S6 NBC Respirator

S6
Standard Issue S6 respirator
Type	Military
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1966–1986[1]
Used by	British Armed Forces, SAS, Turkish Army
Production history
Manufacturer	Birmingham & Leyland Rubber Company

The S6 NBC Respirator was the protective gas mask issued to the British armed forces. It was developed in the 1950s and used from the 1960s up until the introduction of the current-issue S10 in 1986, after which it was withdrawn from mainstream service, but some still remain in service with RAF personnel.

History

The S6 was developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down from the 1950s and manufactured by the Birmingham & Leyland Rubber Company. Although made obsolete by the introduction of the S10, production of the S6 continued in Turkey after the adoption of the new mask by British forces. During the widely documented Iranian Embassy Siege of 1980, the S6 is the mask seen being worn by SAS troops.

Specifications

The S6 features an innovative air seal around the inside of the face piece to improve the fit and comfort of the mask; the pressure inside the seal can be adjusted by means of a tap inside the nose cup. The mask could also be made to benefit left-handed people, where the filter canister is positioned on the right of the face mask instead of the left.

References

1. ^ "S6 Respirator". http://www.forces80.com/nbc.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-10.