Re: Just how realistic ARE those video games!?

On 13/09/2024 01:46, Dimensional Traveler wrote:

The usual reason why more military forces don't use off-the-shelf civilian gear is the military usually want's them to be more durable, have a wider range of temperatures they can operate at, EMP resistant frequently, waterproof and so on.  That's why you get $500 dollar ash trays, they are designed to break without leaving sharp edges that can cut and injure personnel as the pieces fly around in a battle.

Basically yes, your average bit of military kit is designed to operate in far harsher environments than your average commercial kit would stand. They also have obsolescence rules that are just hard to met without custom built equipment where you can bake a long term plan into them. That doesn't mean commercial kit doesn't have its place but instead it's just rather context sensitive.
Oh and of course there is the habit of this is built robustly so it doesn't matter how you look after it. So a story one of ours guys told us when when he was supporting an army exercise. He saw a solider who thought I can't be bothered to find a hammer so I'll use one of the nice, and expensive, radios to hammer the tent pegs in instead.