Pack, General
Purpose. Packed inside
a small cardboard box, each ration has enough retort-pouched and canned
foods
to feed one soldier for 24 hours. Seven menus provide two precooked meals
(Breakfast & Main Meal) plus a midday snack. Example (Menu A) Breakfast:
Hamburger & beans, Instant Porridge.
Snack: Oatmeal Block, Fruit Biscuits,
Brown Biscuits, cheese spread or meat spread, chocolate (in the form of a
specially made Yorkie
bar which is flatter than civilian bars), boiled sweets (hard candy). Main
Meal: Instant soup, Chicken with Mushroom and Pasta, Treacle Pudding. Each
pack also contains instant coffee, tea bags, creamer, sugar, hot cocoa mix,
bouillon powder, lemonade/orangeade powder, matches, toilet paper,
chewing-gum, and water purifying tablets. Also available are Kosher/Halal,
Vegetarian, and Hindu/Sikh specific menus. Regardless of their contents,
these
ration packs are referred to as Rat-Packs or Compo by the soldiers who eat
them.
The Israeli "battle ration" (Manot Krav) is
designed to be shared by four
soldiers. It contains: two cans of processed beef, two large or 4 small cans
of tuna, canned olives, a can of sweetcorn,
a can of pickled cucumbers, 2 cans of halva spread or
chocolate-halva spread, a can of nuts, dried fruit, candy, jam, fruit
flavored
drink powder, coffee, tea, sugar, salt, and bread or matzoh
crackers. There is also an "ambush pack" of candy and
high-energy protein bars.
Saudi Arabia uses a combat meal that is packed inside a
brown plastic bag
about the size and shape of a US MRE pouch. It contains a small can of tuna,
a
small can of sardines or salmon or beef, a small can of cheese or thickened
cream, an envelope of instant noodle soup, hard crackers and dry toast (like
baby
Zwieback), a small bag of raisins or dried fruit, a small package of
dates, a small bag of nuts, plus instant coffee, tea bags, sugar packets,
matches, and a bag of spiced dried chickpea
powder.
The Australians individual combat ration, the CR1M
(Combat Ration, 1-Man),
is a complete 24-hour ration pack that provides two substantial meals per
day
and a wide variety of drinks and snacks for the remainder of the day. Most
items, such as Beef Kai Si Ming, Dutch-style Beef with Vegetables, Beef with
Spaghetti, Baked Beans, Sausages with Vegetables, or Chicken with pasta and
vegetables, are packed in plastic-foil retort pouches. Included with every
meal pack is a pouch of instant rice or instant mashed potatoes, a couple of
muesli bars,
a fruit & grain bar, 2 envelopes of instant drink powder, some biscuits,
an "Anzac
bar," a chocolate bar, M&M's,
coffee, tea, sugar,
crackers, cheese spread, jam, sweetened condensed milk, hard sweets, and
Vegemite.
Australian
army cadets are banned from eating army rations after a child had an
allergic reaction from one.
New Zealand issues an Operational Ration Pack designed to
provide one
soldier with three complete meals. Based around two ready-to-eat retort
pouches (e.g. Beef and Vegetable stew, Chicken Curry), the ORP comes in 4
menus. Also included are:
Anzac biscuits, chocolate bars,
URC fruit grains, muesli bars (müssli),
instant soup powder, instant noodles, muesli cereal, a tube of condensed
milk,
hard
crackers, cheese spread, cocoa powder, instant coffee, tea bags, instant
sport drink powder, sugar, salt, pepper, glucose sweets, jam, ketchup, onion
flakes, waterproofed matches, a resealable plastic bag, and a menu sheet.
The Royal Brunei Army uses a 24-hour ration pack that
provides a soldier
with an entire day's supply of food, plus a limited number of health and
hygiene items. Maximum use is made of plastic-foil laminate pouches, and
most
items can be eaten without further preparation. Currently, four menus are
fielded, and all menus are compatible with Muslim dietary restrictions.
Example Menu (F): 5 x 170-gram retort pouches (Biriani Chicken, Mutton
Curry,
Sardines in Tomato Sauce, Bubur Jagong, Pineapple Pajeri); plus individual
servings of pineapple jam, instant coffee, teabags, sugar, salt, pepper,
steminder powder, hot chili sauce, aji-no-moto,
a multivitamin tablet, tissue paper, scouring pad with soap, and matches.
