Military Kit Still Failing Women, Troops Say

Five years have passed since the Atherton report exposed the inadequacies of military kit for women in the British armed forces. Despite promises to rectify this issue by 2022, servicewomen continue to face ill-fitting uniforms and equipment that jeopardize their safety on deployment.

The Ministry of Defence’s efforts to upgrade body armour have been sluggish, with some progress made but significant hurdles remaining. One example is the Virtus Scalable Tactical Vest introduced in 2022, which features adjustable straps and smaller flat plates designed for female troops. However, veterans like Rhian Brown, who left the Army Reserve after seven years, attest that even this newer model falls short.

“Women are not flat, we have breasts and curves,” she emphasizes. “The plates are flat, it doesn’t fit, it’s not flexible – fit isn’t about vanity, it’s about safety.” The lack of curved body armour plates for UK servicewomen stands in stark contrast to the MoD’s recent expenditure on 2,000 sets for Ukrainian forces.

Dr. Mary Keeling from the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces acknowledges that there have been “good steps in the right direction” but notes that consistent rollout and availability of new female kit and equipment remain elusive. The MoD’s own figures highlight the importance of this issue: a 2025 report by Ofsted revealed for the fourth consecutive year that women and smaller recruits were being issued ill-fitting kit, rendering them at a disadvantage.

Industry experts agree that curved plates provide better protection than flat ones. However, these plates are not yet available to UK servicewomen. The MoD’s justification for the delay is unclear, given its commitment to increasing the number of women in the forces and acknowledging the importance of proper kit.

Plymouth MP Fred Thomas has said it is “unacceptable for some people to be better protected than others.” This sentiment echoes those expressed by veterans like Stacey Denyer, who participated in a ministerial roundtable on implementing the Atherton report’s recommendations. As the MoD works towards its 30% female target by 2030, addressing this fundamental issue of kit and equipment is vital.

For now, servicewomen continue to face subpar kit that compromises their safety. It remains to be seen whether the new ballistic plates promised for delivery in 2028 will finally address this long-standing problem. Until then, it seems the UK’s military continues to struggle with an insidious issue that has far-reaching implications for not just its female personnel but also its overall effectiveness.

In a world where women make up an increasingly large proportion of armed forces worldwide, providing them with equipment tailored to their unique needs should no longer be seen as an afterthought. The MoD must prioritize the development and distribution of proper kit that respects the diversity of its soldiers’ bodies. Anything less would be a disservice not just to the women in uniform but also to the military’s own ideals of equality and service.