Indian Armed Forces have a host of Meals Ready To Eat
(MRE) including the
One Man Compo Pack Ration, Survival Ration, a ration for marine commandos
and
Main Battle Tank (MBT) Rations. The shelf-life of the ration is 12 months.
India has adopted retort processing technology for combat rations.
The Indonesian military has introduced the Composite
Ration (24 hour x 1
man) in 6 menus, containing 2 main meals, a light meal, plus a selection of
drinks and supplementary items. Main meals are packed in plastic-foil retort
pouches, and most items are produced in Indonesia. Typically, contents will
include: Beef & Rice in soy sauce, Fish in tomato sauce with rice,
mushrooms
in heavy syrup, sardines in oil, hard biscuits, jam, instant coffee, tea
bags,
energy drink powder, sugar, salt, pepper, tissue paper, matches, and a
vitamin
tablet.
The Royal Malaysian Army version of the 24-hour ration
pack is intended to
provide one man with sufficient food and supplements for one day. Most items
are domestically procured and cater to local tastes and religious dietary
requirements. The ration makes extensive use of commercially available
canned
and dehydrated items. Wherever possible, plastic-foil pouches are used
instead
of cans. The ration is supplemented with precooked or freeze-dried rice.
Example menu C: Beef Kurma, Chicken Masek Merah, Fish Curry, and Shrimp
Sambal;
Bean Curd and Vegetable mix; long bean stew; canned pineapple and canned
papaya; 2
packages of quick-cooking porridge (black bean porridge
and flour porridge); military biscuits; jam; instant coffee; tea; instant
milk
powder; sugar; salt; vitamin tablets; matches; and napkins.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has recently
introduced a new ration
consisting of pre-packaged 1-man meals. Each meal contains dehydrated or
pre-cooked rice, with freeze-dried meat and vegetable supplements. Other
items
include self-heating fried rice and noodles and a compressed cereal bar.
The Singapore Armed Forces issues three types of combat
rations - Type M
(Muslim), Type N (Non-Muslim), and Type V (Vegetarian). Each type comes in 4
or 5 different menus, packed in a heavy-duty brown plastic bag similar to a
US
MRE bag, but measuring 205 mm x 190mm x 115 mm (8" x 7.5" x
4.5") and weighing
1.5 kg (3.3 lbs). Most items are retort-pouched and (except for the hot
beverages) can be eaten without further preparation. The ration provides
three
meals and a variety of between-meal snacks, averaging 3350 kilocalories per
day. Each ration bag includes 2 retort-pouched main courses, a dessert, and
an
accessory pack containing 2 fruit bars, 4 packages of cookies, an envelope
of
isotonic drink mix powder, an envelope of instant flavored tea mix, a hot
beverage (coffee, cocoa, or tea), an envelope of cereal mix, candy, matches,
fuel tablets, and tissue paper. A package of instant noodles is provided
with
every meal pack, but is issued separately. Typical Type M (Menu #1): Rendang
Mutton with rice; Tandoori Chicken with rice; Red Bean dessert. Typical Type
N
(Menu #5): Pasta Bolognase; Yellow Rice with Chicken; Barley Dessert with
milk. Typical Type V (Menu #1): Mock Chicken Curry with rice; Vegetarian
Fried
Noodle; Green Bean dessert with coconut milk.
The primary operational ration used in Sri Lanka is the
"jungle ration," a
24-hour ration pack whose components are produced and assembled in Sri
Lanka.
It is issued to soldiers at the rate of one per soldier per day, and
contains
both food and sundry items designed to sustain troops where food storage and
preparation facilities are not practical. All meals are precooked, requiring
neither cooking nor preparation, and all items are packaged inside sealed
plastic packages or lightweight aluminium cans. Precooked rice is included
as
part of every meal. Typical contents are: chicken curry with potatoes,
vegetable curry, precooked rice, hard
crackers, processed cheese, soup cubes, instant milk powder, orange drink
powder, and dates or dried pineapple. A sundry pack containing tea bags,
sugar, salt, glucose tablets, seasonings, matches, plastic bags, and toilet
paper is included with every ration pack. |
